[Phil & Ali Smith]

I've been working in my OH's office, basically running it for a years in UK. I don't have any formal qualifications, well just a few basics in book-keeping, IT etc.

I do wages, VAT returns, invoicing, book-keeping, well just about everything that's needed in a small business with 8-10 staff. I was looking at the inland revenues website NZ, and it's very similar to ours here in UK. I was wondering if anybody knew how similar the systems are and would my experience here be any use in the same sort of job in NZ.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Singel]

I'm currently working as an office administrator involving sales/customer service, accounting and secretarial/admin - almost everything under the sun.

[Cardy]

Hi there. Not sure about tax office, but would say that admin is basically the same. I do have some qualifications, but at my interviews I've had, it was the experience they discussed and how you would use it with them. If you know how to use Word and Excel, I think you should be okay.

Bev

[katandbob]

I'm currently working as an office administrator involving sales/customer service, accounting and secretarial/admin - almost everything under the sun.

Ditto for me - I do everything in the office that involves paperwork! if you read (click on the underlined links) Cardys thread
(http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=11123)You will see what I mean, I think that if you get an interview and sell yourself you will be ok....BUT could you not go out to your local college and see if they do a Business Admin course?

I know you can do some IT courses for free - But the Admin ones will cost a small amount - I did the LCCI (http://www.lccieb.com/Web/lccieb/generalbusiness.aspx) Business Admin L3 before we came out on a distance learning course at my local college - you just do assignments and post them off for marking and do an exam at the end - and if you are competent and know what you are doing - you can do them quite quickly (I did the Clait ones in days rather than weeks - and spent the rest of the lessons helping the others learn how to use PC's)

Kat

[eternalkiwi]

I expect your UK experience would be relevant to NZ.
Gaining a qualification prior to coming to NZ could also help support your experience.

Experience with computerised accounting systems would be an added plus.

Shawn

[Happyfeet]

I've been working in my OH's office, basically running it for a years in UK. I don't have any formal qualifications, well just a few basics in book-keeping, IT etc.

I do wages, VAT returns, invoicing, book-keeping, well just about everything that's needed in a small business with 8-10 staff. I was looking at the inland revenues website NZ, and it's very similar to ours here in UK. I was wondering if anybody knew how similar the systems are and would my experience here be any use in the same sort of job in NZ.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Hi ya

I think admin is pretty much the same here. I would say the only things you would need, as someone else has already said, is word and excel. So make sure your skills are totally up to date. If you know how to use a computerised accounting system that would be of great help too. They seem to use MYOB here. If you are at all rusty there are plenty of places that do refresher courses and there are even some free ones as well. Although any agency that you go to will let you brush up your skills on their computer systems for free as well. I dont think you will have much of a problem. Good luck.