How does a recruitment agency work in New Zealand?

Recruitment agencies often advertise jobs that employers have yet to post elsewhere, giving job seekers access to more unique employment opportunities . They're free to use and typically industry-specific, helping you narrow your search to make job hunting easier.

What is the average recruitment fee in New Zealand?

Typically, recruitment agency costs vary depending on their fee structures, like retained search, contingency search, or project-based fees. In New Zealand, these can range from 15% to 20% of the candidate's annual salary for permanent roles .

How do recruiters get paid in NZ?

The recruiter informs the successful applicant and negotiates the salary and benefits. The employer pays the recruiter a fee for their services – this is usually a percentage of the annual salary .

Is it easy to get job offer from New Zealand?

New Zealand offers a range of easy-to-get jobs , making it an attractive destination for job seekers looking for quick opportunities. Whether you're a traveler on a gap year or a newcomer to the country, these jobs require minimal experience and often provide immediate start options.

Do recruiters get commission NZ?

Pay. Pay for recruitment consultants is a combination of a base salary and commission . Recruitment consultants' base salaries are usually between $48,000 and $90,000 a year. Recruitment managers' base salaries are usually between $80,000 and $130,000.

Does New Zealand hire foreigners?

Anyone who isn't a New Zealand citizen or resident needs a valid visa with work rights to work in New Zealand . They need to apply for the visa but you, as the employer, will also need to take some steps.

Is it difficult to get a job in New Zealand as a foreigner?

Since New Zealand is such an appealing destination, finding work can be challenging . There are various categories of work visas, and not all are available to all applicants or professions.

How many candidates are usually shortlisted for interview in NZ?

Of course, this depends on how many people you need and how many roles you have to fill. Generally speaking, it is normally only a small number of people that are to be interviewed. Only shortlisted candidates should be interviewed, with two to five people .

How hard is it for a foreigner to get a job in New Zealand?

So, can foreigners work in New Zealand? Absolutely! You just need to identify in-demand jobs, craft a New Zealand-style resume and cover letter, and choose a suitable work visa type . And, of course, apply for it properly.

How does the recruitment process work?

A recruitment process includes all the steps that get you from job description to offer letter – including the initial application, the screening (be it via phone or a one-way video interview), face-to-face interviews, assessments, background checks, and all the other elements crucial to making the right hire.

What You Need to Know About Recruitment Agencies in New Zealand

Job Search Tips

Find a Job with a Recruitment Agency

Signing up to recruitment agencies in New Zealand is another great asset to finding a job in New Zealand. Also known as a job agency or employment agency, recruitment agencies find job interviews for job seekers.

How they work is simple. From a database of CVs (Curriculum Vitae or resume), recruitment agencies are asked by paying employers to find the perfect match for a job role. They often match a selection of CVs with the job description then send the job applicants in the direction of the employer to attend a job interview. Basically, it takes out the task of reading through countless CVs for the employer, while taking out the task of finding an employer for the job seeker.

Recruitment agencies in New Zealand are either based in an office or online, to which we’ll talk about both in this article, as well as discussing the pros and cons of recruitment agencies and whether you should use them in your job search.

5 Steps To Job Success!

Have a valid work visa, IRD number and New Zealand bank account
Create a CV tailored to New Zealand by using How to Create a New Zealand CV
Use at least two different methods of finding a job outlined in How to Quickly Find a Job in New Zealand
Sign up to a recruitment agency. See how below!
Attend the job interview, keeping in mind the tips we give in How to Nail a Job Interview in New Zealand.

The Pros and Cons of Using a Recruitment Agency

Should you use a recruitment agency to find a job in New Zealand? Nothing settles a good debate than a pro and con list.

Pros

Recruitment agencies are free to use by job seekers!
They have access to job vacancies that might not be advertised elsewhere.
They do the job hunting for you, so you don’t have to.
They’ll often work with job advertising companies and know them well, so they may provide some tips on doing well in the interview.

Cons

They mostly use the credentials of your CV to match you with a potential employer, meaning there is not much scope to be matched with different roles to your past work experience.
You are not guaranteed to be matched with the job you want or a job at all.
Often enough, you don’t find out about a job interview until the last minute leaving you little time to prepare.

How to Sign Up for an Online Recruitment Agency

Online recruitment agencies are an easy-to-use tool in your job search. It’s a way of getting your CV out there without physically needing to be in the location of the jobs, however, it’s likely you’ll still need to attend interviews in person.

In order to sign up, you just need to:

Fill out on online profile
Upload your current CV
Confirm that you have an IRD number
Confirm that you have a New Zealand bank account.

Once your online profile is complete, it’s usually just a case of sitting back and waiting to see if any interview offers come to you. The recruitment agency will contact you to let you know if you have been successful in obtaining any job interviews.

A few online recruitment agencies you can check out are:

Tradestaff, Kelly Services, Helping Hands, SSCO, Quinn Staff Recruiters, Personnel Placements, AWF, Alpha Recruitment, Providore, Salt and Frenz Recruitment.

How to Sign Up to a Recruitment Agency at Their Office

Some towns and cities across New Zealand have offices dedicated to job recruitment in their region. It’s worth booking an appointment with the agencies to give you access to local jobs. To sign up, you’ll need to have with you:

A copy of your current CV
Confirmation that you have an IRD number
Confirmation that you have a New Zealand bank account

An appointment with a recruitment agency office usually involves a face-to-face interview with one of their agents who will ask what type of job you are looking for and will store your CV in their database.

So Should You Use a Recruitment Agency to Find a Job?

You have nothing to lose when signing up to a recruitment agency, as they are free to use. They are a great asset to your job searching toolbox, giving you access to jobs you probably wouldn’t have found elsewhere. Perhaps you’ll be matched with your dream New Zealand job.

On the other hand, job interviews are not guaranteed. That’s why we stress that you should use job recruitment agencies as part of your job search and not something to rely on 100%. For other methods, you should be using in your job search, check out How to Quickly Find a Job in New Zealand.

It’s also worth noting that having a killer CV will really help the job recruiters find you a job, so make sure you follow our tips on How to Create a New Zealand CV. Also, in the end, getting the job comes down to having a successful job interview with the employer, so be sure to read up on How to Nail a Job Interview in New Zealand.

Sources:

The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:

Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.

Author

Robin C.

This article has been reviewed and approved by Robin, who is the co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. With more than 15 years of experience in the New Zealand tourism industry, Robin has co-founded three influential tourism businesses and five additional travel guides for South Pacific nations. He is an expert in New Zealand travel and has tested over 600 activities and 300+ accommodations across the country.

What You Need to Know About Recruitment Agencies in New Zealand - NZ Pocket Guide (2024)

Find a Job with a Recruitment Agency

5 Steps To Job Success!

The Pros and Cons of Using a Recruitment Agency

Pros

Cons

How to Sign Up for an Online Recruitment Agency

How to Sign Up to a Recruitment Agency at Their Office

So Should You Use a Recruitment Agency to Find a Job?

Author

Robin C.

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