Finding

SUMMER Work

Welcome to Finding Summer Work 2010/11. This handout is a treasure trove of tips, information and links to resources that will help you enjoy a productive summer. While supporting yourself over the summer and saving to cover next years study costs may be a priority, summer can also be a good time to increase workplace skills and networks to make getting that graduate job at the end of your degree a little easier. At Vic Careers, we are already beginning to advertise summer positions on Victoria CareerHub so get registered! Register at: http://careerhub.vuw.ac.nz The summer can also be a good time to review where you are heading with your studies and your career. Vic Careers is open throughout the summer. See Page 12 for opening hours and contact details.

HOT tips

1. BE PREPARED Have your CV ready. Vic Careers staff can recommend resources, provide free CV checks, help you refine your job search plans and also provide interview preparation advice and mock interviews. Have 2-4 people ready to be your referees. Give each a copy of your CV. Keep them informed of your progress.

2. BE PROACTIVE AND BUILD SKILLS

Understand the value of experience in food service, retail or childcare to prove your employability and build skills that are relevant to your longer-term career goals. Most employers reviewing your CV will expect to see evidence of transferable skills such as customer service, team work, leading and motivating others, analysis and problem solving, planning and organising. They will ask you to expand on this information at the interview.

3. USE YOUR SOCIAL NETWORKS

Tell working friends, family members and other students that you are seeking work and ask them to use their networks to help you. They or a work colleague may be moving on, leaving their role vacant or they may be prepared to put in a good word for you at their workplace. Summer is peak-time for many organisations and they may take on temporary or seasonal staff. Search the Victoria CareerHub archives, Yellow Pages, NZ Whos Who and other directories to source organisations relevant to your degree or interests.

4. ALSO TRY
In addition to Victoria CareerHub http://careerhub.vuw.ac.nz also try Student Job Search www.sjs.co.nz Seek www.seek.co.nz and Trade Me www.trademe.co.nz

5. OPTIMISE YOUR ATTRACTIVENESS TO POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS

Your chances of finding summer work substantially increase if you are also available for on-going, P/T work. Offering a longer term commitment makes you more attractive to the employer if they plan to invest time and money training you.

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 6. THINK STRATEGICALLY AND LONG-TERM

If you already have work experience, prioritise gaining work experience that relates specifically to your degree area and/or to your career goals. Consider volunteering if this could help you gain paid work later. If youre feeling clueless about career planning and goal setting, see a Careers Consultant (Details on Page 12). 7. THINK GLOBALLY, THERES A WHOLE WORLD TO EXPLORE Overseas experience can be a major plus for your career. Prepare for this well in advance as youll need plenty of cash plus patience to negotiate the paperwork involved. Did you know that New Zealanders can apply for 12-month working holiday visas for the USA, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Malta? Find out more on page 10. There are also government funded programmes for graduates of any discipline in countries like Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and China. Most roles are for teaching English but there are others. Experience the country and the culture while earning a good graduate salary.

7. THINK SMART
If you expect to graduate in 2011 a priority may be to address any gaps in your skills and knowledge to increase your employability. Brush up on Maths, Stats and Economics FREE at: www.mathcentre.ac.uk Learn another language or advance existing skills FREE at The Language Learning Centre here at VUW. Details at: www.vuw.ac.nz/llc/ Learn to use MS Office or MYOB by attending a FREE government-funded course. Look under popular links, free computing at: www.weltec.ac.nz/ Complete the Victoria Plus Award or Victoria International Leadership Programme by engaging in activities that demonstrate leadership, communication, creative and critical thinking and global awareness. Details at: www.victoria.ac.nz/victoriaplus or www.victoria.ac.nz/home/vilp/

Contents
Work Opportunities at Victoria University Seasonal Work Opportunities Finding Work Experience Related to Your Degree Internships Retail Opportunities Service Opportunities Office Work Opportunities Hotel and Hospitality Opportunities Recreation and Summer/Christmas Events Dos and Donts in a Tight Job Market Opportunities for Self Employment Your Employment Rights Unpaid Summer Work Become a Volunteer Overseas Working Holidays Vic Careers Resources for Current Vic Students and Vic Graduates Page 2 Page 3 Page 3 Page 5 Page 5 Page 6 Page 6 Page 7 Page 7 Page 8 Page 8 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 12

Work Opportunities at Victoria University

Most vacancies are advertised on the VUW website http://vacancies.vuw.ac.nz Vacancies suitable for students and new graduates are often advertised on Victoria CareerHub.

