[just5me]

In another thread, when talking about getting a response from employers, someone commented on the laid back attitude...as in things just don't get done. Well, I'm a really laid back person at home - I procrastinate & don't expect to accomplish much - so I should fit in! :laugh But in the business world, I really expect better response time!

Just a slight rant as we wait & wait.....again to hear back from his soon to be employer :wah

[kiwidebs]

Yeah, it is frustrating. OH interviewed for a job soon after arrival in March, and we're still waiting to hear if he's got it or not :laugh . Pretty slack. But it is the flip side of that 'she'll be right' attitude that people love when they come here on holiday.

[leigh31]

lol! :laugh I do think there is a fine line between "laid back" and "unprofessional" when it comes to responding to interviews! I've had the same experience.

Went on an interview last week, was told I would hear back early this week. Given that it's Friday, I guess it's safe to say I didn't get the job. :confused:

Oh well, I might be forced to practice this laid back lifestyle, if I don't get a job soon! I'll have a lot of free time on my hands. Maybe I'll take up surfing.... :laugh

[just5me]

Well I'm glad its not just us ! We've been waiting since April. Initially it was a great response - always hiring his skill area...job openings in several branches...ect. Then nothing for a month after getting the CV. After a gentle inquiry, a manager contacted us with info about his branch & area. Great! We submitted the staff appl he needed, and....nothing....for 2 months! Out of the blue, he gets back to us with detailed job discription, shift schedule & pay rate - it was all supper agreeable to us - and another staff appl. Got it in & hear nothing :confused: . Wait a week & asked about talent visa, medicals, & FBI check. Got a quick response back that he would be at corp. that week & would see to it :nice1 .
Well....2more weeks and no word back....
So last week OH phoned him...and 'oh yes, its been on the back burner. I'll get an offer together for you next week!' I'm glad I didn't hold my breath :uhoh .

They seem to intend on hiring him.....I just wish they would go ahead & let us in on their plans! I'd really like to be there in 3 months, but I need assurance of the job before I put the house up for sale (also to see about passports - at $600 for the family, I want to know we're really going!) Or should we just throw all caution to the wind; sell everything & come knocking at their door!

[westies]

Not one to rant and rave, but we were only saying today how it's so frustrating when people here just don't bother to return calls, or say they will ring and don't, it's just ignorant not laid back!! Moan over!!
Loving it otherwise!

[Shazanick]

I have had a mixed response to my 'cold calling' (by email) just about every college in the Auckland area with my CV - some really warm and helpful replies which bouyed me and a minority who did not resond at all. It would at least have been courteous to have ackowledged receipt if nothing else. As the missus says, if they don't respond scratch 'em off the list of prospective employers as their failure to do so refelects on how tardy they are as institutions. Great word, 'tardy', isn't it?! Do have two phone 'discussions' next week with some Principals as a result of this approach so perhaps I'll hit pay dirt.

[Al_S]

Do have two phone 'discussions' next week with some Principals as a result of this approach so perhaps I'll hit pay dirt.

Good luck with the interviews. Hope you land the job you are looking for.

[wolfysmith]

My experience was slightly differen't. 'Can you come to an interview in Auckland' (from Tauranga)? Then 'We'd like to see you again, this time can you come to Wellington!'

[Diny]

lol! :laugh I do think there is a fine line between "laid back" and "unprofessional" when it comes to responding to interviews!



Interesting thread. I don't have a paid job so have no experience of waiting to hear back from employers etc, but I do find this 'laid back' attitude is evident everywhere - not just in 'business'.

For me it all depends on my particular mood and circumstances at the time, if I'm chilled out and not in a hurry then it's great, if I'm 'on a mission' and need to get things done I find it irritating, unprofessional and shoddy. I think one of the main things that has struck me about NZ is the overall lack of finesse. It takes some getting use to but some say it's one of the 'charming' things about living here ..... I'll keep my thoughts on the fence on that one.

Diny

[sizzlingbadger]

My OH applied for another job last Friday, the closing date was this Friday. He was taken back when he got an email asking him to go for an interview on Tuesday arrive in his email Monday morning. Very speedy response.

He's just waiting for them to get back to him by the end of this week, fingers crossed they will otherwise it will be an agnosing wait :uhoh

I've certainly found most of the people we've met here have been quite responsive and not at all laid back. If they say they'll ring they'll ring without fail.

