[leosus]

How sad does that sound? Really, I do need some buddies who are willing to help me out who live in Whangarei, Kaitaia, BOI area (Pahia and Russell), Mangonui, and Kerikeri.

This is why-
I am immigrating with my 3 pets by myself. I do not have a college degree, and I have to have a job offer to get selected/ meet the point minimum. I have like 95 without a job offer, so you can see it is important.

I am a hairstylist working for almost 10 years now, and I have owned my own salon for the past 4 1/2 years. As most women know- where you go to get your haircut can be important. I am set to mail off my CV to about every salon in the Northland to convince them into hiring me. My problem is I am flying blind.

One salon to the next can be of drastic differences. My salon I own now is somewhere in the middle of mediocre cost, and high brow, more towards the high end. I don't mind most situations, but I would REALLY appreciate any and all opinions from those who have been to different salons in the Northland.

The names of the salons you frequent, prices, atmosphere- whatever you care to share would be most helpful to me! I have a feeling I will land in Whangarei because there are like 40 salons there, and the most clients too, but I want to be open to other areas, since I know I will like them just as much or MORE.

Anyone out and about who cares to stick your head in a salon you have never been in, those opinions are most welcome too! Also anyone who knows anyone else in my industry who would be willing to talk to me would be great. I have searched high and low, and I feel like the first American hairdresser to immigrate to NZ.

Thankfully yours,

Susan & pets

PS if you know anyone in the US who would like to own a salon...

[markyspark]

Hi Susan,
I went around some of the salons in and around Whangarei this week looking for work myself, came from uk 2 months ago. they are a little quite at the mo, some are on the small side and some are a little run down. if you are looking at the better end of the market stay in the city centre, Rodney wayne seems to be the largest with, i think, 14 staff there but they have nothing at the mo. there is how ever a new salon being built in vine street, whangarei called On Vine they are hoping to open in 4 weeks, and it sounded as through she was still looking for staff. and another salon being built or expaned in Kamo 10 min north of the city,it was either studio 412 or bayleys sorry can't remember which one. there is another salon in kamo it's on the small side but has a great look to it, sophisticut. As for what they are like i really don't know.

I had no trouble finding work, i have a job the first day of looking, I was a unisex stylist in the uk but have taken a job as a part time barber, in a small shop but we had steady trade yesterday and today.

Hope this is of some help, all the best
Shell

[Timbo]

Now where else but on this glorious forum would anyone expect to get a prompt and imformative reply to such a specific question? Brilliant!!

[leosus]

THANK YOU!!! Yes that helped, and I will keep my ears open for info on that Vine St. salon as well. Tell me- did you have much trouble with NZQA? My initial assesment came out at a level 0! I have spoken with HITO, and they can help me, but I will have to be present to undergo an exam, and I will be at thier mercy as to when I can get that exam. Twiddle my thumbs in the meantime!!

I am tempted to go ahead with NZQA, even with the poor initial assessment. I am trying not to let the $$ just fly out of my pocket, and they are way more expensive than HITO. Geez, I went to school for 10 months, passed, took a rigourous examination for the state, passed that, assisted twice, for a total of 1 1/2 years, and have been at it as a full time stylist for almost 10 yrs. ever since! AHHHH. I am sure I qualify for senior stylist let alone a level 3-4.

I would be interested to see what your experience was like getting your certificates. I contacted Rodney Wayne with my CV just in case they have an opening in the future. Please feel free to bend my ear (or eyes) if you gain opinions on the salon scene in the Northland.

And THANK YOU for your response!!!!!!
:) :) :)

[markyspark]

luckly i haven't had to deal with NZQA, my husband is the main worker and i applyed for my open work permit off the back of his permit, but we have had no end of trouble having his 2 uk Elecrical qualifications assessed. we have to wait to apply for residency until he has a full electrical licance, or we will have to do work to residence ( which takes 2 years ), so i may have all that to come. My mum sent her qualifications to the NZQA about 4 months ago, they took the money straight away but she hasn't had an assesment back. She also applied for a work permit 6 weeks ago and has had no word about if she will get it or not, it seems that if you are not on the skill shortage list that you are put to the back of the que, and i'm affraid that hairdressing is not on that list, so you maybe waiting around longer then you want. We have found that every thing takes time here and is a lot more complicated then it needs to be. But all that said, it will be worth it in the end, 99% of the people we have met out here are so helpful and friendly, and parts of the country are breath taking.

Shell

[leosus]

Shell,

Did you just go into places and tell them of your experience, and they gave you a job? Did they take your word for it, or did you have a certificate? I know what you mean about the people and the land, that's what is drawing us there!! Or does open work permit= certificate, and will that work for me as the principal applicant do you think?

The hard part is being here and doing this. I know when I get there I will do fine, I just wanted to do immigration without having to do the work to residency program- seems to be more of a hassle, maybe I am wrong. Kepp me posted with your insights as time wears on, I will be glad to hear of your perceptions of the NZ hair market!!

Susan

[markyspark]

No the open permit doesn't certificate. With an open permit i can work for anyone doing anything, were as my husband has to work for the named company and at his named trade stated on his permit, so if he changed jobs he would then have to reapply for a permit ( another $90 and god knows how long )
yes i do have certificates from the uk, but nothing to state what the NZ equivalent is.
And yes i went into the salons or phoned them and just asked if they had any vacancies, most took my number. The job i took, i had a 5 min chat with her and she said she would like me to do a trial day and that was it, she didn't even want to see any certs.
We would only have to do work to residency because of my husband trade and he has to complete some course before he can get a full licence, once he has his full licence we can apply for residence as a skilled migrant and hopefully get it straight away.
But as i said we are not applying for residency at this point in time so we may have to go through the same as you at a later date, and not quite sure how that side of things work yet, learning as we go. Also at the end of November I heard they are bringing in the newer health screening that could make things more difficult. Still, all said and done we will fight on..

shell