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Student Enrolments Office

Recruits temporary summer staff with excellent presentation, customer focus, knowledge of university systems and the university campus, plus good administration skills. Call in at the Enrolment Office from late August onwards to ask about their recruitment schedule.

Rankine Brown Library

Keeps a list of students interested in working F/T or P/T. Get your name down early in the year. Postgraduate students are preferred. Student Assistants work a few hours a week whilst studying. Library Assistants work more substantial hours. No previous library experience is needed but customer service experience, good communication and data entry skills are essential.

Disability Support Services

Recruits Student Note-takers to take lecture notes for students with disabilities or impairments. There are volunteer and paid roles, all year round. Postgraduate students are needed as Reader/Writers and Research Assistants. Call into Robert Stout 103 for details.

Faculties and Schools

Check notice-boards. Approach academic and administrative staff directly, they may need a research or office assistant. Take any opportunity to get to know staff in your school and faculty. Knowing staff well will help if you later need referees for work or study applications.

Seasonal Work Opportunities

Great if youre from a rural area and intend going home for the holidays or simply want to travel over the summer. Check out these websites for work in orchards, wineries, home-stays, hotels and more, in NZ, Australia and elsewhere: www.backpackerboard.co.nz/work_jobs/BB_jobBrowser.php Registered with WINZ? Use their Job Bank at: http://job-bank.workandincome.govt.nz/

Finding Work Experience Related to Your Degree

Degree-related work experience gives you an edge in the graduate job market, plus youll have a better understanding of your chosen field and accumulate some industry contacts. Check Victoria CareerHub and the Vic Careers Jobs Notice-board regularly for current jobs. Also search the Victoria CareerHub archives to identify and research employers who have previously offered positions relevant to your degree discipline.

Community advocacy and support organisations provide a wealth of practical or VOLUNTEER WELLINGTON administrative opportunities. You may need to begin as a volunteer but the prospects of this leading to paid roles are excellent. There are many different groups to choose from whether your interest is in health, disability, youth at risk, the environment, education, employment and training, sport, consumer affairs or new migrant services. Two good, comprehensive, on-line directories are: http://webdirectory.natlib.govt.nz/dir/en/nz/community-and-social-studies/communityand-support-groups/ www.dia.govt.nz/oeawebsite.NSF/wpg_url/community-directory-Index?opendocument&cat=A A Wellington specific directory is: www.wellington.govt.nz/services/commdirectory/index.php Social justice organisations like Amnesty International often have formal and informal internships. Details at: www.amnesty.org.nz/get-involved/work-amnesty-international/become-intern
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STUDYING SOCIAL SCIENCES OR LANGUAGES?

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Victoria University Language Learning Centre can help you learn a language or maintain language skills and the service is free to enrolled students. Contact the Alliance Francaise if youd like to practice your French perhaps by volunteering for a few hours a week to assist in their library. Contact translation and interpreting services or freelancers in this field to see if they need extra help. The Goethe Institute runs German Language classes in Wellington if you speak a little German test out your skill level at: www.goethe.de/cgi-bin/einstufungstest/einstufungstest.pl Study language courses online at: www.word2word.com/course.html

Wellington comes to life over the summer, with cultural events and festivals. Free tickets and celebrity close-encounters are perks for volunteers. For paid positions approach talent agencies, theatres, advertising and communications agencies and other media-related organisations. Do your research before you approach anyone. First impressions count and people in this industry are notoriously unforgiving if you are ill-prepared. Useful websites are: www.thebigidea.co.nz - the jobs and events site for New Zealands creative community and www.eventfinder.co.nz/ - which lists NZ events and cultural organisations. At http://www.creativenz.govt.nz/ under resources/cultural contacts database youll find contact details for NZ arts organisations. Also try: www.piperpat.co.nz/NZLinks/tabid/108/Default.aspx

STUDYING PERFORMING ARTS OR MEDIA?

