Job Search Bootcamp: A practical job search readiness series for international students

This workshop series has finished for 2023.

Job Search Bootcamp will help you build your understanding of the New Zealand job market and how to present yourself as a desirable candidate. In our workshops, you will:

• Learn about new ways to find and create job opportunities in New Zealand
• Get advice on how to write CVs that stand out to New Zealand employers
• Discover that cover letter writing can actually be quite fun and learn how to use AI in a way that serves you
• Learn more about the skills, attitudes and experiences that New Zealand employers look for
• See how consistent networking can not only help you promote your personal brand but also shape your career
• Get advice on how to nail those tough interview questions and practise, practise, practise
• Understand how to articulate your value proposition to prospective employers

The series includes three types of sessions:

• Guest speaker presentations and Q&A (conducted online)
• Informative workshops on various topics related to job search (conducted online)
• Practical tutorials that allow you to implement and get feedback on what you have learnt in the workshops (conducted in person; limited spaces)

Please note that you can only attend a tutorial session if you attended the corresponding workshop.

Although we highly recommend it, you don’t have to commit to all the workshops in the series: feel free to pick and choose based on your needs, knowledge, interests, and schedule. Please register for each session in MyCDES.

In this session, you will get a general overview of the whole job search process in New Zealand with helpful tips and useful pointers. Our speaker Bronagh Campbell, Talent Acquisition Business Partner at Higgins, has an impressive experience in recruitment, career development and training. This session will attempt to answer all of your job search questions – from where people look for jobs in New Zealand to how you can best leverage your overseas experience. We will share any concerns that employers might have when hiring international applicants and mistakes you should avoid.

So, you are ready to look for a job in New Zealand – but where do you start? You might have heard of a few websites, but you are wondering how effective they are and if there is anything else you should know. In this interactive session, we will explore effective job search strategies that put you in the driver’s seat. You will learn how to approach New Zealand employers proactively and combine different strategies using them to your advantage.

Please only attend this tutorial if you attended the corresponding workshop. We will be practising what you’ve learnt and experimenting with ways to implement the learning.

You may have a great-looking CV that worked really well in your country but for some reason you haven’t had much luck with it in New Zealand. That’s because every culture has its distinct CV writing conventions and expectations. In this practical session, you will discover what hiring managers in New Zealand expect to see when they pick up your CV and how to convince them that you are the person they need to interview.

Please only attend this tutorial if you attended the corresponding workshop. We will be practising what you’ve learnt and experimenting with ways to implement the learning.

Do people still read cover letter these days? And if so, what do I include in one? Do I need a template? Who do I address it to? Can’t I simply generate a cover letter using ChatGPT? We are sure you’ve got a lot of questions about writing cover letters – and we will try to answer as many of them as possible in this practical session. Join us to learn how to showcase your experience, skills, qualifications, and attitudes and come across as a desirable candidate.

Please only attend this tutorial if you attended the corresponding workshop. We will be practising what you’ve learnt and experimenting with ways to implement the learning.

To be able to prepare and submit a good job application, you have to know how employers think and what they look for. Employers want their problems identified, solved and, if possible, prevented – and that’s where you come in. In this workshop, we will explore what and how NZ employers think about hiring the right people and how to address their questions and concerns in the process.

Please only attend this tutorial if you attended the corresponding workshop. We will be practising what you’ve learnt and experimenting with ways to implement the learning.

Have you ever heard of the ‘hidden’ job market? Research says that it could be as many as 70-80% of all available jobs! The most effective ways to tap into this market are carefully crafting your personal brand and developing a strong and diverse professional network. Sounds great – but where do you start? Join our interactive session and we’ll guide you through this process.

Please only attend this tutorial if you attended the corresponding workshop. We will be practising what you’ve learnt and experimenting with ways to implement the learning.

Getting a job in your new country may seem daunting but it’s possible, believe us! Or better yet, talk to the people who have gone and done just that.

In this session, we’ve invited Moumita Das Roy, Marketing Communications Manager at DuluxGroup, to share tips, thoughts and resources that will help you start the New Zealand chapter of your career. Here’s your chance to ask lots of questions and debunk some myths about the NZ workplace.

What do you feel when you get invited to a job interview? Are you nervous? Excited? Hopeful? Wherever you are on the feeling spectrum, you can always benefit from a more informed and purposeful approach to interview preparation. Join this interactive and practical workshop to learn how to prepare for job interviews, tell impactful career stories, and manage your interviewers’ first impression.

Please only attend this tutorial if you attended the corresponding workshop. We will be practising what you’ve learnt and experimenting with ways to implement the learning.

You now know how to approach the job market in New Zealand in a more purposeful and effective way. Let’s dedicate a session to working out how you can identify and articulate what you have to offer to various employers. From casual networking conversations to work meetings, you should be your best advocate and state clearly what you have to offer. Let us show you how!