[Helen & John]

I had a similar experience when i applied for a job at the Uni in Palmy. I emailed my application and didnt hear anything for weeks. I actually started another job and forgot all about it. Then i had a telephone call asking me to attend an interview, which i did. They were quite speedy at getting back to me and offering me the job the day after the interview, but the money wasnt right and I said i wouldnt be able to take it. They said they would talk and get back to me. A couple of days later they rang and offered me 50 cents more, which i said still wasnt financially beneficial to me, so they said that they would probably have to offer to somebody else then. I forgot all about it and carried on in my other job, then nearly 3 weeks later, i got a phone call offering me the money i had asked for, i thought they had offered it to somebody else, but apparently the lady who was dealing with the interviewing and job offers had been off sick and only just returned to work, so nobody else had done anything while she was away.

I took the job, and have to say i love it. The people are great and the organisation is good. Kiwis are laid back and dont respond that quickly, but you do get used to it. I was talking to somebody the other week, and he said urgent was about 2 days, soon was about 2 weeks and routine was about a month, lol, that would be about right.

Dont give up just cos you havent heard, but a gentle enquiry never hurt anybody and in my experience people usually get something sorted if you remind them.

Helen

[jubjub]

Generally I have found most people pretty cruisy, it took a while for me to get it, but I am with it now.... and its great, I dont get half as stressed if I cant make something or someone cant do something that they said they would. (although that does not apply to professional services who should know better!)

I was the kind of person that hated being let down, if someone said they would do something I expected it done, and if they say they are coming round then, I look forward to it, but after a week or so of things not being done and nearly all my arrangements getting cancelled on me, I got sooo upset and realised that I had to chill out. Now I dont give a monkeys! My new philosophy is "yeah, whatever"....

[sarahw]

jub jub - great post & I've changed similarly - used to be hyper stressed & panicky if I didn't get an immediate response from people & really upset if someone cancelled but now I really don't care & am sooooo much better off & laid back for it & take life as it comes.

Employers are more laid back here, but thank goodness for that!! (I know its not helpful if you are not living here & trying to get a job, but try going through some terrible emotional crisis like we faced last year & having your bosses give you complete & utter support & a very relaxed attitude that makes you not worry about things - this would not have happened in any of the jobs I did in the UK over the last 15 years - especially not on a 1 year contract!) It also works in your favour that you've not got clock-watchers (when I used to work for a particular Japanese electronics company in the UK we had chimes that would go at 9am & 5.30pm!! You would have to write the arrival & leaving times in a register & if anyone walked in after 9am everyone would give them evil stares!!! Everyone bolted out as soon as the chimes went at 5.30pm - how stupid!!! - here, if you want a longer lunch or to go home early, just because, you can. If you want to walk out of the office to go & have morning or afternoon tea at a coffee house you can and noone bats an eyelid - in fact the boss usually asks for you to bring something back with you or tags along with you! And on Fridays the good old tradition of finishing early & cracking open a bottle or 2 & having social time is also very much appreciated & looked forward to. This isn't just in our particular jobs in Welly - all of our friends here experience the same thing.

We were both lucky on the job front - OH went for a coffee with his now boss & was offered a job on the spot - the good side of the laid back attitude was that we panicked (was the October) thinking he'd have to leave UK within a month & the boss said - 'don't you want Xmas with your families before you leave? Come whenever you want in January' :o) nice long amount of time to get organised.

I was volunteering at a charity when we arrived here when a few staff members ambushed me & asked if I wanted my dream job - so no frustrations there. However, when that job finished a year later & I transferred to a different job in the organisation it took 8 months for them to come up with a new contract!! No worries - she'll be right! I went on parental leave (maternity leave) without a contract - can you imagine doing that elsewhere?! I'd never have seen the contract after that - especially since its only valid until Xmas!! Got a phonecall from my boss - 'oh I suppose I'd better send you a copy contract out so you can claim your maternity money!!' It did make me laugh! Especially when I thought of how I would have probably had a fit over it & sleepless nights if it had happened in the UK.

The cruisy attitude does rub off after a while & I notice it most when we have overseas visitors who look shocked when you strike up a conversation with strangers, or when you laugh or shrug your shoulders when something they consider stressful happens. So in a nutshell - the cruisy attitude has a lot of benefits as well as some downsides/frustrations to start with - don't be deterred - its just a different way of living... which is why most of you are wanting to come here?, you do get used to it!

[Smiler]

cruisey attitude, love it. :laugh

Yep getting use to it but do still find it extemely frustating at times. I can handle the repair man arriving whenever etc but when it comes to really important stuff, you can grow an ulcer waiting.

We've had a big contract hanging on sight of our professional indemnity insurance cover. We have it but wanted to change companies and increase value etc, so thought the time was right. Approached 3 companies for quotes, one emailed to say he was going on leave, one didn't bother and one plodded along. It took us 4 weeks to arrange, confirm and finally get the certificate. Arghhh. I really had trouble keeping the deal. :yes

I guess it's what's important to you at the time but I'm really trying to be much more laid back and cruisey. :raebanana