When learning isn't all one way

3 October 2007

Being successful in getting a job in New Zealand isn't only a matter of having the right qualifications. Understanding the job market and processes can be a hurdle for migrants.

Getting involved
That's where job mentors like Jos Kunnen help, in what can be a frustrating and difficult time for job seekers. Jos, who has an engineering and IT background, has been involved in the job mentoring service run by Wellington ESOL Home Tutors for 18 months.

He took on the role as a way of giving something to others, and describes it as enjoyable and rewarding, although sometimes challenging. The learning isn't all one way - Jos says a benefit for him is learning about other cultures.

Jos works with people who have professional skills, experience and qualifications in their home countries. So far he's worked with people from Romania, Brazil, Sri Lanka and Sudan.

However, their common difficulty is understanding where jobs may be in New Zealand and the processes New Zealanders take for granted. For instance, some new job seekers have been used to a situation where there is a degree of corruption - it's who you know, rather than what you know, that gets someone a job. Other countries have their own way of presenting a curriculum vitae, and even the job seeker's behaviour at an interview can be very different to what is expected in New Zealand.

The culture of interviews 
Sarath Amarasekera, an engineer with Wellington Water Management, says that Jos's advice on presenting himself at an interview was invaluable. In Sri Lanka, an applicant must be deferential, but in New Zealand more assertive behaviour is expected. 'Jos taught me how to behave at the interview the New Zealand way. He even taught me how to shake hands. In Sri Lanka we do it as an obedient servant, but here it's more equal,' he says.

People tend to form an opinion very quickly, and that is one of the biggest challenges Jos sees. For example, migrants may speak differently and look different, and some may not get over the first hurdle.

It's important that they can show a potential employer what they can do and minimise any risk from the employer's view. 'An interview is stressful anyway, and they may not perform as well as they would in their home country,' Jos says, so he helps job seekers to present themselves in a positive light. One job seeker had around 400 rejection letters - he called them his 'unfortunately' letters.

Keeping positive
Jos says it's difficult to stay positive under those circumstances and some job seekers end up under-employed, doing menial tasks or manual work, an inappropriate use of their skills. Some believe they would have a better chance of employment if they were unskilled. This is particularly unfortunate, Jos says, but many migrants had an expectation from the New Zealand government about suitable work prospects, and are disappointed when the reality is rather different.

Jos adds that it's important for job seekers to be selective and to look at jobs that are suitable for their experience and capabilities. 'That's what motivates me, helping them find a way into appropriate work and making a positive contribution.' A job seeker's personal well-being improves dramatically when they are successful in obtaining suitable work, and in turn they will make a good contribution to their workplace, Jos says. 'One of the best things is to see the sheer joy they experience - it's phenomenal, and it makes such a difference to their life.'

Coping with the Kiwi accent
Having English as a second language may be seen as a challenge from an employer's point of view, but Jos has seen how dramatically fluency improves when someone is employed and gets the opportunity to speak English outside their home or language class. Although Sarath had studied English in Sri Lanka and has had further studies in New Zealand, he found one of the major difficulties was not the language itself, but accent. The New Zealand accent was hard for him to adjust to, and others found his accent difficult to understand too.

After three years in New Zealand, he thinks he may be developing a touch of a New Zealand accent himself. One of Sarath's regrets is that it took more than two years for him to find out about the job mentor service. Both he and Jos acknowledge there are programmes to assist migrants when they come to New Zealand, particularly with language, but they would like to see assistance for job seekers more widely available. 'I encourage people to be a job mentor - it's not rocket science,' says Jos. 'You just need a supporting ear and to give coaching and guidance. You can't save the world maybe, but you can make a big difference for individuals'.'
Elizabeth Beattie