Visit the Wellington District Law Societys website at www.wellaw.co.nz/ which lists law firms by location and specialisation. Smaller firms or sole practitioners may welcome help with legal research, preparing simple legal documents, filing, following up unpaid client accounts and making the coffee. Identify their likely needs and what you can offer. Approach them direct. Be prepared to sell yourself. Legal publishers like Thomson Reuters www.thomsonreuters.co.nz/home and LexisNexis www.lexisnexis.co.nz also recruit P/T legal editors. Summer clerkships with the major law firms are advertised in March during the annual Legal Recruitment Programme. Also try any large organisation with an in-house legal team like IRD, the Commerce Commission, Ministry of Justice, consumer-protection agencies, plus telecommunications and power companies.

STUDYING LAW?

STUDYING SCIENCE?

Consider private analytical and research laboratories, government research institutes and departments, local and regional councils, regional hospitals and tertiary institutions. They may provide summer work or internship programmes. Check Victoria CareerHub regularly as employers like the Malaghan Institute, HortResearch, Fonterra and many other major employers advertise summer internships there.

STUDYING ARCHITECTURE OR DESIGN?

Join the Designers Institute of NZ (student membership $54) at: www.dinz.org.nz or the Institute of Architects www.thegrad.net.nz/ Bear in mind that some employers are reluctant to hire new graduates when they have major projects on as they dont have time to supervise them. Try offering to deliver plans, draft or proofread documents, cover reception and answer the telephone; only do this if you have the relevant skills and are prepared to be this flexible. Go to these sites for inspiration from some of the best designers of our time: www.designboom.com/interviews.html or www.britishcouncil.org/nz-eventssemipermanent.htm

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Internships
Internships are advertised throughout the year with some employers advertising their internships as early as March. Check Victoria CareerHub regularly. Internship and summer opportunities are not necessarily widely advertised so check the websites of your preferred employers regularly from the beginning of semester one. The advanced search feature on Victoria CareerHub will help you find names of employers who have advertised internships or summer work before. Contacting organisations direct may also be an option. Consider sending a speculative CV along with a cover letter explaining that you are seeking a summer or P/T position. Some employers only offer summer work when approached by a candidate who is genuinely interested in their organisation and has the initiative to contact them. Remember, you will need to show that there is a direct benefit for the organisation in taking you on; for example you could create or update their customer database, organise and file paperwork and cover for staff taking annual leave. Be positive about this sort of opportunity. It may get you a foot in the door of an employer who can help your career and also provide you with useful contacts in your field. Most formal internships in NZ are for the summer but they can be longer. Most are paid. For an unpaid internship, weigh up the career value and kudos of the experience carefully before making a decision. If you want to work overseas, whether at a Canadian ski field or on a conservation project on the other side of the planet, early planning is critical. See page 10 for more information.

Retail Opportunities
Retail work may seem like just a way to earn money while you study but have you considered a career in retailing? Some of the top graduate training programmes in the Europe and the US are with food and clothing retailers. Your casual retail experience could take you a long way. Spend a morning visiting stores that you personally shop atyoull already have a good idea of their products and their customers - an advantage if youre applying to work there. First impressions count - smart dress, excellent grooming, good communication skills and a friendly personality go a long way. Keenness to do the job, customer service ethic, confidence in approaching customers and reliability are also valued. Most expect you to complete an application form and may even refer you directly to the manager if they are impressed and have a position vacant. Here are some ideas to help you begin your retail job search Farmers Department Store - www.farmers.co.nz/ Farmers stores always need casual staff able to work Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, public holidays and be on-call to cover busy periods and staff leave or sickness. F/T work is often available over the summer to cover staff annual leave and the extended Christmas shopping hours. To apply at the Lambton Quay, Cuba Mall, Porirua, Kilbirnie, Queensgate or Upper Hutt stores, collect a Farmers Application Form and return the completed form with your CV to the Store Manager at your preferred branch. For career opportunities visit the website.

