lindajax
5th May 2005, 10:18 PM
Hi All,
I'm not sure if this will be relevant to a lot of people but I feel My story of entering the NZ job market is pretty wierd so I thought I'd share my experiences to date.
Way back in April 2004 when we decided to really go for it and come to NZ I emailed a number of District Health Boards with CV etc asking for vacancies.
I recieved a number of replies and a job offer on the strength of an emailed CV!! and it was in my field of expertise (paediatric Burns and Plastics nursing). :clap
With job offer etc secured we emabrked on the process of emigrating.
My employers - paid for our accomodation and car Hire for 2 weeks on our arrival and off I go to work ( they kept the position open for 10 months which I think is pretty amazing!) :nice1
Started work as a paed burns nurse 2nd Feb ( they gave me My first day off because it was a bank holiday - very generous!)
I commence at 7 am and meet with various people I have corresponed with via email for the previous 10 months.
During these hello's one person asked me casually what I had in mind for my career - my reply was ' the master plan is to do about 9-12 months staffing to get a feel for the organisation then I plan to go into Nurse Education as I have done a teaching cert and love teaching' - end of conversation.
Next day First person asks ' are you seriously wanting an educational role?' - my reply 'yes'
Next day - my manager and the the clinical nurse manager take me aside and offer me a post as a Clinical Nurse Educator - down side is it is in Gynaecology - they had looked at my CV and noted Gynae experience 10 years back. Plus side its a $12000 pay rise and in education
Not to look a gifthorse in the mouth I take the post with the condition that it is a secondment and if I hate it I can have my original job back. The master plan is implemented early!
During another conversation with the unit Nurse Educator she expresses how good it is to have a like mind around with an educational focus - I think nothing of it until she says ' you should be doing this job you'd be much better than me' .Feeling a bit perturbed I smile and say that I'd done loads of education in the UK and was very passionate about educating nurses. Also I am new and you tend to be more enthusiastic when your new - she identifies this and the conversation moves on -
Feb 7th start new job - and I love it. The unit I'm in has had major crisis over the last 12 months and poses many challenges - I get stuck in!!
Iafter initially finding it very difficult and feeling challenged daily I start to see soem positive changes and begin to get lots of postive feedback - I think I'm doing OK at this point!
2 days later the Nurse ecuator for Paeds resigns and I am asked if I will apply for the position - I don't as it is only 5 days per fortnight - too few hours for me. My manager expresses her disappointment and we leave it at that.
Getting busy, I am forming networks around the Hospital and trying to get some educational input for the Gynae unit.
Then one day I get and email from radiology manager to say he can do an education session for me -and he also offers me another job - quite out of the blue - I have never met this person but aparrently he's heard of me!. I pass this off as a wind -up and go about my business. He emails again with said offer. I meet this manager when he comes to do the session and he offers me a choice of 2 jobs in person saying that when I want a senoir job in his department give him the nod - I am flabberghasted to say the least.
Next development - A Burns Nurse Specialist post is advertised - I apply
get interviewed 3 days after and offered a secondment to the role - I turn the secondment down as the closing date for applications hasn't ended and I feel due process should be followed. However, feedback from the interviewers indicate the postion is mine - I'm amazed but not counting any chickens - the closing date is 4 weeks away!
In the meanitime the Burns and Plastcis Nurse Educator emails me to let me know she is resigning and asks me to apply for her job - not to be unexpected I suppose I have 10 years of Burns and Plastics expereince but I do feel this is a little wierd.
I apply and have an informal chat to the manager who interviewed me for the last position in the service - she indicates I could choose between the two posts as she had already decided the Burns Nurse Specialist post was mine - I choose the Educators Role - simple as that ! the interview took place over coffe in the hospital coffee lounge :yes
I am now working my notice! :eek and am set to take on the new role within a few weeks :eek
Since coming to NZ I have had or been offered a grand total of 7 jobs - In the Uk I struggled to get recognition for my learning and effort that I put into my work... here it is a different matter I have found if you are innovative, enthusiastic and up for a challenge you are snapped up sooooooooooo quickly your feet don't touch the ground.!!
I know this isnt the case for every nurse who comes here - the postive attitude really counts for a lot though. I have met several British Nurses who have not progressed here but on speaking to them what they lack is the positivity and enthusiasm to move forward.
I hope this story can be of inspiration for someone - I have done SO well here in a very short period of time after working my A*** off in the UK and sacrificing big time then getting knowhere fast.
I haven't come here and done anything that I feel is particularly fantastic but I think the fact that I have worked hard before getting here has now paid off - maybe if I had got this kind of recgnition I wouldn't have ben quite so keen to leave the UK - who Knows - I tend to think it would have not been so easy to leave if I had felt appreciated in my job in the UK.
To all prospective emigratees sometimes it is a happy ending, sometimes your dreams really come true - POSITIVITY is the key to it all.
