Judea jobseeker Darleen George, 40, said she worked 20 hours a week as a food processor at Pelco's fish processing firm in Mount Maunganui, and had been looking for another job for some time, preferably in the same industry.
Although she was on call to do extra hours it was not something she could rely on, she said.
Ms George said she was registered as a jobseeker at Work and Income and received a partial benefit to supplement her paid work, but it was a struggle to pay the bills
"I'd love to find another job which pays more so I can afford to pay my bills $100 a time instead of in $5 lots ... I have applied for hundreds of jobs over the past nine years, including more than 100 in the last two years but I never hear back. I haven't even had a nibble."
Ms George said she did not want to give up her current job because her employer had been good to her, she loved the work and during her nine years' service she had gained four qualifications in food production.
"Ideally I would love to be a quality control officer or hold a 2IC [second-in-command] role one day."
The number of people on sole-parent benefits in the Western Bay also dropped from 2916 in September 2014 to 2624 as at September this year.
A Ministry of Social Development spokesperson said: "We know that most people can and do want to work, and it's encouraging to see fewer people on benefit compared to this time last year." The ministry had a range of services to support employers with staff recruitment and to help clients to move towards work, the spokesperson said
"This includes wage subsidies, financial assistance for training-associated costs, childcare and transport costs, contracted training programmes, career guidance, motivation and confidence programmes, and in-work training and support.
"We appreciate positive employers who are prepared to give people an opportunity."