Kirkcaldie and Stains Ltd - www.kirkcaldies.co.nz/

They seek a long-term commitment on a casual basis with F/T hours over the summer. Must be based in Wellington all year round. Also take on staff for Christmas Wrapping and Christmas Basket services. To apply send a brief CV and Cover Letter to the attention of the HR Manager details on the website. Include finishing dates for exams as the induction/training takes a week. A service orientation with retail and team experience is an advantage as is a conservative appearance, professionalism, patience, flexibility and reliability.

The Warehouse - www.thewarehousecareers.co.nz/sitefiles/ddb/index.html

All stores are keen to employ additional staff over the summer and Christmas period, mainly for night-fill and shop floor roles. To apply, visit the website.
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Briscoes - Wellington CBD (Taranaki Street), Petone, Lyall Bay, Lower Hutt www.briscoes.co.nz/ Need keen, interested and utterly reliable students. Oct Nov mainly weekend and Friday night hours. Summer hours include midnights and 24-hour openings. All days worked except Christmas day. To apply call in to complete an application form or email your CV. Check the website for details. Freedom Furniture, Thorndon Quay - http://www.freedomfurniture.co.nz/careers/index.html
Employ P/T staff who are offered F/T hours over the summer. Good training for those interested in a career in retailing and merchandising with opportunities to progress in this Australian-owned, franchised, retail chain. See the website for jobs in NZ and Australia or apply direct to the store address the CV and cover letter for the attention of the Store Manager.

Spotless Services (NZ) Ltd, Westpac Stadium - www.spotless.com

Employ P/T staff throughout the year and over the summer. See information and current vacancies worldwide on the website.

Also try retail chains and stores that are particularly busy over the Christmas/summer break gift shops,
shoe and sports shops, supermarkets, department stores, clothing and wedding apparel stores, book and stationery stores, pharmacies and health food stores, food retailers and fast-food outlets, furniture stores, electrical and whiteware retailers, DIY and garden centres.

Service Opportunities
NZ Post http://jobs.nzpost.co.nz/ All jobs are advertised on the website and you can register your interest online for jobs such as Christmas postie, on-call postie, delivery/sorting office assistant. For operational roles you can go direct to mail and courier centres. Telecom NZ www.telecom.co.nz/content/0,8748,205336-204239,00.html All positions are advertised on the website, including P/T (except where department managers decide to use a recruitment agency). All applications should be made online. Also try service sector organisations in Telecommunications, Print and Broadcast Journalism, Real Estate, Transport including Bus and Ferry Service operators, Airports and Service Stations.

Office Work Opportunities

A great option if you have administrative skills, are confident, articulate and present yourself well. Its worth registering with a recruitment agency as many large organisations use them to recruit and screen candidates. Test your keyboard proficiency with a free typing test at http://www.freetypinggame.net/free-typing-test.asp If you also have a knack for figures, try banks and insurance companies. They often recruit based on the personal recommendation of existing employees. So ask family members or friends working in these fields to enquire at their workplaces on your behalf. Check classifieds in the press for accounts departments of small firms advertising for P/T admin staff. The proliferation of Call Centres has made this an easy area to get into for those with excellent communication and telephone skills and who can commit to long-term, part-time work. Approach organisations direct or through a recruitment agency or visit www.seek.co.nz/ or www.trademe.co.nz

