Babette & Andy
2nd November 2004, 09:02 AM
Having finally beaten the dreaded jetlag, and after many days of nagging by the wife, here follows an overview of my week in Christchurch.
Why did I go? Two fold really - Mainly to explore the IT (Project Mgmt) jobmarket, and also to get an introduction to Chch, as this is the location we believe we'd like to move to when our plans finally turn into reality.
Flew with Singapore Airlines from Manchester, with a 14hr stopover at the Transit Hotel at Changi airport (highly recommend this (see previous threads) http://www.airport-hotel.com.sg/). Stayed at Stonehurst Accom, just 2 blocks from the city centre (http://www.stonehurst.co.nz) :nice1
A month prior to my trip Babette had sent many many e-mails (with my CV attached) to numerous recruitment agencies and companies that we'd found in the yellow pages for Chch. Highly recommend ordering Yellow Pages for the region(s) you're interested in ( http://www.yellow.co.nz/site/directorydistribution/). In the e-mail we mentioned when I'd be in Chch, and would they be interested in meeting with me.
Apart from about four agencies/companies, all replied. Some with some forms to complete etc but generally very favourable replies. The agencies I found to be most useful for IT in Chch are (in no particular order):
Madison Recruitment Mgmt, Elan IT, Motion Recruitment. Also a couple in Wellington that I've had e-mail dealings with: Neal Andrews & Associates and Real Recruitment.
Meetings all went well, but no job offers at this stage. Not so much because of the lack of jobs or my skills, but mainly due to the timeframe. As is often the case within IT, people are required to start almost immediately. More realisticly for us would be early/mid next year. :hopeso
So, was it worth it, the airfares & accommodation etc aren't cheap. In my view, YES. Mtg with the agencies/companies showed my/our commitment to our plans and is more personable then just e-maling for months on end; and when the time is right, these consultants I met with will try to find me 'the job'. Also I felt very much at home in Chch (thanks Baskey for taking me out for an evening of pool), and can see our little family relocating there. :nice1
Oh yes, before I forget (following on from a thread in The Lounge) took a day trip to Akaroa - had a taste of the wonderful Fish & Chips :nice1 :nice1 What an amazing place . . . Honestly - every day still spent here instead of there, is (almost) a wasted day.
Hope I haven't bored you all. Any specific questions, just PM me. And for the North West croud - see you on the 27th.
All the best
Andy :cheers
Why did I go? Two fold really - Mainly to explore the IT (Project Mgmt) jobmarket, and also to get an introduction to Chch, as this is the location we believe we'd like to move to when our plans finally turn into reality.
Flew with Singapore Airlines from Manchester, with a 14hr stopover at the Transit Hotel at Changi airport (highly recommend this (see previous threads) http://www.airport-hotel.com.sg/). Stayed at Stonehurst Accom, just 2 blocks from the city centre (http://www.stonehurst.co.nz) :nice1
A month prior to my trip Babette had sent many many e-mails (with my CV attached) to numerous recruitment agencies and companies that we'd found in the yellow pages for Chch. Highly recommend ordering Yellow Pages for the region(s) you're interested in ( http://www.yellow.co.nz/site/directorydistribution/). In the e-mail we mentioned when I'd be in Chch, and would they be interested in meeting with me.
Apart from about four agencies/companies, all replied. Some with some forms to complete etc but generally very favourable replies. The agencies I found to be most useful for IT in Chch are (in no particular order):
Madison Recruitment Mgmt, Elan IT, Motion Recruitment. Also a couple in Wellington that I've had e-mail dealings with: Neal Andrews & Associates and Real Recruitment.
Meetings all went well, but no job offers at this stage. Not so much because of the lack of jobs or my skills, but mainly due to the timeframe. As is often the case within IT, people are required to start almost immediately. More realisticly for us would be early/mid next year. :hopeso
So, was it worth it, the airfares & accommodation etc aren't cheap. In my view, YES. Mtg with the agencies/companies showed my/our commitment to our plans and is more personable then just e-maling for months on end; and when the time is right, these consultants I met with will try to find me 'the job'. Also I felt very much at home in Chch (thanks Baskey for taking me out for an evening of pool), and can see our little family relocating there. :nice1
Oh yes, before I forget (following on from a thread in The Lounge) took a day trip to Akaroa - had a taste of the wonderful Fish & Chips :nice1 :nice1 What an amazing place . . . Honestly - every day still spent here instead of there, is (almost) a wasted day.
Hope I haven't bored you all. Any specific questions, just PM me. And for the North West croud - see you on the 27th.
All the best
Andy :cheers