The Recruiter's Blog
by Alan Charman
11 January 2009
As we return to work after the Xmas break, the main attitude is "wait and see". Is the crisis over? Or just beginning? What does this mean for New Zealand?
I've covered the government infrastructure spending, but some of that will merely offset commercial failures and the likes of Flat Bush being postponed for three years as Manukau Coty Council tries to protect its funds and takes note of the lower demand for housing.
The main emphasis for people needs to be protection of your income. If you have a job, the best thing you can do for the next six months is to try any way at all to increase performance of both yourself and your team. Good, well-run companies will weather the crisis, so if you're working for a good company, leave it at your peril.
if you're not, then the time to act is now, while there are still vacancies around.
We're having our busiest January ever, so don't wait!
8 December 2008
The sky hasn't yet fallen, but it has for hundreds - maybe thousands - of Kiwi workers as we're astonished at the number of people who have been laid off in the past couple of months.
At the same time, government and central bank stimuli have started to kick-start the economy and I hope retailers will have a very good christmas, thereby filtering through to manufacturers, who are all doing it pretty tough at the moment. Inventories can only build so far before something busts. At least the reduced interest rates and provisional tax penalties will encourage a few firms to invest in their inventories rather than lay staff off, so let's hope the recovery isn't too long coming!
Meanwhile, we continue to seek good, hardworking people for a variety of jobs across the country.
With the stated government intention of funding infrastructure, we're desperately keen to hear from rail and other infrastructure engineers. Without people to design the solutions, Key's plans will come to nowt.
27th October 2008 & 1 November
Global bust!
World Depression!
Nah...
We're hiring, and so are our customers!
Jobs remain in huge supply in the regions, but signs are certainly becoming apparent that Auckland is slowing - and slowing fast! (Update, from Herald on 1st November: "Business confidence has suffered its biggest drop in 20 years, and Labour and National are bidding to provide the best welfare package for the forecast tide of redundancies which could boost unemployment by 50,000 within the next year.) I think it's fair to say that even in four days, I could change the "slowing fast" to:
The Auckland employment market has dropped dead on its feet. There are still some jobs, but few and far between.
What can you do to preserve your income, especially this close to Xmas? Go temping, right now, (e mail us your details here) and ensure that you don't run out of money at the worst time of year.
Seriously, things are going to be bad for lots of households, so talk to a realist about your employment prospects. This is a time to protect yourself by getting a job with a top employer - while the skill shortage lasts.
New Zealand is becoming an attractive target for migrants from Europe, UK and even Australia, as the huge drop in the NZ Dollar becomes apparent. We are always happy to talk to migrants looking to establish a career here. The relevance of this to Kiwis is that people moving here from England, Sri Lanka, USA, Canada, Germany, India, Belarus, Poland and Nepal don't mind spending a few years in Invercargill because it will enable them to gain access to the country.
I cannot stress this more: If you are in doubt for your job, unless it is a highly specialised field (like electrical engineer for co-generation design) then you are unlikely to find it easy to get a job in Auckland, and maybe Wellington as this stuff starts to bite. And maybe for a long time.
The best employment advice you'll get this year is that if you are in one of the occupations on this list, give some serious thought to getting moving to the regions right now and get in touch with us.
Unfortunately, things aren't going to get better for a while and the time to act is right now.