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Inland Revenue Department - www.ird.govt.nz/aboutir/careers/ The Inland Revenue advertises all positions on NZ Government Jobs online at www.jobs.govt.nz/ The Wellington Service Centre frequently advertises call centre opportunities, typically working 24 hours a week, evenings, during term time and F/T during holidays. 6 weeks paid training is provided. IAG NZ (own the State Insurance and NZI brands) - http://careers.iag.co.nz/ The Wellington Call Centre services the State Insurance, NZI and IAG brands. Roles are P/T with longer hours available for those already employed. Paid training takes 3 5 weeks. Apply via the website. Axa New Zealand - http://www.axa.co.nz/en/About-Us/careers/ Unsolicited CVs are circulated to individual managers who make their own hiring decisions. Visit the Axa website and complete an online application form which can be emailed, posted or delivered in person to the companys offices. City Councils including Wellington City Council and Wellington Regional Council have clerical and other positions - all are advertised in the Wednesday and Saturday newspapers and occasionally in local newspapers. Also check www.seek.co.nz and search4jobs.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm Also try Advertising companies its highly competitive so plan your approach. Be organised and be persistent. Try Fairfax Media, Clemenger BBDO, Haines and Saatchi and Saatchi. Government departments like Land Transport, Parliamentary Services and Immigration NZ (part of the Ministry of Labour). Jobs are often advertised on their websites or at www.jobs.govt.nz Embassies and High Commissions particularly if you are studying languages or are a citizen of the country they represent. Hospitals, clinics, training and registration boards.

Hotel and Hospitality Opportunities

If you are interested in the hotel sector but know little about it, you can learn about the different roles and pick up some industry jargon at: http://www.accor.com/en/recruitment-and-careers.html Youll also find links to job vacancies whether you are seeking summer work or a hotel management traineeship. Hotels such as The Duxton, The James Cook, Just Hotel and The Holiday Inn have part time, shift positions, mostly evenings and weekends, in reception, housekeeping, food and beverage services and portering. They seek people with customer service skills, good presentation and who are reliable. To apply either call in for an application form, ring up and ask to speak to the person responsible for HR, or go to their website. Also try restaurants, fast food outlets, plus catering and event management companies. They can be particularly busy over the summer, but be aware that they may be unwilling to train someone just for the summer.

Recreation and Summer/Christmas Events

Wellington and other City Councils run summer activities and events for children and holiday-makers and may have opportunities for pool attendants, school holiday programme assistants, sports coaches etc. See Council websites, visit Council Offices and Libraries for more information. If you are interested in working in the tourism industry, contact details for a wide range of operators in the industry are available at www.newzealand.com/travel/International/

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Dos and Donts in a Tight Job Market

Don't just apply to big household name organisations as they tend to receive more applicants per job than smaller, less well known ones. Don't just apply for exciting jobs such as media, advertising and marketing. Again there is likely to be more competition for these than for more routine roles. Dont just rely on advertised jobs. Many employers are popular enough not to have to advertise their entry level positions and expect you to take the initiative and make the first approach. Do make sure that your applications are of the highest possible quality. This means well presented and tailored to the requirements of that specific job or employer. Do make use of Vic Careers as we can help you with ideas, job applications and interview preparation.

Opportunities for Self-employment

Think about your skills, experience and interests. Next, think about the sorts of tasks that someone may be prepared to pay you to do painting and decorating, windowcleaning, garden clearing, spring cleaning, house-sitting, on-call clerical work, wordprocessing, research, answering the phone, walking the dog, pet-sitting, letter writing or web research for elderly relatives, babysitting, an extra hand accompanying a family on holiday the possibilities are endless. Let family members and friends know that youre available over the summer. List the kinds of things you are available to do (ensure theyre legal!). Be specific about dates and times you can work. Prepare a brief CV and give a few copies to everyone and get them to pass them on to anyone they know who may be interested. If self-employment is a long-term option or goal for you, then there are some excellent on-line resources: On-line training modules, tools and information to help people start, manage and grow their business: www.business.govt.nz An A-Z List of WINZ services for employers: www.workandincome.govt.nz/business/a-z-services/index.html The basics of employment relations and health and safety requirements for running a business: www.dol.govt.nz/infozone/businessessentials/employ/

