Tanuja was frustrated. She had sent out fifty applications and received fifty generic rejections. She had years of experience in her home country, yet Kiwi employers seemed to only value “local experience”. She felt like a “walking ATM,” spending money on a dream that felt increasingly out of reach.
A Refreshing Perspective – Tanuja attended the Navigating New Zealand’s Job Market Virtual Bootcamp. There, she learned the “hidden” truth: 75% of jobs in New Zealand are never advertised; they are found through relationships and reputation.
Translating Value, Not Deleting History – Working with her coach, Tanuja applied Auahatanga (grounded innovation) to her career strategy:
- The CV Shift: She stopped listing “duties” and started showcasing “achievements” that aligned with Kiwi workplace expectations.
- The Networking HOW: She learned the specific “Kiwi way” to approach industry insiders for informational interviews.
- The Mindset: She stopped seeing volunteering as a “waste of time” and saw it as a vital way to build the trust and “Kiwi experience” employers were looking for.
The Breakthrough – Tanuja left the workshop in a “more optimistic frame of mind”. By focusing on her “Overseas Advantage” and translating her value rather than deleting her past, she finally landed a role that aligned with her skills. As Nimshi Samarasinghe shared, the guidance was “practical, insightful, and deeply empathetic” to the unique challenges migrants face.