Lay Lin Chan from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Lay Lin and her partner arrived in New Zealand from Malaysia in 2002 with two backpacks “and a lot of hope”.

Armed with overseas experience in advertising and radio, Lay Lin picked up casual radio work in Auckland while on a six-month working holiday visa. She made contacts, and in early 2003 her networking paid off when she got a permanent job in Palmerston North.

“I had to learn so much about New Zealand’s people and culture,” she says. “I immersed myself in it, especially the language. Things went well, and I got good feedback from my clients. Thanks to this job we gained our permanent residency six months on.”

Lay Lin moved to Wellington when her partner got a job there. Again she found herself looking for full-time work.

“I’d had my fill of radio,” says Lay Lin. “I started job-hunting straight away, but I didn’t really know what I was looking for. I knew I needed a career change, but I don’t fit into a box because I’ve got unconventional experience.”

The Job Mentor Services for Migrants put Lay Lin in touch with Career Services.  She had a couple of sessions with a career consultant, who helped her simplify her CV and tailor it for New Zealand employers.

Lay Lin had to make some money, so she signed up with employment agencies for temporary work. Things started to move quickly and offers for work came in.  She’s doing data entry and administration work to pay the bills, but it’s not what she wants to do long term.

Lay Lin remains positive, but warns that making a career change in a new country is no joke. “It’s important that newcomers don’t just see migrating as changing residency, work setting or living in a new climate and physical environment. It’s about changing parts of your mind-set and the way you’ve lived before. By all means keep core beliefs and traditions alive, but open your heart and mind to Kiwi ways.”