What Do You Do When You Graduate Without a Graduate Job?

Have you graduated but don't have a job lined up? Our guide offers practical advice and actionable steps for anyone navigating post-graduation unemployment, helping them stay proactive, positive, and prepared for the next opportunity.

Updated 19 August 2024

Summary:

Graduating from a university or with a trade is a significant milestone for many New Zealanders, often accompanied by excitement and uncertainty. For many graduates in New Zealand, it's often perceived as the next natural step in the career ladder to start working after studying.
However, securing a job immediately after graduation can be much more challenging than many think - especially for the youngest generation coming into the workforce (Generation Z or Gen Z).
While it's common rhetoric to think that young New Zealanders are living in the most prosperous time in history thanks to technology, open access to the internet and the ability to move geographically at the drop of the hat, the realities are far from a certain job market.
The fallout from the pandemic (when many young New Zealand Gen Z started studying at university, or graduated), coupled with the economic environment (thanks to the RBNZ's increase in the OCR), has led to severe layoffs in the private and public sectors.
Additionally, many so-called ‘safe’ career paths (e.g. government jobs in essential services) that used to have guaranteed jobs for life are now rolling back some of their guaranteed employment policies (like more recently in the nursing industry).
Many young New Zealanders who have just entered or are about to enter the workforce have been uncertain about this. The difficulties (and social pressure or stigma) unemployed young New Zealanders face are immense.

To help explain the situation and options, our guide covers:

Important - I Can’t Secure a Job Post-Graduation – What Can I Do to Minimise This Transitional Period ‘Experience’?

1. Embrace flexibility in your job search and career planning:

Be open to exploring different job opportunities, even if they are not directly related to your field of study. Many skills are transferable, and gaining experience in different roles can be beneficial. The job market is dynamic, and being adaptable is crucial.
You may have to learn new skills quickly and the best way to know about this is to be working in a paid role.

2. Manage your finances seriously:

If you don’t have a job and are burning cash, you need to be acutely aware of your spending. Financial management is crucial during the post-graduation period, especially without a steady income.
We suggest using a budgeting app to track your expenses and prioritise essential spending. You can then identify areas where you can cut costs and save money. If you’re struggling financially, or don’t want to fall behind, consider government assistance programs like the Jobseeker Support.

3. Maintaining mental well-being is essential during this uncertain period:

Stay positive and patient, and remember that finding the right job takes time. Celebrate small achievements and milestones along the way. Seek support from friends, family, or mentors about your challenges and feelings. Joining support groups or talking to a career counsellor can also provide valuable guidance and encouragement.
Physical activity is crucial for maintaining mental health. Regular exercise, whether it's going for a walk, joining a gym, or practising yoga, can help reduce stress and improve your overall well-being. Developing a routine can help you stay productive and focused. Without the structure of a university or a job, it's easy to fall into unproductive habits. Create a daily routine that includes job searching, skill development, networking, and self-care activities.
Break down your larger career goals into smaller, manageable daily tasks. Setting daily goals can help you stay focused and motivated.

MoneyHub Founder Christopher Walsh offers some useful tips to help you move forward

"Graduating without a job lined up can be overwhelming, but it's important to remember that this is just a temporary stage in your life. You've already achieved so much by getting qualified and reaching this milestone; the resilience you build during this time will serve you well throughout your career. Many New Zealanders before you have been in your shoes - it is an uneasy feeling, but it won't last, and you'll be hired in due course.

While every day can be hard to feel enthusiastic about, you can use this period to explore your options, gain new skills, and stay proactive in your job search. Every small step counts, and you'll find your path with persistence. Keep believing in yourself - your breakthrough is closer than you think.

We've included several options to help you manage your next steps. Some will not apply or are unrealistic for your situation. That being said, we want to include as much detail as possible to give you ideas.

My advice is to cast your net as wide as possible. If you don't have a clear passion or specific industry, I suggest exploring a broad range of opportunities rather than cherry-picking roles or locations. If you land a job that isn't exactly what you envisioned, that's okay. Stick with it for 1-2 years to build a foundation of experience. You can always apply for roles you want while gaining skills and building your CV.

