New Year, New Job?

Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa: If you’ve returned to work after the festive summer season and are feeling the slump, you’re not alone. New data released today by Trade Me Jobs highlights New Zealanders are more likely to search for a new job this week than any other.

To encourage more Kiwi to search for a new job, Trade Me Jobs has released a line-up of listings they say are some of the “best jobs ever listed on the site” – including a ‘Wicked Wing Taste-Tester’ for KFC, a ‘Social Meow-dia Specialist’ for Petdirect, and a ‘Chief Hype Officer’ for the Fijian Drua.

‘Job Hunt January’ has been created by Trade Me to highlight the sheer amount of Kiwi on the lookout for a new role.

According to its data, the most job listing views occur over the last week of January with an incredible 1.6m viewings. Trade Me Jobs’ highest-ever day of web traffic was on January 24th 2023, which saw more than half a million views of job listings in a single 24-hour period.

“Coincidentally, it was this same week in January last year that Jacinda Ardern resigned from her role as Prime Minister, which goes to show Kiwi at all points of their career will be thinking about revamping their resume this month," said Matt Tolich, Sales Director at Trade Me Jobs.

“I suspect that everyday Kiwi workplaces could see a spike in dentist appointments or sick days - because tens of thousands of us are secretly going through the job recruitment process in January.”

“This is a mixture of the new year representing a new start and is an optimistic time for job-hunters, along with a potential sense of frustration for those returning to a workplace which they may no longer enjoy after the summer break.”

“At Trade Me Jobs, we love to help Kiwi embrace the new and have more than 10,000 job listings across every industry from construction to retail, hospitality to farming. But right now, we’ve also got a few very special job listings – such as our Social Meow-dia Specialist for Petdirect – which are designed to help more New Zealanders embrace the new and join the new year, new job movement!”

The three jobs Trade Me claims to be among the best listed on the platform include:

• A ‘Wicked Wing Taste Tester’ for KFC, with the job description reading: “Is your mouth watering for a wicked new role? KFC is looking for a crispy chicken connoisseur to travel around KFC stores, tasting the Colonel’s finest Wicked Wings to ensure they are always fresh, crispy and delicious – because at KFC, quality matters. So if you’re keen to try something new and passionate about finger-lickin’ good chicken, this might just be for you!”
• A ‘Chief Hype Officer’ for the Fijian Drua, with the job description reading: “With the Fijian Drua set to take on the mighty Blues in the Super Rugby on February 24, we’re looking for a Chief Hype Officer to whip our fans into a frenzy. We need someone who can chant, sing, stamp, and ensure the roar of our fans will leave the Blues trembling in their little football boots this February.”
• A ‘Social Meow-dia Specialist’ for Petdirect, with the job description reading: “Meow you’re talking! We’re after someone with a practically puuuurfect understanding of social media, and ideally, an unhealthy obsession with pets. We need someone to produce creative and engaging content for Petdirect’s TikTok and Instagram pages featuring our favourite furry friends.”

Julia Wiegandt-Goude, General Manager People & Capability at KFC commented: “While there may only be one Wicked Wing Tester role available, we’re currently recruiting for more than 20 roles across our business. Whether you’re after part-time or full-time work, looking for a career in the QSR industry, or you’re just hungry for our Wicked Wings, there are plenty of great job opportunities at KFC across New Zealand.”

All the job listings mentioned are temporary paid roles, with applications open for New Zealanders by visiting trademe.co.nz/c/promo/job-hunt-january. Applications close on Wednesday 31 January 2024.

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