Employment Rights and WINZ Financial Support

There are three key pieces of legislation that describe employee (and employer) rights and obligations. The most critical is the Employment Relations Act, although the Health and Safety in Employment Act and the Human Rights Act also provide additional protection. All employees in New Zealand have certain legal minimum entitlements to do with holidays, leave, pay, human rights and union membership. Employers must meet these minimum conditions, but they can also choose to provide their employees with better ones. More information at: www.ers.dol.govt.nz/relationships/minimum.html The adult minimum wage is $12.75 an hour. Thats $102 for an eight hour day, and $510 for a 40 hour week. By law, employers must pay at least the minimum wage - even if an employee is paid by commission or by piece rate. The minimum wage applies to all workers aged 16 years or older, including home workers, casuals, temporary and part-time workers. The only exception is when an employee holds an exemption permit. Holiday pay must be paid in addition to the minimum wage. If an employee receives pay-as-you-go holiday pay, this payment must be a separate and identifiable part of their pay. An increase in the minimum wage will not affect an employees other conditions of employment, unless they agree to the changes.
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An employee being paid less than the minimum wage can complain to a Labour Inspector, who may investigate and act to recover any money owed. Employees can also get help from our mediators. More information at: http://www.ers.dol.govt.nz/pay/minimum.html You may be entitled to study break payments; for more information go to http://www.studylink.govt.nz/already-in-study/finance-during-breaks/index.html The Transition to Work Grant for help in moving into work: www.workandincome.govt.nz/individuals/a-z-benefits/transition-to-work-grant.html

Unpaid Summer Work - Become a Volunteer

Work experience need not be paid work in order to be valued by employers. Volunteering is a great way to gain new skills, create networking opportunities, learn about a range of career options and - most importantly - have fun, make new friends and feel good about yourself! Around campus. A postgraduate student or lecturer may be grateful for help with research, setting up a database and general administration. Ask around in your department and in other departments that interest you. Many international students remain in Wellington over the summer. Offer to help them improve their English and increase their understanding of New Zealand culture. In exchange you can develop or improve your foreign language skills and make new friends! Vic Careers runs a Volunteer Careers Assistant (VCA) programme and this is advertised each semester on Victoria CareerHub. In the community. If you enjoy the outdoors and working with people, then there are lots of events and programmes to volunteer for. Check with city and regional councils for cultural and summer events. Enquire early, as these opportunities are popular. Be creative. Approach independent radio stations, artists, writers and performers. You may be able to assist someone in their studio, on a project or with their research. There are also several arts and cultural festivals and events, a great way to meet interesting and talented people. These are often advertised at: www.thebigidea.co.nz