In the meantime, take advantage of free online courses, especially in tools like Microsoft Office, data analysis, or project management. Showing that you've been proactive during this gap strengthens your CV and helps maintain your mental health.

Keeping yourself engaged and challenged during unemployment is crucial - months of inactivity can be tough on anyone, especially graduates. Remember, one day, you'll have a job, and the difficulties of this time will be a distant memory. You might even look back fondly on the freedom and time you had.

When it comes to handling rejections or ghosting from applications, focus on the next opportunity rather than dwelling on the setbacks. Treat yourself occasionally, exercise every day and keep moving forward. Employers will ghost and not bother to reply - it's rude, but it is now the standard approach (which I don't agree with).

As you prepare for interviews, be ready to answer the inevitable question: 'What have you been doing since graduation?' A strong answer is essential because a weak response can lead employers to assume the worst, even if it's well-known how bad the job market is. Frame your answer positively - explain that you've taken time to sharpen your skills, explore your interests, and ensure you're applying for roles that align with what you want to do.

Keep in mind that employers often prioritise work experience alongside qualifications. If you have little to no experience, even unrelated roles can be valuable in showing that you can hold down a job, fit in with a team, and consistently show up - qualities employers look for. Sometimes, getting a job is easier when you already have one, even if it's not in your desired field. I've seen firsthand that graduates who take on any job often find it easier to transition into their preferred roles later.

It's a rough market right now, and many graduates are in the same boat. The right opportunity will eventually come your way. For now, focus on staying afloat and keeping your options open. Something better will come along, even if it takes time".

Christopher Walsh
MoneyHub Founder

Why Are Some Young New Zealanders Having Such a Difficult Time Finding Jobs?

The issue of NEETs (a new term recently coined as "Not in Education, Employment, or Training") remains a critical concern. In 2023, approximately 11.2% of adults aged 15 to 24 in the U.S. fell into this category, translating to roughly one in ten young people being neither employed nor pursuing education or training. New Zealand's NEET rates show the total and regional differences, hovering around 12%.

The OECD PISA Career Readiness longitudinal research over 10 years (published in 2018) indicates that young women are more likely to be NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). Specifically:

Young women face challenges, barriers, and discouragement in participating in the labour market, despite performing better academically than young men on average.
This trend is observed in all OECD countries with available data, except Spain, using 2012, 2015, and 2018 PIAAC data.
Controlling for factors like education, skills, migrant status, and parental occupation, women aged 16-34 are, on average, three times more likely to be NEET than their male counterparts across OECD countries.
In many OECD countries, young women are less likely to be employed than young men across all levels of educational attainment.
Higher education levels help to reduce the employment gap between genders but do not fully eliminate the observed inequality.

This demographic is often described as being left out and left behind, missing out on opportunities for development and engagement. The phenomenon is particularly pronounced among young men, who are increasingly disengaged from the workforce. Whether young New Zealand adults are living at home with parents, playing video games or on the jobseeker benefit, it’s become increasingly common for some young people to “opt out” of the “rat race” and cruise along in their 20s.

This isn’t just a New Zealand phenomenon - a term coined in China known as “Lying Flat” touches on similar characteristics - just making enough to get by and not prioritising or saving for the future. Other terms like “quiet quitting”, “doom spending” and “the soft life” all touch upon a similar theme - live for today, forget about tomorrow. This is in stark contrast to the prior generation’s mantra of “hard work and hustle” which pushed people to work all hours of the day and weekends to save and invest for a better future.

There are a few reasons for this rising NEET phenomenon:

Gen Z is competing with experienced (recently unemployed) millennials

A notable challenge in the job market is the emergence of the "new unemployable," a group of well-qualified, highly trained New Zealanders (likely millennials) who struggle to find job opportunities (e.g. all the layoffs that occurred at MBIE, NZTE, Ministry of Education, etc.). Gen Z (particularly older Gen Z in mid to late 20s) is competing with millennials 10-15 years older than them for the same jobs.

