New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[Wayne Potgieter]

I am actively recruiting for a few roles at work and my ceo has banned me from hiring out of country South Africans but is actively pushing me to find in country ones.

 

Out of country is a challenge and so much can go wrong that most (not all) employers are very wary of hiring people not in the country.

[RossW]

I am actively recruiting for a few roles at work and my ceo has banned me from hiring out of country South Africans but is actively pushing me to find in country ones.

 

Out of country is a challenge and so much can go wrong that most (not all) employers are very wary of hiring people not in the country.

Like this instance.

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/149692-time-to-get-the-hell-out-of-here/page-600?do=findComment&comment=3388984

[Chris_]

Nice one, thanks all. Sadly this line below is the one that's really going to stick with me! 

 

 

So don't be tempted to only put a collared shirt on as you may be asked to stand or get something which will require standing. You don't want to be caught with your pants down.

 

 

   

[Stretch]

 

 

the employers was sceptical about my commitment to move.

 

This is the big reason... Apparently it happens often... People get cold feet at the 11th hour

[patches]

This is the big reason... Apparently it happens often... People get cold feet at the 11th hour

 

Which is exactly how I got my job.

 

A colleague was offered a role in Christchurch. Accepted the offer, but then 1 week later got cold feet, and cancelled. So I simply sent the in-house recruiter an email and said I'd be keen.

 

Was a last minute decision on my part, but 1 Skype (no video) interview later and I was hired.

 

So yeah, can be done from SA via skype. However at the time I worked for the same global company. Although there was not really a link but in company name only (different department and I had to resign etc.. not a "transfer"), it probably did still help a bit.

 

As for Saffers getting cold feet, it would be interesting to get some data on why?

 

My initial guess is that they have a partner, possibly children, own a home, are used to a certain lifestyle, and are scared of the unknown, the step back, and isolation from family and friends.

 

All valid reasons, although hard for me to comprehend as I was single, no kids, didn't own property, and was looking for adventure.

[Stretch]

Which is exactly how I got my job.

 

A colleague was offered a role in Christchurch. Accepted the offer, but then 1 week later got cold feet, and cancelled. So I simply sent the in-house recruiter an email and said I'd be keen.

 

Was a last minute decision on my part, but 1 Skype (no video) interview later and I was hired.

 

So yeah, can be done from SA via skype. However at the time I worked for the same global company. Although there was not really a link but in company name only (different department and I had to resign etc.. not a "transfer"), it probably did still help a bit.

 

As for Saffers getting cold feet, it would be interesting to get some data on why?

 

My initial guess is that they have a partner, possibly children, own a home, are used to a certain lifestyle, and are scared of the unknown, the step back, and isolation from family and friends.

 

All valid reasons, although hard for me to comprehend as I was single, no kids, didn't own property, and was looking for adventure.

It's a massive step backward for okes like me in their 40s. I had paid off my house.. No loans on cars.. Just saving for university... Now I'm back to being declined mortgages because they have no history of me... Renting and owning nothing....... But I would do it again in a heartbeat

[intern]

It's a massive step backward for okes like me in their 40s. I had paid off my house.. No loans on cars.. Just saving for university... Now I'm back to being declined mortgages because they have no history of me... Renting and owning nothing....... But I would do it again in a heartbeat

Yep,sounds familiar. 8 years on and my career is still nothing like it used to be. And I still have a mortgage, took less than 6 years to pay off my SA house!

[patches]

It's a massive step backward for okes like me in their 40s. I had paid off my house.. No loans on cars.. Just saving for university... Now I'm back to being declined mortgages because they have no history of me... Renting and owning nothing....... But I would do it again in a heartbeat

 

 

Yep,sounds familiar. 8 years on and my career is still nothing like it used to be. And I still have a mortgage, took less than 6 years to pay off my SA house!

 

I guess that's it. The feeling that one has worked so hard to get where they are, then jumping back 10yrs+ and doing it all over again.

 

When I was visiting my former colleagues in SA earlier this year, one of them who was keen on NZ started asking a lot about costs etc.

 

He was almost instantly put off when I told him that a decent house in Auckland will cost him close to R10m, and even then it will be nothing fancy.

