'Starting from zero': International graduates face extra hurdles to find work

International graduates are struggling to secure their first job due to fierce competition, a shortage of entry-level opportunities, and barriers such as limited local work experience and professional connections.

Jiaheng Li, a graduate with a master's degree in information technology from the University of Auckland, is considering giving up on the industry altogether after job-hunting for six months.

Over that time, he has sent off more than 500 job applications and been invited to three interviews.

Despite his efforts, he has yet to receive a single job offer.

Li has previous experience as a software developer in China, but has struggled to find a job in New Zealand, applying for positions ranging from software development and IT help desk support to phone repair service and sales.

"I think the biggest problem is that there are far fewer entry-level jobs now," Li said.

"Without local work experience, it's almost impossible to get your foot in the door."

His experience comes as New Zealand's unemployment rate rose to 5.7 percent in the September quarter, its highest level in nearly 11 years.

International graduates face additional barriers in such a difficult job market.

Limited local work experience, visa conditions and a lack of professional connections can put them at a disadvantage compared with domestic graduates, university career advisers say.

Li believed the growing use of AI in the IT industry had also reduced opportunities for junior workers.

He said two employers had used AI chatbots to conduct initial screenings, asking him basic questions before he had a chance to speak with a human recruiter.

Limited local connections

For Larisa Zhang, another recent University of Auckland graduate, the challenges extend beyond the number of available jobs.

Zhang, who holds a master's degree in psychology, said many Chinese students arrived in New Zealand believing that strong academic results and technical skills would be enough to secure employment.

"We often come here believing that if we study hard, achieve good grades and develop the right technical skills, we'll have a good chance of finding employment after graduation," she said.

"But the reality is that academic qualifications are only one part of what employers look for."

Zhang said international graduates often lacked something many domestic students had built up over years: local professional and personal connections.

New Zealand students might know people working in their chosen industry through family friends, former classmates or their wider communities, she said.

"These connections may have developed naturally over many years, without them necessarily thinking of it as networking," she said.

"However, for many Chinese students, we're essentially starting from zero," she said.

"We arrive in a new country without those established relationships, and building a network from scratch requires considerable effort and initiative."

A spokesperson for the University of Auckland's Career Development and Employability Services acknowledged that international graduates faced additional barriers, including visa restrictions, limited work rights and difficulties building professional connections.

"With regards to networks and local work experience, so many opportunities in New Zealand are accessed through networks, recommendations and established relationships rather than formal recruitment processes alone," the spokesperson said.

"So, in that regard, international students are often on the back foot when compared to domestic students."

The spokesperson said students had reported applying for multiple positions without receiving feedback from employers, sometimes hearing nothing at all.

The spokesperson encouraged graduates struggling to gain work experience to explore other ways of developing transferable skills, including leadership programmes, volunteering opportunities and campus activities.

Such experiences could help graduates demonstrate the skills employers valued, the spokesperson said.

Can networking make a difference?

David Lacire, Auckland senior director at recruitment agency Robert Walters, said graduates were facing growing competition for entry-level positions, including from people with work experience of one to three years who may have recently lost their jobs.

He estimated that some major firms could be recruiting 10-20 percent fewer graduates than in previous years, with AI and automation among the factors affecting recruitment.

Lacire said personal connections and referrals had become increasingly important as AI changed the way people applied for jobs and employers assessed candidates.

Job seekers were using AI to write CVs and cover letters and submit applications, while employers were turning to the technology to screen large numbers of candidates, he said.

He encouraged graduates to approach hiring managers directly through platforms such as LinkedIn and to attend meetups and professional networking events.

But simply showing up was not enough, he said.

Graduates needed to take part in conversations, introduce themselves and actively build relationships rather than sit quietly without engaging with others, he said.

As AI became more widely used in workplaces, employers were also placing greater emphasis on communication and interpersonal skills alongside technical expertise, Lacire said.

To help address the lack of local professional connections and familiarity with New Zealand's recruitment culture, Zhang said she and her partner, Jacob Bowie, had recently launched a training programme to help Chinese graduates navigate New Zealand's job market, build professional networks and gain the confidence to connect with employers.

Bowie said securing job referrals was only one of the benefits of networking.

He believed its greater value lay in the knowledge and insights graduates could gain from building relationships with people experienced in the local workforce.

"A strong professional network can support you throughout your career," Bowie said.

"The relationships you build today may help you discover opportunities, navigate career changes, find mentors or simply feel more connected to the people you know both professionally and personally," he said.

"We want students to understand that building local relationships isn't just another job-search technique," he said.

"It's a valuable life and career skill that can help them become more confident, informed and connected members of New Zealand society."