The bulk of the recent layoffs (particularly in the government sector) are likely hitting millennials aged around 30 – 45, who cost significantly more (from a salary perspective) than younger talent (given that Gen Z is low-cost and usually is fresh graduates who don't cost businesses much but do the bulk of the actual grunt work, so they are essential in most workplaces and are less likely to get made redundant).

These millennials have far more experience than young Gen Z entering the workforce, who may have a few kids and a mortgage. Recently unemployed millennials will be willing to take lower salaries and seniority roles (e.g., compete with Gen Z) to keep an income and avoid defaulting on their mortgage.

For example, from a New Zealand business's perspective, if you were hiring for a role in your company and had to choose between a 26-year-old Gen Z with three years of work experience or a 37-year-old millennial with 12 years of experience (and both were asking for the same salary), it's almost certain that you would choose the older millennial (given they're more experienced and likely more mature given the age gap). In other words, Businesses are perceived to get a higher rate of return with millennials than Gen Z.

Gen Z has a reputation or stigma of being entitled, demanding and, in some cases, lazy

Whether true or not, Gen Z has been rebranded as lazy, entitled and "constantly on their phones all day"; this has the implicit impact of influencing an employer's perception of hiring younger talent - which may lead to businesses choosing older (supposedly more mature) employees over younger employees.

Whether millennials end up being better hires in reality is up for debate, but the stigma is likely having an impact in final round interviews when local businesses need to pick someone who’s slightly overqualified versus slightly underqualified.

Rise in social media and shifting Gen Z career desires

With the rise of Instagram, Snap, TikTok, YouTube and Reels, an increasing number of young Gen Z are shunning typical career pathways (tradie, university, white collar jobs) to try and become a content creator (like the celebrities they follow). This decreases the number of people looking for jobs in the workplace and prevents Gen Z from actively doing the prerequisites required to get a job (e.g. training, studying, and applying to roles themselves).

Unfortunately, not everyone can become a TikTok star or an Instagram influencer. Many young Gen Z New Zealanders will find it much harder to go viral and make a living or career as an influencer. And it’s a job that one has to continue to ‘feed’ and keep ahead of rivals. Most influencers, micro and even large, fail to sustain a living that justifies the time invested.

Demand-supply imbalance for jobseekers and job posters

With the fees-free programme that started in 2018, many New Zealanders took full advantage of this and went to university or trade school (even if they didn't want to or had no intention of staying in the space they studied). The fees-free program arguably led to a huge influx of university graduates, pushing people into professions that (likely) can't take these many graduates.

As a result, demand rocketed for jobs in these industries, but supply stayed constant, meaning the excess demand of fresh university graduates looking for jobs prevented them from securing employment.

Social and psychological factors

Social and psychological factors also play a significant role in the employment difficulties faced by young people. The pressure to succeed and the fear of failure can lead to heightened anxiety and stress, which can negatively impact job search efforts and overall mental health.

Research suggests that young New Zealanders (and Gen Z generally) are already one of the most anxious, stressed and depressed cohorts in history (which can largely be traced back to the late 2000s when Facebook and social media took off). As a result, younger people may just be less resilient to the frustration of job application rejection.

Additionally, the rise of the gig economy and temporary work has created a sense of instability and uncertainty, as many young workers find themselves in precarious employment situations with limited prospects for long-term career growth.

Understanding the High-Level Employment & Job Market Issues Causing Young New Zealanders to Face Umemployed

