[Malin]

Hello,

I read in this forum since months, but this is my first posting here because I feel very uncertain with my english - so please excuse all mistakes!
We were selected from the pool on the 7/12/05 and received en e-mail today that we got the ITA, yippie!
But because we thought until today we need a job offer for PR, we started contacting job recruitment agencies and I (socialworker, psychotherapist) am thinking about signing a contract with one of them. I got the information sheet yesterday and found a passus which makes me very uncertain (again :yes ) , so I want to ask you about your experiences - probably it's quite normal and I just don't know that... I had never any experience with a job agency before.

"The agreement covers 3 main issues; firstly it assures us that you are using NZSWR exclusively for the period of the agreement, therefore during this period you agree that you will not be working with any other recruitment agency or applying for jobs directly."

It's a contract for 6 month and I also have to pay 200 NZ$.

What do you think about it?

Thank you for any help

Regards
Malin

[Smiler]

Hi Malin


Welcome to the forum. :clap Your english is good, don't worry.

Myself, I would be wary about signing up with an exclusive agency AND paying money to do so. I am not in your field, but there are many agencies out there that do not require such a contract or a fee. $200:eek: and 6 months is a long time for them to make promises and not deliver.

I think you have more control and flexibilty if you do this yourself and once you have built up a good relationship with free agencies you will be fine. They get paid a commision when they place you successfully. Have you looked at places like www.seek.co.nz (http://www.seek.co.nz/) and forums/agencies to do with your profession?

Lastly, if it makes you feel uncertain, that is not good, go with your feeling and instinct.

I'm sure if anyone has experience, good or bad of agencies in this area, they will post too.

Where are you applying from and where are you heading in NZ?

Deborah

[zardell]

Hi Malin.

I have to say that I don't know a lot about this, but I do know that there are agencies in NZ that charge the employer for filling their positions, not the prospective employee.

May I suggest that you do some more research before signing anything or paying out any money. I would be wary of committing myself to only one agency.

Have a look at the link that Smiler has provided you with......its a very good one.

Have any of the other agencies you have contacted been back in touch with you??? Maybe they dont all charge ???

Good luck and welcome to the forum,

Julie

x

[Moorf]

I too would be wary of a recruitment agency that is asking for money for their services. They would normally receive their fees from the employer. Not only that, you are limiting your scope of getting employment by being limited to one agency and their client base... I'd look at others before parting with money.

[Malin]

Hi again,

thank you for answering so quickly (and for your friendly "welcome", too), I decided that I would feel too strangled and committed if I would sign the contract.

My husband is looking for recruitment agencies, too and some of them ask in their questionnaire if the partner would like assistance to find a job, so I think I will give this a try first. And perhaps I even find something by myself - with PR it should be easier than we thought during the last weeks (after the 21/12 it looked we need a Joboffer to reach enough points).

Deborah, I know the link :yes ! I found already several sites for social workers and counsellors, but I am quite specialized (right word?), that's why I think it will be not so easy....But thank you!
I am applying from Germany and would prefer the North Island - but not at all Wellington or even Auckland... we plan to move in June and one of us (husband is agricultural engineer) should have a job when we arrive - or at least very soon.

Malin
(right now coming from her english-lesson :) )