Event management organisations design, manage or cater for Christmas and other events, product promotions, openings, parties etc look under Event Management in the Yellow Pages. Try contacting talent agencies for work and get your name down for current projects or ones in the pipeline. Go to: www.finda.co.nz/ Under key word input talent agency and under category select broadcasting and entertainment. You can also select region. Other useful sites to check are the NZ Actors Equity at: www.actorsequity.org.nz/ and the performers alliance at: www.alliance.org.au/ Wellington Zoo takes volunteers for summer. Visit http://www.wellingtonzoo.com/net/getinvolved/volunteer.aspx. To work in the Botanic Garden, Otari-Wiltons Bush or join Urban Search and Rescue or the Rural Fire Service visit http://www.wellington.govt.nz/services/volunteers/index.html The Department of Conservation also offer volunteer and paid opportunities. Volunteer for an existing project or propose your own project and take your skill set to a whole new level. Find out more at: www.doc.govt.nz/templates/defaultlanding.aspx?id=38652 If you are interested in social issues, many NGOs (non-government organisations) have activities and projects over summer/Christmas and welcome volunteers. Gain valuable work experience, meet likeminded people, make some great contacts all whilst contributing to a good cause. Check out these online community services directories - www.community.net.nz/ or www.wellington.govt.nz/services/commdirectory/index.php
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If you like working with teens or children, work with an international organisation or agency can be useful if you intend to travel overseas later; you can take advantage of their international networks. Try the YMCA - www.ymca.org.nz/ or the YWCA at www.ywca.org.nz/ or Project K at www.projectk.org.nz/ At Barnardos you can volunteer to assist with small children in a family centre, or work in the centres office or library. Visit www.barnardos.org.nz/Careers/Overview/Introduction.htm Volunteer Wellington matches volunteers to NPOs (non-profit organisations). Visit their offices on Level 3, 84 Willis Street, Wellington for an application form and a chat: www.volunteerwellington.org.nz/ If you are interested in the aid and development sector, the following sites will provide ideas and inspiration. If you are considering voluntary work overseas for the first time at this moment then it is probably too late to organise for this year. Instead begin planning now for next year. Visit: www.idealist.org/ or www.eldis.org/go/jobs or www.worldvolunteerweb.org/ The latter website has some great personal stories if you need convincing that volunteering is worthwhile. Contact NZ embassies in the country you intend visiting in advance, to see if they can advise you of local or embassy events that you could get involved in. See more information at: www.nzembassy.com/

Overseas Working Holidays

Ideally begin planning up to a year in advance as the process can be a long one. Overseas experience allows you to experience another culture, gain or improve foreign language proficiency, and have a well-earned break from study. It can also be a prerequisite for an international career. Consult the CIA world factbook for country profiles and insight into the present political and economic situation: www.cia.gov/library/publications/theworld-factbook/index.html Investigate any health (e.g. malaria) or personal safety risks (terrorism) Visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website for up to date advice on economic, political and social stability information as well as inoculation requirements at: www.safetravel.govt.nz/ Passport and Visas. Make sure that your passport is valid for the duration of the time you intend to be out of the country plus a reasonable margin. A working holiday visa is sufficient for fairly long overseas visits but they will have very specific conditions attached. Typically these include an interest in studying the language, a holiday rather than a work focus, paid employment to be undertaken for no more than 3 months at a time with a single employer, a valid passport and return ticket or sufficient funds to purchase one and a comprehensive insurance policy covering all risks related to sickness for the duration of the visa. Be clear about what you want from an overseas experience to maximise the benefits you gain from it. Research the organisation you plan to deal with thoroughly and also seek recent references from others who have dealt with the organisation ideally a NZ student who has completed a programme with them.

Think about and plan for various potential disaster scenarios eg lost passport or tickets, employer doesnt pay your salary on time, your EFTPOS card is refused. Organise resources and contacts in case things go wrong. Check and double check before handing over any money, never pay in cash and investigate any free insurance cover that may be available if you use a credit card. Working holiday programmes allow you to work for several weeks or months in a particular country and then follow this with a few weeks as a tourist. There is usually a substantial up-front cost with such programmes to cover visas, air travel, insurance and programme administration. It can seem more cost effective to do it yourself, but bear in mind that most countries provide an annual quota of visas to be issued. Visa applicants are usually required to provide evidence of adequate funds, or access to these usually around NZ$4,000. Organisations that run working holiday programmes are supplied with a fixed
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number of visas for the country concerned and they issue these on a first-come first-served basis to those accepted onto their programme. Au Pair USA - www.aupairusa.org/index.html You must be aged between 18 and 26 and will provide childcare for an American Host Family. Au pairs receive room, board, pocket money, health insurance, airfare, up to $500 toward educational courses and an optional month travel period to explore the United States at the end of their year. Camp USA www.interexchange.org/content/3/en/International%20Summer%20Camp%20Staff%20Solutions.html If you have a genuine interest in children, you can experience the American tradition of summer camp. Work is available from the beginning of June through to the end of August. Work & Travel USA - www.globalchoices.co.uk/gapyearjobs.php Work for up to 4 months as a housekeeper, dishwasher, maintenance person, wait staff or sales clerk. Youll receive a wage, assistance with housing, programme support and an optional month travel time. Transitions Abroad - www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/work/internships/index.shtml This site includes an excellent blog section, plus feature articles written by student interns who have worked in a wide range of paid and volunteer roles. Also great if you would like to learn a new language or be immersed in a language you are already learning at university. There are several international exchange organisations that facilitate international exchange experiences for outgoing and incoming exchangees. Victoria AIESEC is one such organisation. It offers professional development experiences to all university students. Highly motivated students can apply to intern with an overseas organisation in a sector related to their degree and experience. Contact Victoria AIESEC on campus or visit the website at www.aiesec.org/ Other well-known exchange organisations are: Council on International Educational Exchange www.ciee.org/ Great information plus a local agent based close to the Kelburn campus. Ask Vic Careers staff for details. International Exchange Programmes www.iep.co.nz/ Most organisations offering internships have an internships database that applicants have access to. Alternatively, you can search for an overseas internship yourself. If necessary the exchange organisation can vet the internship provider/employer for you and if the organisation and the internship meet their criteria, they can then be formally registered with the organisation. You then have both legal protection and ongoing support.