1. Shifts in industry demands and the rise of A.I.

The landscape of job opportunities has changed dramatically, with traditional industries like manufacturing and construction experiencing declines since ther 1980s around New Zealand. These sectors, which have historically provided stable employment for many young men, have shrunk due to automation, technological advancements, and outsourcing jobs to countries with lower labour costs (e.g. China and India).
Meanwhile, there is a growing demand for workers in the technology, healthcare, and service industries. These fields often require specific skills and qualifications that many young job seekers do not yet possess due to training limitations (e.g. a cap on doctor training numbers), creating a skills gap that hinders their employability.
In recent years, the wave of A.I. and tools like Open A.I.'s ChatGPT have led many businesses to rethink how many employees they need to complete the same work. GPT 4 (and other similar large language models) can perform better at many (predominantly white-collar) tasks than the typical Gen Z employee (especially those without any experience or in more computational-type roles that don't need much interpersonal relationship management).
As a result, companies are figuring out ways to incorporate A.I. into their workflows (which is likely to drastically reduce the number of fresh talent they need). Similar to how blue-collar workers in the 1960s and after got put out of work by machines and had to retrain (e.g. the car manufacturing industry), we are equally going through a similar technology wave with A.I. that will likely put many white-collar workers out of work (and force thousands of New Zealanders retrain).

2. Education and skills mismatch

As many New Zealanders know, the real world is nothing like the textbooks. The majority of what you learn at universities are not as applicable to the business world as people think.
A notable mismatch exists between young people's education and the skills needed in the job market - This is backed up by the OECD PISA Career Readiness report. Many education systems have been slow to adapt to the evolving demands of the workforce, leaving graduates with qualifications that do not align with employer needs. This mismatch results in young people being underprepared for available job opportunities, making it harder to secure positions matching their aspirations and educational backgrounds.
Equally, many universities have to implicitly trade off the quality of education with the level of funding and accessibility (e.g., the number of places they can offer students). In recent years, the universities have effectively ‘opened the floodgates’ to let many students in, which may have had the unintended consequence of dropping the quality of teaching and the ultimate quality of the degree or qualification.

3. New Zealand businesses just aren’t hiring as much as they did in in the past

Many New Zealand businesses don't have the money to hire more people, or replace anyone leaving. Some are ‘talent hoarding’ , meaning where employers retain their current employees and focus on internal talent mobility, reducing the number of job openings available to external candidates.
By choosing to promote internally and reward loyalty, they're able to reduce upfront costs (like recruiter fees) and save time by not having to retrain new people on existing internal processes (something that existing employees will know well).

4. The rise of remote work

The shift to remote work has presented new challenges for young job seekers who may lack the necessary technology or suitable home environments for remote work. The pandemic has also intensified competition for fewer available positions, making the job search process even more daunting for young people.
For example, remote work has now meant that any New Zealand business can effectively hire any talent around the globe - meaning any New Zealander who was competing for a role in New Zealand now has to compete with the entire world (as New Zealand is one of the top destinations for many remote workers).

What Can I Do If I Don’t Have a Graduate Job Lined Up?

Our section below is not conclusive – instead, we outline the most useful actions to take to help you manage the situation and improve your prospects:

1. Widen Your job search within your industry in New Zealand

One effective strategy is to widen your job search within your industry. Often, graduates focus too narrowly on specific roles or companies. By broadening your scope to include a wider range of positions within your field, you increase your chances of finding opportunities that align with your skills and interests. This approach expands your potential job market and allows you to gain diverse experiences within your industry, which can be highly beneficial for your long-term career growth.

2. Explore opportunities in any industry (not just the one you studied in

If you’re struggling to find a job in your specific industry, it’s time to be less picky. Expanding your job search to any industry can be a practical step if you’re struggling to find a position in your preferred field.
Taking any job that is tangentially related to your field can provide you with valuable work experience, build your CV, and develop transferable skills that are beneficial in any career. This approach also demonstrates to future employers that you are adaptable, proactive, and willing to gain experience in various settings.

3. Consider part-time or contract work (rather than full-time permanent)

Sometimes, all you need is a foot in the door. Taking on part-time work is another viable option when you don't have a grad job lined up. Part-time positions can offer financial stability while giving you the flexibility to continue your job search or pursue other interests.
Additionally, part-time work can lead to full-time opportunities within the same organisation as you prove your capabilities and fit within the company culture. This experience can also help build your professional network and enhance your CV.