 

He owns 3 or so properties in SA, and the thought of going from that to renting for R7000+ per week was not his cup of tea.

 

At the end of the day though, there are things that money cannot buy. And although career wise I have been very fortunate in NZ and had opportunities here that were not possible in SA, I didn't come here for the money and would do it all again.

[intern]

I guess that's it. The feeling that one has worked so hard to get where they are, then jumping back 10yrs+ and doing it all over again.

 

When I was visiting my former colleagues in SA earlier this year, one of them who was keen on NZ started asking a lot about costs etc.

 

He was almost instantly put off when I told him that a decent house in Auckland will cost him close to R10m, and even then it will be nothing fancy.

 

He owns 3 or so properties in SA, and the thought of going from that to renting for R7000+ per week was not his cup of tea.

 

At the end of the day though, there are things that money cannot buy. And although career wise I have been very fortunate in NZ and had opportunities here that were not possible in SA, I didn't come here for the money and would do it all again.

Back in the day when I showed up here, the high cost of housing was an easy way to make serious money through leverage. If you could get a mortgage at 4.5 percent or whatever, and with house prices rising fast, the leverage meant that if you bought a 'R10-million' house, you effectively had maybe R9-million of that earning your 10, 15 or 20 percent, while you lived in it and paid less than 5 percent.

Situation has changed now, of course, with the flattening prices and every possibility that prices will go down. Unless you have a place with a lot of equity in it, ie you haven't bought with a small deposit or opted for that most dangerous of things, an interest-only loan, you could be looking at negative equity in the coming months or years.

Right now, I am scared about leveraging up, although I am keen to find a nice house in a state of disrepair and do it up, while keeping our existing home. But it has to be the right one because of the risk of price decline (which can be mitigated in two ways, beeg deposit and longer-term view)...

[GrahamS2]

It's a massive step backward for okes like me in their 40s. I had paid off my house.. No loans on cars.. Just saving for university... Now I'm back to being declined mortgages because they have no history of me... Renting and owning nothing....... But I would do it again in a heartbeat

I'm in a similar situation here, but will fortunately take enough capital to Oz to make house buying possible. The challenge of "doing it all again" is something I'm actually looking forward to. It's certainly daunting at times, but I'm more excited than scared at this stage.

[davetapson]

I'm in a similar situation here, but will fortunately take enough capital to Oz to make house buying possible. The challenge of "doing it all again" is something I'm actually looking forward to. It's certainly daunting at times, but I'm more excited than scared at this stage.

I'm currently contributing to feeding old age pensioners in Zim who "didn't do it all again" and life and African economics happened to them.

 

Given a redo of their choices I suspect they might choose to have done it differently.

 

My folks came down from Zim in 1981 with $1500 to their name (all they were allowed to take) and I doubt they regret their decision...

[Spinnekop]

I am actively recruiting for a few roles at work and my ceo has banned me from hiring out of country South Africans but is actively pushing me to find in country ones.

 

Out of country is a challenge and so much can go wrong that most (not all) employers are very wary of hiring people not in the country.

Sad

[CAAD4]

I am actively recruiting for a few roles at work and my ceo has banned me from hiring out of country South Africans but is actively pushing me to find in country ones.

 

Out of country is a challenge and so much can go wrong that most (not all) employers are very wary of hiring people not in the country.

What line of work are you in now Wayne?

[Zatek]

I am actively looking for work in NZ and I work in the IT industry. We are all in.

 

Just thought I put it out there.

[davetapson]

I am actively looking for work in NZ and I work in the IT industry. We are all in.

 

Just thought I put it out there.

Apply for the visa. When you are at a stage where all you need is the job, come over, get job, finalise visa.

 

If you are in something mainstream (full stack incl one or other js framework?) or something unique in some way, you could get job by Skype.

 

But you need to have the paperwork lined up before you start if you intend to be taken seriously.

[Zatek]

All the paper work is already in place and I was approved by ACS for ICT Support but thats not on the long term skill list in OZ so we are trying New Zealand. I would like to have a job offer before going over. The misses will look after the kids the first couple of months while I work.