KEY POINTS:
Life's become a bit ho-hum. It's time to step out the comfort zone. Why not make a fresh start in a new city?
"There is a danger of 'I'm moving to a new town, I need a job'," says Auckland University's Careers Centre director David Trought.
Don't rush the move. Research the job market and be clear what jobs you want to pursue. "If you're not sure yourself of what you want, you sure as hell won't convince an employer."
He says: "Be realistic. If you want to work as a graphic designer there's no point in going to a city where there's no base for that type of work. Do your homework."
Use newspaper classifieds, internet sites and job agencies to look for jobs. The Careers Services website gives information about what industries each centre has. "It's a good place to start to find out what jobs are in the area, what's the going rate."
Trought says graduates can continue to use the university's career advisers after they have left university.
"I think people underestimate how long it takes - it can be a full time job to find a job. And they need to keep accurate records of who they approached and when. They might want to follow up with thank you letters or keep contacts warm.
"There is a quote we have on one of our job search strategies which I think sums it up; job seekers fall into two groups - those who wait for something to happen and those who make something happen."
Plus, job seekers need to "know their worth, what salary range they should be going for. They don't want to go too low or too high.
"They have to appreciate what people get paid in Christchurch and Auckland is different. They need to work out a budget. Can they afford to live where they want, on the salary that is coming in?"
If they are moving away from home, "chances are they will under-budget," says Trought. "They may think they will live in a cheaper part of the city go there, and see if you want to live in that part of the city. Is it safe? These are the sort of things they want to find out - I'm sure the parents will too, if it is a new graduate."
Like Trought, Amy Fairbrother, recruitment consultant with Red Consulting Group has moved around with work opportunities.
She says young job seekers on the move should be clear about where they want to head "rather than just joining any old company for the experience."
Being on the spot can pay off as not all potential employers will pick up the cost of travel and accommodation expenses throughout a recruitment process. "So if you know that you want to move to Christchurch or Auckland or Wellington, and you work out all your budgets and costs, then it's going to give you greater versatility throughout the recruitment process to attend first or second interviews, or go in and have a casual meeting with the wider team," says Fairbrother.
Once the new job is sorted, it's time to get out and mingle. Fairbrother and Trought suggest joining clubs, sports or charities.
And, to help adjust, Fairbrother suggests finding someone to bounce thoughts off.
"It can be overwhelming and it is healthy to be able to talk to somebody about your new experiences outside of working hours.
"You start to realise how much you are learning and whether you are enjoying it when you talk about it to an outside party."
And be aware of the blues period that can follow a move, says Fairbrother.
"Sometimes you can fall victim to feeling as though you wish you were back where you were because the honeymoon period is over and you're not the new person there any more.
"You do need to be able to stick at it and not go back to your old job or go onto something new and different. You have to prepared to move past that and settle into the role and make it part of your new life."
Trought reminds graduates that work will be different from university.
"You might find it's not as social as you thought it was going to be."