4. Move to Australia, the UK or other European Countries

Relocating to Australia is a compelling option for graduates seeking employment. The Australian job market often has robust opportunities for recent graduates, and the geographical proximity makes it a practical choice for New Zealanders (and visa-free working rights thanks to SCV 444.
The move can provide new job prospects, a different cultural experience, and the opportunity to build an international professional network. Australian cities such as Sydney and Melbourne are known for their diverse economies and can offer roles across various industries. Our guide to moving to Australia has more information.
Another option is to move to the UK, although as a New Zealand graduate it won’t be as easy to find work as Australia, and you'll need a large amount of money to set you up. However, working in the UK will enhance your CV with international experience and potentially open doors to further career advancements globally. New Zealanders are eligible to work up to three years on the Working Holiday Visa between New Zealand and the UK (up to age 35) – our moving to London and the UK guide has more information.

5. Take a post-university gap year or travel break

Taking a gap year can provide valuable life experiences and time for personal growth, but you’ll need to have a lot of money saved to make it work. Whether you choose to travel, volunteer, or work abroad, a gap year can help you gain new perspectives and skills that can be beneficial in your career. Whether you've always wanted to backpack around Southeast Asia, go through Europe and/or South America - this is a great time to take a travel break with a low opportunity cost (e.g. you're not burning annual leave and don't have a job you're not working at).
Another option is taking a post-university gap year in the USA on a J1 visa. The J1 visa allows you to work, travel, and gain cultural experience in the United States (and can usually only be done within 12 months of officially graduating).
The USA doesn't have a formal working holiday visa programme, and it's much more difficult to get sponsored for a work visa through the H-1B programme (unlike other countries), so going on the J1 after graduation is perfect.
Canada also has a working holiday visa for New Zealanders who meet eligibility criteria. Availability of work varies regionally, and the labour market information in Canada can be found on jobbank.gc.ca

6. Pursue further study (for example, Honours, Masters, PhD)

If the job market is particularly challenging or you have a strong interest in furthering your education, pursuing additional academic qualifications such as an Honours, Masters, or PhD can be a justifiable investment. Further study can deepen your expertise in a specific area, enhance your employability, and open up advanced career opportunities in academia, research, or specialised professional roles.
Important: Many New Zealanders who choose to do further study are effectively delaying their working years and, unless they’re on a partial or full scholarship, will likely get deeper into debt. While this can pay off sometimes, many New Zealanders find it’s harder to find a job after doing further study as their salary expectations go up and their specialisation for the type of job they want gets narrower (but they still effectively have little to no real work experience).

7. Start your own company

The risks are high, the chance of success is low, but starting your own company can be an exciting and fulfilling path if you have a viable business idea and entrepreneurial spirit. You need to create a product or service that solves a problem, and the problem you’re solving needs to be significant and valuable to generate revenue.
Starting a company requires careful planning, resourcefulness, and resilience but can ultimately lead to significant personal and professional rewards. Our guide to starting a business has more information.

8. Become a digital nomad

Many New Zealanders living in cities with high costs of living (like Auckland and Wellington) are merely surviving. One alternative to cutting down on this high cost of living is to move to a cheaper city (overseas). Many jobs (such as those in writing, the creative industry, or coding/software/tech) can be done remotely. Many tech companies globally prefer working fully remotely as it allows them to cut down on expensive prime real estate lease costs in major city centres.
Equally, working abroad as a digital nomad allows New Zealanders to take advantage of "Geographic Arbitrage" - getting paid in foreign currency (like NZD, AUD, or GBP) and living in a lower-cost-of-living area with local currency expenses (like in emerging or frontier markets).
Becoming a digital nomad has many benefits, such as lower living costs and the ability to travel while still building your career, building savings and contributing to the host country's economy (via local tourism).
The high cost of living in New Zealand is pushing some young New Zealanders towards digital nomadism as a cost-saving measure. Countries like Portugal and Japan have introduced digital nomad visas to facilitate this lifestyle, enabling young New Zealanders with remote jobs to take advantage of these new policies.
However, note the tax implications of implementing the digital nomad strategy. Your student loan (assuming you have one) is only interest-free if you work and stay in New Zealand. Once you're away from New Zealand for more than six months, you will start to accrue interest on the balance. This isn't to say that you shouldn't move, travel, and work overseas, but just note that you will start growing your student loan debt while you're doing so.

