Knowledge is still your best friend

Dr MARIE WILSON is associate professor of management at the University of Auckland, research director of the ICEHOUSE business accelerator and a veteran of 20 years in corporate management and small business.

Q. At the end of last year I graduated from university and have been employed ever since in an industry related to the one I wish to work in. I am a mature graduate (31) with extensive experience in another related industry.

I have been a qualified commercial and private chef, started a diploma in food technology but changed tack and graduated with a bachelor of applied science in agriculture.

I now work in export customer service with an agri-tech manufacturer. I'm studying part-time while working towards a management diploma.

I never intended to stay in this job beyond a year and took it to learn and understand export procedures. I was always honest about this with my employers.

I would like to find full-time graduate employment, preferably as a trainee trader with fresh produce in international markets. Advertisements I have responded to for such positions detail all the attributes I can offer, often including graduate status. The problem is that I have yet to get a reply from any of the companies I have applied to - recruitment companies and the organisations themselves.

However, being a graduate I can't necessarily prove my skills, although having worked in the corporate world for the last 10 months, I know the skills I do have are transferable to the industry I wish to work in.

What am I doing wrong? I have seen career counsellors and CV writers (and spent a lot of money doing so). I know my CV lacks action statements but then what graduate is able to prove past commercial successes?Am I too ambitious, therefore threaten future employers? Or has the knowledge wave totally gone over the head of recruiters? I am feeling very frustrated and ready to leave this country.

A. Well, your letter sounds long on qualifications but short on experience, and as you've noted, that can make creating a CV more difficult.

Let's look at what you do have. You have education in food technology, as a chef, agriculture and management.

You want to move into export trading for fresh produce. It's a pretty small market niche you are aiming for, so you are going to have to be a bit more focused.

Some suggestions: see if you can do a project or practicum in your diploma in management. This would give you an opportunity to do a project for a produce-trading company under the supervision of the diploma programme, building experience in exactly the industry you are interested in, while building your contacts in the company and industry. It also gives you another experience/achievement on your CV.

Think of another position that would move you closer to your goal. Perhaps a good next step would be working for a fresh-produce company in a customer service role to the restaurant industry.

You would meet the international traders through the wholesale business, while building your produce skills and knowledge. You'd be valuable to the produce wholesalers because of your knowledge of both exports and the hospitality trade.

After a stint in domestic wholesaling, you would be very well-placed for international trade with experience in domestic wholesaling and retailing, as well as agricultural export.

Focus on creating the right mix of skills and extending your networks, and don't assume that landing in another country, with no networks and "foreign" qualifications, will be a guaranteed wonderful career experience.

Q. I'm about to be made redundant from the accountancy firm I work for following a merger. I am a secretary and getting a far worse redundancy payoff than any of the professional staff would get. Is there anything I can do?

A. Generally speaking, your redundancy payout, if any, is determined by your employment agreement.

Review your agreement, as well as any relevant company policies, to find out exactly what you are entitled to. You might also want to check company records to make sure your holiday and annual leave entitlements are correct.

While there is nothing that you can do to change your terms to those of other staff, you can make sure that you get everything that you should. You may also want to try to negotiate a longer transition period or other consideration, including job-search time and assistance in the period leading up to the end of your job.

* Email your questions for Dr Marie Wilson to answer.