Student Job Search (SJS) is doubling its efforts to get university graduates into full-time work, as they have been overlooked by recruitment agencies in the past.
Student Job Search has registered about 200 full-time jobs on its website in recent weeks (File image). Photo: 123rf
The government-funded employment organisation has traditionally been a place to help tertiary students find part-time work and odd jobs while they study, as well as the occasional full-time position.
However, the agency said there had been a growth in inquiries from students looking for permanent work in light of the pandemic, as many businesses were looking to hire casual staff.
In response, SJS established a team to liaise with businesses to find permanent positions for students and prepare them for job interviews.
SJS chief executive Suzanne Boyd said it was looking to fill the void left by recruitment agencies, which lacked the incentive to work with students.
"Recruiters, because it is fee based, don't want to spend the time ... helping graduates articulate their skills, talk about what they have done in the past as evidence, and turn up to an interview in a way that is really appealing to a potential employer," she said.
Boyd said it had been able to take some of the risk out of hiring graduates who did not have a job history for businesses, because it had worked with many of the students over number of years and could advocate on their behalf.
It had registered about 200 full-time jobs on its website in recent weeks, many of them in the technology, media and architecture sectors, she said.
"We're calling on all graduates across New Zealand to put their hands up and make the most of these opportunities."