Must-Know Tips for Young New Zealanders Entering the Corporate Workforce for the First Time

Networking is powerful (when done tactically and not for networking’s sake)

Networking remains a powerful tool. Young job seekers are encouraged to reconnect with former employers or colleagues through platforms like LinkedIn or via email, setting up informational interviews to uncover job leads and gain valuable insights.

Enhancing visibility in the industry is also crucial - this can be achieved by writing about noteworthy topics, participating in relevant discussions, and ensuring that resumes are updated with pertinent keywords and title tags that highlight important skills and experiences.

Be flexible in your career and the jobs you go for

You never know when a job will open up doors to career advancement and flexibility in career aspirations can significantly benefit young job seekers. Rather than focusing solely on roles that offer immediate promotions or raises, adopting an approach to being useful to an organisation across many of its areas can be more advantageous.

This strategy involves taking lower-level positions that provide opportunities to gain new skills and experiences, which can be highly beneficial in the long run. This approach helps build a robust foundation of skills and can lead to more significant career advancements over time.

Understanding corporate culture (e.g. knowing when to “put up a mask” or “show face”).

While we're not advocating that you act like a completely different person, there are some cultural and social norms that you'll normally need to follow in a workplace setting (which may not be explicitly told to you).

Things such as not being rude, being attentive, having a positive attitude about tasks, dressing correctly, being on time to meetings, and not cutting people off mid-sentence are all expected in the workplace (but they won't be written on the wall, so you may not know that's how your workplace expects employees to act). Other things like maintaining professional etiquette, being polite, and avoiding swearing or making inappropriate jokes towards your colleagues are essential.

It’s also important to avoid discussing political opinions or making insensitive remarks about gender, religion or race. The corporate environment often values a more formal and reserved communication style compared to the informal and direct communication common in trades.

Working can be a good opportunity to learn to ‘bite one’s tongue’ before saying something you might later regret.

Corporate work almost always involves navigating office politics and you’ll need to learn how to do this

Office politics can be tricky. It's important to be friendly and polite to everyone but also cautious and not overly trusting. Many people in corporate settings may act in their own interests, sometimes at the expense of others. Building good relationships with key individuals, like executive assistants, can be beneficial as they can help get things done efficiently. Some graduates will bring an attitude of being better than others – this is best avoided as people talk and they usually become unpopular fairly quickly.

Developing essential soft skills is valuable

Developing essential soft skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability is vital. Clear and concise written and verbal communication is highly valued in any corporate setting.

Being willing to collaborate and work effectively in team settings will make you a more valuable team member. Adopt a “Yes, And” mindset. Demonstrating your ability to think critically and solve problems proactively, along with being open to change and willing to learn new skills or adjust to new work environments, will set you apart from your peers.

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Setting clear goals and expectations with yourself and your manager will keep you on track

Setting clear goals and expectations is essential for staying focused and motivated. Understanding your job responsibilities and expectations from the start is crucial, and you shouldn't hesitate to ask questions if something is unclear.

Defining short-term and long-term career goals can keep you on track and drive. Regularly asking for feedback from your supervisors to identify areas for improvement demonstrates your commitment to growth and development.

When setting goals and expectations with your manager, the clearer your responsibilities and timeframes, the less likely you are to get into disagreements about what your role is. Some managers become managers because they are good at doing the work but not managing people - be wary of this and proactively try to get down on paper or verbally exactly what they expect of you. Some managers are not very good at articulating what they want out of you unless you pull it out of them.

Managing time and prioritising tasks and important skills to learn early

Managing your time and prioritising tasks effectively is another important skill. Utilising tools such as calendars, planners, and task management apps can help you keep track of deadlines and meetings. Learning to prioritise tasks based on urgency and importance will enable you to manage your workload more efficiently. Developing good work habits to avoid procrastination and ensure timely completion of tasks is key to maintaining productivity.