New Zealand has working holiday schemes with the following countries:

Argentina - Belgium - Brazil - Canada - Chile - Czech Republic - Denmark - Finland - France - Germany - Hong Kong Special Administrative Region - Ireland - Italy - Japan - Korea - Malaysia - Malta - Mexico - Netherlands - Norway - Peru - Poland - Singapore - Sweden - Taiwan - Thailand - United Kingdom - United States (scheme only applies to US citizens wanting to visit New Zealand) - Uruguay More information at: http://www.mfat.govt.nz/Countries/index.php#holidays For a directory of foreign embassies based in NZ, go to: www.mfat.govt.nz/Embassies/2-Foreignrepresentatives-to-NZ/Diplomatic-and-Consular-List.php The Cruise Industry hires year-round and seasonal staff. More information at: www.cruiseserver.net/travelpage/other/jobs_overview.asp
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Archaeological digs are a great way to spend a summer. More information at: http://www.archaeological.org/fieldwork/afob Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) The minimum requirement is a university degree in any discipline although to teach English in Europe or South America a TEFL or TESOL qualification is also expected. Most opportunities are in Asia China, Korea and Japan. There is more information in the Careers Resources Library about potential destinations and organisations to contact. For comprehensive information on teaching English in a wide range of countries, plus teaching resources and blogs visit www.eslcafe.com/ A great website for kiwi travellers abroad is www.tntmagazine.com/

Vic Careers Resources for Current Vic Students and Vic Graduates
Vic Careers Jobs Notice-board at 14 KP
Current job vacancies are displayed on our job notice-boards. There is also free Internet access for job seeking if you are a current Vic student or a Vic graduate and are registered on Victoria CareerHub.

Victoria CareerHub: http://careerhub.vuw.ac.nz

Job vacancies are accessible online 24/7, using your MyVictoria account name and password. There are links from the Vic Careers website, Blackboard and myVictoria. On CareerHub you will also find a Resume Builder to help you with your CV, and Sample CVs and Cover Letters.

Vic Careers website: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/careers

Online careers resources, graduate employment destinations, employer information and useful links to major job bulletin boards.

Career Advice from ProfessionalsVic Careers always here to help!

Decide what your priorities are earning money or developing skills that may support your future job aspirations. Not sure what you want to do? Book an appointment with a Careers Consultant.

Careers Office and Resource Library at 14 Kelburn Parade Experienced Careers Consultants available during daily drop-in and by appointment

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9 5 Wednesday 10.30 5 Check the Vic Careers website, Victoria CareerHub or call into or phone the office for details and changes to opening hours. careers-service@vuw.ac.nz

463 5393 Vic Careers Reception at 14 KP

**A web based version of this handout is available on CareerHub**

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