Immigrants Hold Answer to Skills Shortage

Media release 26 February 2007

Immigrants Hold Answer to Skills Shortage

The financial sector skills shortage is only going to get worse this year, and New Zealand employers need to be more open-minded to find their way through it, says a senior Auckland recruitment specialist.

Kim Smith, division director with Robert Half Finance & Accounting, says sustained economic strength, and more opportunities for skilled professionals overseas, will continue to put pressure on the job market.

In the past four to five years the economy has consistently outperformed economic growth predictions and Kim Smith believes it will do the same this year.

But, she said “we have some real resource constraints here, human capital being perhaps number one”.

A change in the way Kiwis approached working overseas would only exacerbate this skills shortage she said.

Traditionally, the big OE has been something Kiwis do when they are young, before returning to New Zealand to buy a home and raise a family. But more professionals are now working overseas several times during their lives.

“I’ve had several of my candidates decide to go back for a second time and take their families with them,” Kim Smith said.

One skilled candidate deliberately chose to return to the United Kingdom for three years to earn enough money to buy a house.

Nigel Barcham, Robert Half International’s Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, said increasing globalisation meant many more countries were now vying to employ skilled New Zealanders and Australians.

As well as Europe and the United States, Asian economies were becoming more attractive, he said.

“The overseas threat is increasing,” Nigel Barcham said. “Hong Kong and Singapore can provide great earning potential, India and China now are providing a truly unique emerging market experience and Japan’s opening up.”

The big OE was part of New Zealand culture and was not going to go away, Kim Smith said. Instead, employers had to find new ways to get around the skills shortages.

And one of the best ways to do this was to be more open-minded about employing qualified, skilled immigrants.

“I think Kiwis need to be a bit more flexible and give them a chance,” she said.

Many immigrants to New Zealand had good communication skills and solid financial experience - the very qualities employers said they were looking for. Employers simply had to learn to give them a chance to show what they could do.

“The employers that I have that have actually done that, none of them are disappointed,” said Kim Smith.

To listen to the latest Robert Half International podcast on the employment forecast for ANZ please visit www.roberthalf.co.nz. This podcast is sent to Robert Half International clients and candidates in Australia and New Zealand.

ENDS

ROBERT HALF FINANCE & ACCOUNTING

Robert Half Finance & Accounting is the world’s first and largest financial recruitment firm, specialising in the placement of accounting and finance professionals on a temporary or permanent basis. With more than 350 locations throughout New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Europe and North America, the company provides a complete recruitment service at all levels. As a division of Robert Half International, Robert Half Finance & Accounting is highly specialised and can locate and deliver the most qualified candidates. Visit us today: www.roberthalf.co.nz

© Scoop Media