Showing initiative and being proactive is invaluable, as it maintaining a positive attitude

Initiative and proactiveness can significantly enhance your career prospects. Volunteering for projects or tasks outside your immediate responsibilities demonstrates your willingness to contribute and learn.

Offering solutions when identifying problems shows your proactive approach to challenges. Staying informed about industry trends and developments will allow you to bring fresh ideas to your role and make valuable contributions.

Maintaining a positive attitude is important for your overall well-being and professional relationships. Showing enthusiasm and a positive outlook towards your work and colleagues can create a more enjoyable and productive work environment. Avoid moaning as it probably will not be helpful for you at all.

Learning from mistakes and setbacks and using them as opportunities for growth will help you build resilience. Acknowledging and celebrating your achievements, no matter how small, can boost your morale and motivation.

Always take care of your well-being

Going from study or training to full time work can be extremely jarring. If you’re working an office job, you’re sitting at your desk for 8 hours a day and are likely stressed for at least some of it.

Transitioning to an office job often means a more sedentary lifestyle. Taking care of your well-being is crucial for sustaining long-term success. Striving to maintain a healthy work-life balance will help you avoid burnout.

Incorporating physical activity into your routine can help manage stress and keep you healthy. If you feel overwhelmed, seeking support from HR, friends, family or professional counselling services (like EAP) can provide the confidential assistance you need.

Focus on building relationships (and don’t burn bridges if you leave)

Engaging in small talk and building relationships with peers and bosses is crucial in the corporate world. While it might feel pointless, being liked and staying in everyone’s good books can significantly impact your career progression. However, avoid becoming a yes-person or appearing insincere as that has no long-term value.

Equally, most New Zealanders don’t stay at one employer their entire life. It’s all too tempting to speak your mind and tell all your managers and colleagues exactly what’s been bothering you about them when leaving a workplace. However, do not do this.

You never know when you’ll need a reference for a future job or if you run into your (soon to be ex) colleagues in future. Be respectful and keep those thoughts to yourself - it’s a lose-lose if you decide to vent on the way out. Having said that, try to find a healthy way to alleviate these thoughts (without blasting it at your colleagues).

Learn how to handle meetings and communication

Effective communication in meetings is key. Practise the habit of listening more than speaking, especially in official settings. You’ll have a strong position if you can take the meeting minutes, and listening and documenting is a powerful approach to keep control of what’s going on and responding appropriately. After meetings, sending the meeting minutes in a recap email which will stand out to those workmates higher-up.

Maintaining professional boundaries

It’s important to keep your professional and personal lives separate. Avoid adding colleagues on social media platforms like Facebook, except perhaps LinkedIn. This helps maintain professional boundaries and prevents personal information from affecting your work relationships.

Must-Know Facts For Anyone Graduating Without a Job

It's tough out there - keep applying, and something will land
For many, the job-seeking process can be depressing, exhausting and debilitating. However, you will miss 100% of the shots you don't take. Keep going - eventually, something will stick. The more you apply and the longer you're in the market for a job, the higher your odds of succeeding.
Frame it in the right context - this period may be a blessing in disguise
You'll never be in a better position for the time, time, health, freedom and lack of responsibility or obligation than directly after graduating without a job. You'll never get this time in your (likely) early to mid-20s again - and when you look back on your life when you're old, you're almost certain to look back on this period with fond memories if you make the most of the down-time, keep a positive attitude while moving forward with job applications.
First jobs can be equally thrilling and daunting
Your first job will be completely different to your study/trades/university experience - and that’s okay. Know that your first job won’t be your forever job - and you have the ability to learn, grow and move as you progress in your career. Where you are right now won’t be the place you stay - so stay optimistic and keep working hard.
The job market is cyclical
The economy moves in waves - from boom to bust. If you’re graduating into a bear market or a deep recession (or just a generally weak job market), know that it won’t always be like this.

Having said that, business cycles usually happen on much longer timeframes (e.g. many years to a decade) so it may take a few months or years before things get materially better in the job market.

Just keep at it - something will land. Trust yourself and the process.

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