KEY POINTS:
There's a reason why New Zealanders are popular employees around the world. John Lawson, owner of specialist recruitment consultancy, Lawson Williams says our graduates are increasingly going to be plucked out of NZ by other economies. Our executives are adaptable, can turn their hands to many things and show good initiative. It is possible to launch an international career from here, says Ian Taylor, director of recruitment consultancy, Sheffield. And you can expect to take on a job at a higher level in New Zealand, because of the size of the market, says Numero's John Nevill.
1. A big fish in a small pond: Your achievements are well publicised here and overseas. John Hood went from vice-chancellor of Auckland University to Oxford University; Tim Miles went from heading up Vodafone NZ to Vodafone UK (he's just been appointed managing director at PGG Wrightson).
2. Relationships: Because the market is based on personal relationships, it is possible to go from one sector to another here because you have a good reputation as an operator. Overseas you tend to be more easily pigeon-holed and can often get stuck in one industry. Ralph Norris went from ASB to Air New Zealand without a hitch.
3. General experience: Due to the size of companies in New Zealand 96 per cent of businesses are small businesses - executives here gain a very broad exposure to responsibilities ranging from marketing to operations management in NZ which stands them in good stead for their careers both here and abroad.
4. Entrepreneurial flair: New Zealand has many entrepreneurial companies which are interesting and varied to work at. And the best in sectors like agri-science and software products are international leaders in their field, so there is plenty of international travel and benchmarking to keep things challenging. And the good news is there is a growing number of these types of companies.
5. Lifestyle: Many people come to live in New Zealand because of the lifestyle they can achieve here fishing at the weekends, catching a ferry home from work, taking the kids surfing. It is possible to find employers who understand these needs from their staff and give them the flexibility they want. NZ employers, just like those overseas, are having to work harder to keep their staff.
6. Transparent business environment: The NZ business world is a fairly transparent one. As a result there is less opportunity for an Enron or a Worldcom to happen here and bring the business community into bad repute.
7. International workforce: For many internationals, New Zealand is an extremely popular place to work either as a secondment or permanent post. Increasingly the work force at mid and senior levels is a relatively international mix, so you can be working in just as culturally rich a workforce here as anywhere else the world. And you don't have an exhausting commute.
8. High level entry: If you are working as a manager for a New Zealand company, you often come in at a higher level than you would be in say, Australia. For instance rather than being a State GM in Australia reporting to the country manager there, you would be NZ country manager or managing director and you'd be reporting to the regional head in Singapore. The advantage: more freedom to run your operation.
