SEEK, INDEED, TRADEME, LINKEDIN and keep going

We were job-hunting machines, clicking away on job search sites like Seek, Indeed, and Trademe…. Since everyone was telling us that there was a teacher shortage, I was determined to start off as a teaching aide (for which no degree is required). Whereas Youlia had her sights set on any job as a financial advisor (or any job in finance). We were uploading resumes and sending motivational letters like crazy, playing the job-hunting game by the book.

Where are our coffees?

Jens and youlia

Coffee is practically a currency in New Zealand. In fact, the coffee culture is so ingrained that even the most basic cappuccino comes with a full-on presentation – “Would you like chocolate or cinnamon on top, sir?”

The coffee scene here is so serious, you’d think it’s a business meeting instead of a caffeine fix. You’ll see people on laptops, tablets, and iPhones, multitasking like they’re a CEO. And if you’re lucky you might just witness a coffee-fueled job interview right before your eyes. It’s like the coffee shops are the new boardrooms.

It took us so long to get an interview, we were starting to think we’d have better luck getting a coffee date with a Hollywood celebrity. Finally, after what felt like ages, one of us got invited for an interview as a program coordinator at Kelly Club. But then we were left hanging for weeks as they began the time-consuming process of running a police check. We were starting to wonder if they were conducting a full-scale investigation. Anyway, in the meantime, Youlia kept hitting the “apply” button on Seek and Indeed but she had started to wonder if she should just become a professional coffee drinker instead.

We were desperately in need of the four-letter word that rhymes with “duck.”

Then came the Sausage sizzle at Bunnings.

I was constantly surfing the net in New Zealand looking for jobs.

The Sausage sizzle

They were selling 2-dollar hotdogs and we were hungry. What else could we do but go for it? The guy serving the hotdogs was named Blair, the most friendly of all Kiwis. And Blair knew everyone in Christchurch.

Guys, you know we’re still islanders, There is a saying: If you eat with us, you’re one of us. We meet with a business group every Thursday morning. Let me give you my number. I’ll bring you guys along this thurs. Wear a business shirt. Here’s your sausage. See you’re eating with us, you’re now one of us.

Blair

Alright, this only meant one thing. Shopping day. We had to scour the stores for the cheapest shoes that didn’t scream “I’m broke”, Google how to iron our wrinkled clothes and make our way to the early fancy business 28-dollar per person breakfast.

It was a scene straight out of “The Wolf of Wall Street” – there were over 30 suits present, including some of the biggest names in business across Christchurch. From insurance giants to car manufacturers, financial gurus to recruitment wizards – you name it, they were there (but not a teacher in sight!). Each person was given 60 seconds to speak their mind on anything, followed by a 10-minute presentation. Then came a round of appreciations, where everyone was forced to awkwardly compliment one another. And just when we thought it was over, it was time for another round of coffee-induced small talk.

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know

They told us the secret to landing a job is not what you know, but who you know, and who those people know, and who those people’s dogs know! It’s all about word of mouth. We met some well-connected folks who were willing to lend a hand.

Blair later set up another (coffee)meeting for me with a dean in a private school. He told me there were slim chances of me finding a teaching role without the converted license (=another English test, a lot of waiting and a lot of money). He did pay for my coffee which apparently is something unusual. So this meant I was wasting my time looking for a job as a teaching assistant. That meant booking (and paying for) another academic English language test, passing that test, applying for the converted license, and some more waiting for weeks/months. Well, let’s say we crossed our fingers I got the job at Kelly Club as a program coordinator.

In the meantime, Youlia was still struggling even to find an admin job. Perhaps she needed to eat more hotdogs with the islanders?

Because we had no jobs, fishing would have soon been the only way to put food on the table.

A RECAP

Because an oversees master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree weren’t recognized here, this increasingly desperate Belgian couple looking for work within their field needed to do two things:

  • Jens: pay and wait for an English test and teaching license (at least 1000 NZD)

  • Youlia: pay for an extra financial advisor course = 3000 nzd+ insurance course = 3000 nzd ( and wait ofcourse)

Our smiles were still there, but just a tad less wide. The thought of slinging lattes at a local cafe and living a quiet life suddenly sounded more appealing than ever.

So then we did what any reasonable person on a work and holiday visa on the other side of the world would do. Get any job that would provide you with some income while you’ve just signed a 6-month fixed lease contract.

Turned out the universe wasn’t giving us a coffee shot at that either. We walked into any bar in the Sumner village and talked to any employer with no duck, I mean luck. What should we do now?

We’re seriously considering kayaking to “A great Southern land” or “The lucky country” or “Sunburnt country” if you will.

To be continued…