GOOD LUCK
Love
Linda x
I'm not sure if this will be relevant to a lot of people but I feel My story of entering the NZ job market is pretty wierd so I thought I'd share my experiences to date.
Way back in April 2004 when we decided to really go for it and come to NZ I emailed a number of District Health Boards with CV etc asking for vacancies.
I recieved a number of replies and a job offer on the strength of an emailed CV!! and it was in my field of expertise (paediatric Burns and Plastics nursing). :clap
With job offer etc secured we emabrked on the process of emigrating.
My employers - paid for our accomodation and car Hire for 2 weeks on our arrival and off I go to work ( they kept the position open for 10 months which I think is pretty amazing!) :nice1
Started work as a paed burns nurse 2nd Feb ( they gave me My first day off because it was a bank holiday - very generous!)
I commence at 7 am and meet with various people I have corresponed with via email for the previous 10 months.
During these hello's one person asked me casually what I had in mind for my career - my reply was ' the master plan is to do about 9-12 months staffing to get a feel for the organisation then I plan to go into Nurse Education as I have done a teaching cert and love teaching' - end of conversation.
Next day First person asks ' are you seriously wanting an educational role?' - my reply 'yes'
Next day - my manager and the the clinical nurse manager take me aside and offer me a post as a Clinical Nurse Educator - down side is it is in Gynaecology - they had looked at my CV and noted Gynae experience 10 years back. Plus side its a $12000 pay rise and in education
Not to look a gifthorse in the mouth I take the post with the condition that it is a secondment and if I hate it I can have my original job back. The master plan is implemented early!
During another conversation with the unit Nurse Educator she expresses how good it is to have a like mind around with an educational focus - I think nothing of it until she says ' you should be doing this job you'd be much better than me' .Feeling a bit perturbed I smile and say that I'd done loads of education in the UK and was very passionate about educating nurses. Also I am new and you tend to be more enthusiastic when your new - she identifies this and the conversation moves on -
Feb 7th start new job - and I love it. The unit I'm in has had major crisis over the last 12 months and poses many challenges - I get stuck in!!
Iafter initially finding it very difficult and feeling challenged daily I start to see soem positive changes and begin to get lots of postive feedback - I think I'm doing OK at this point!
2 days later the Nurse ecuator for Paeds resigns and I am asked if I will apply for the position - I don't as it is only 5 days per fortnight - too few hours for me. My manager expresses her disappointment and we leave it at that.
Getting busy, I am forming networks around the Hospital and trying to get some educational input for the Gynae unit.
Then one day I get and email from radiology manager to say he can do an education session for me -and he also offers me another job - quite out of the blue - I have never met this person but aparrently he's heard of me!. I pass this off as a wind -up and go about my business. He emails again with said offer. I meet this manager when he comes to do the session and he offers me a choice of 2 jobs in person saying that when I want a senoir job in his department give him the nod - I am flabberghasted to say the least.
Next development - A Burns Nurse Specialist post is advertised - I apply
get interviewed 3 days after and offered a secondment to the role - I turn the secondment down as the closing date for applications hasn't ended and I feel due process should be followed. However, feedback from the interviewers indicate the postion is mine - I'm amazed but not counting any chickens - the closing date is 4 weeks away!
In the meanitime the Burns and Plastcis Nurse Educator emails me to let me know she is resigning and asks me to apply for her job - not to be unexpected I suppose I have 10 years of Burns and Plastics expereince but I do feel this is a little wierd.
I apply and have an informal chat to the manager who interviewed me for the last position in the service - she indicates I could choose between the two posts as she had already decided the Burns Nurse Specialist post was mine - I choose the Educators Role - simple as that ! the interview took place over coffe in the hospital coffee lounge :yes
I am now working my notice! :eek and am set to take on the new role within a few weeks :eek
Since coming to NZ I have had or been offered a grand total of 7 jobs - In the Uk I struggled to get recognition for my learning and effort that I put into my work... here it is a different matter I have found if you are innovative, enthusiastic and up for a challenge you are snapped up sooooooooooo quickly your feet don't touch the ground.!!
I know this isnt the case for every nurse who comes here - the postive attitude really counts for a lot though. I have met several British Nurses who have not progressed here but on speaking to them what they lack is the positivity and enthusiasm to move forward.
I hope this story can be of inspiration for someone - I have done SO well here in a very short period of time after working my A*** off in the UK and sacrificing big time then getting knowhere fast.
I haven't come here and done anything that I feel is particularly fantastic but I think the fact that I have worked hard before getting here has now paid off - maybe if I had got this kind of recgnition I wouldn't have ben quite so keen to leave the UK - who Knows - I tend to think it would have not been so easy to leave if I had felt appreciated in my job in the UK.
To all prospective emigratees sometimes it is a happy ending, sometimes your dreams really come true - POSITIVITY is the key to it all.
GOOD LUCK
Love
Linda x