Planning for
your career

It’s a big decision to be planning what you want to do for the rest of your life – actually, research suggests you’ll have many different careers in your lifetime!  Whether you’re looking to work while studying or planning your career after your study, you’ll find plenty of opportunities in our regions.

A career is not just a job; it’s also the skills and experiences you learn over a lifetime. You can plan your career by considering four things:

  1. What are your skills, interests, values, and talents?
  2. What options are there available to me?
  3. What will I study?
  4. Where will I study?

Helpful links

Finding a job

You can register for free at Student Job Search, which often has a range of jobs available in the area you might want to work.

Employment websites like SEEK and TradeMe Jobs are great places to find work – you can use their search function to find a role just right for you.

Other students have success with taking their CV into places they would like to work.

Interviews

Like everything in life, preparation is key. Here are some top tips to help you succeed at a job interview:

  • Make sure you dress the part – wear clean and respectful clothes.
  • Research the organisation
  • Prepare to answer likely questions they might ask you – and think of some to ask them
  • Know what to expect at the interview (is it face-to-face or via video conferencing?)

You can read more top tips here.

Your work rights

When working in Aotearoa New Zealand, everyone has the same basic legal rights to ensure you’re safe at work and your employer treats you well.

There are strict rules to ensure your safety and wellbeing in the workplace. For example, your employer must:

  • Give you a written employment agreement
  • Not charge you any fees for giving you employment
  • Pay you at least the minimum wage
  • Give you paid annual holidays
  • Give you paid rest breaks and unpaid meal breaks.

Working while you study

Working while studying is a great way to get some work experience, make some new friends and help with your living costs.
You may be allowed to work part-time for up to 20 hours a week and full-time during scheduled holidays.

There are many tools available to help you take the first steps in the working world, from creating CVs to the interview process.

Helpful links

There’s a lot of support available online to help you plan how to work while you study:

Useful resources

Everyone needs a helping hand, so we’ve put together some helpful guides to help you on your journey.

Tertiary to work planner

Deciding what kind of work you want to do and where you want to do it is the essence of career planning. This planner is to help you get into a career — the steps you need to take and helpful tips.

Find out more

CV guide

Did you know that employers and recruiters generally take less than 20 seconds to decide if your CV is in the ‘Yes to interview’ pile? This handy guide will give you tips to create a skills-based CV to get the job of your dreams.
Find out more

CV template

We’ll take your knowledge one step further with this handy template to ensure your CV stands out. Taking you from ‘No’ to ‘Go’, the template will guide you to create a tailored, skills-based CV.
Find out more

Covering letter

A great cover letter draws your audience in. It gives the reader a snapshot of your top skills that match the job they’re recruiting for. It makes the reader want to discover more about you – helping you gain that interview!
Find out more

Interview guide

You’re almost there! Job interviews are the main way employers assess candidates’ suitability for a role. This guide will show you how to make a great impression in person (or online) to gain your dream job.
Find out more

Let’s get to work

Aotearoa New Zealand is a great place to work. Generally, it’s a fair and safe place for people. All employees have the same rights.

If you are experiencing any work-related issues, there is free help and advice available from NauMai NZ.

Visit NauMai NZ