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Work in New Zealand

Job and Recruitment Agencies in New Zealand

Job and Recruitment Agencies in New Zealand

Orchard seasonal workFinding a job in New Zealand is easy enough, especially after doing a Job Workshop included in your Arrival Pack, but if you feel you need another tool in your New Zealand job search, you could use a New Zealand Recruitment Agency.

In New Zealand, you might hear recruitment agencies being called a “job agency” or “employment agency” but it all means the same thing. A recruitment agency acts as a link between employers and job seekers. Their main function is to find the most suitable person for a job they have been paid to fill.

How do they do this? Usually by selecting potential employees from a pool of CVs (resumes) in their database that will best match a job description sent to them by an employer. The recruitment agency will then send the CVs to the employer for them to choose which candidates they would like to interview. The recruitment agency will then arrange the interview between the employer and employee.

What are the advantages of using a recruitment agency to find a job in New Zealand?

  • They are free to use by job seekers!
  • Recruitment agencies will often know the employers they work with well, so they can give you insider tips before the interview.
  • The recruitment agency does the job searching process for you.
  • Some recruitment agencies have access to job vacancies that might not be advertised elsewhere.

What are the disadvantages of using a recruitment agency to find a job?

  • It is not guaranteed that the recruitment agency will find the right job for you, so it is important to just use them as part of your search. Don’t completely rely on them.
  • You are likely to be restricted to roles similar to what you have done in the past, as recruitment agencies will primarily use the credentials on your CV to pair you with an employer.
  • Sometimes you might not know about an interview with an employer until last minute, so you have little time to prepare.

How to sign up to a New Zealand recruitment agency?

First things first, to be able to sign up to a recruitment agency, you will need to have a valid working holiday visa plus:

  • An IRD number
  • A valid New Zealand bank account
  • An up-to-date CV/Resume

Most comprehensive working holiday Starter Pack offer helps with all of the above.

Recruitment agencies in New Zealand either exist online or have an office or branches around the country. If signing up to an online recruitment agency, you usually fill out a profile and upload your CV online, then wait to see if any employers contact you.

For recruitment agencies with an office, you are usually required to meet a member of the agency face-to-face. The agency will conduct an interview with you to see what jobs you are looking and add your CV to their database.

When you arrive in a town or city in New Zealand, seek out the recruitment agencies and their offices and book an appointment to sign up with them. But, for now, here are some recruitment websites.

Websites for New Zealand recruitment agencies

  • Tradestaff – A nationwide company specialising in industrial and construction work.
  • Helping Hands – Online employment agency for hospitality work in Auckland and Queenstown.
  • SSCO – Seasonal Solutions is an online recruitment agency specialising in horticulture and viticulture work in the South Island.
  • Quinn Staff Recruiters – A recruitment agency for office jobs in Auckland.
  • Personnel Placements – An employment agency for jobs in small towns. Their offices are based in Ashburton and Timaru.
  • AWF – An online recruitment agency for labour work.
  • Alpha Recruitment – You can find a variety of jobs all over New Zealand on this recruitment agency website.
  • Providore – A recruitment agency website for hospitality in Auckland.
  • Salt – Online office job agency.
  • Frenz Recruitment – Specialises in dairy farming and construction jobs across New Zealand.

Can a recruitment agency help in a New Zealand job search?

Recruitment agencies are just another resource for finding a job while on your working holiday in New Zealand, so they can definitely be used to aid your job search, as signing up is usually free for job seekers. However, standing out on your New Zealand CV and acing the interview is what will land you a job in the end! We can help you with that in our Orientation session in Auckland or Queenstown, just one of the many services you can compare on our New Zealand working holiday program page.