Your First Job in Auckland: Where and How Do You Find It?

Not getting any replies even after sending your resume on Seek or Trade Me? Korean and Japanese communities recommend different methods.

Whether you're on a working holiday visa, a student visa, or you're a permanent resident, after arriving in New Zealand, your first job usually starts in service or simple labor roles like cafes, restaurants, or retail. These are fields with less pressure in English, lower barriers to entry, and where many Korean and Japanese people are already working.

But this is where many people make the same mistake: sending resumes on Seek or Trade Me and just waiting for a reply. To be honest, most hospitality job ads posted there are mainly aimed at native speakers or experienced workers, and the actual success rate is very low.

In Korean and Japanese communities, there are really two main ways to find your first job:

Direct matching through Korean and Japanese community websites
Walk-in — visit cafes and restaurants in person with your CV

In this article, I'll explain how to use those two methods effectively, and how to write an NZ-style CV.

This article is the third part of the Hana Hub NZ Arrival Guide series.

1. Start with Korean and Japanese Community Websites

Korean and Japanese business owners in New Zealand tend to prefer staff from the same cultural background. Communication is easier, training is simpler, and the way of thinking is similar. That's why job postings on Korean and Japanese community websites have a much higher success rate.

If you look at the kinds of jobs posted on the Hana Hub job board:

Korean and Japanese restaurants (front of house, kitchen, kitchen hand)
Cafes run by Korean and Japanese owners (barista, serving)
Korean marts and Japanese grocery stores (cashier, stock management)
Korean companies and New Zealand branches of Japanese companies (office jobs)
Simple labor such as cleaning, logistics, and item pickup

👉 View the Hana Hub Job Board

Tip: Add the Hana Hub job board to your bookmarks and check it every day. Listings in Korean and Japanese communities usually close within a few days, and it's common for good positions to disappear within 24 hours.

2. Walk-ins Are Really Powerful

In Auckland's cafe and restaurant culture, printing out your CV and visiting stores in person is the most effective method. In Korea or Japan, it might feel a bit rude, but here it's actually seen as proof of initiative and sincerity.

Tips for effective walk-ins:

Choosing the right time is key: Go during quiet hours at cafes and restaurants, usually between 2 PM and 4 PM on weekdays. If you go during lunch or dinner rush, the manager will be too busy to talk.
Hand it over directly to the manager: Ask, "Can I talk to your manager, please?" If you just leave your CV with a staff member, 70% of the time it gets thrown away.
Prepare a 30-second self-introduction: You don't need to speak at length. Keep it simple, but it's important to show what kind of person you are and what strengths you have.
Your image matters: Wear neat clothes, and if possible, casual clothing that matches the vibe of the place. If you go in a suit, it can actually feel awkward.
Emphasize weekend availability: NZ cafes and restaurants most prefer people who can work on weekends. If you clearly say you can work Saturdays and Sundays when meeting the manager, your chances go up a lot.

Tip: It's normal to visit 10 to 20 places in a day. Pick one neighborhood and stop by the stores you see there. Handing over your resume is hard at first, but after doing it a few times, you'll get comfortable quickly!

3. How to Write a CV — The Format Is Completely Different from Korea and Japan

NZ CVs are quite different in format from Korean resumes or Japanese resumes. If you translate them directly, they can feel awkward, and there's a high chance the manager will glance at it once and toss it aside.

The biggest differences:

Photo Usually attached in Korea and Japan, never included in NZ (to prevent discrimination)

Age / Date of Birth Included in Korea and Japan, not included in NZ

Length Standardized to 1–2 pages in Korea and Japan, 1 page preferred in NZ (2 pages max)

Items that must be included in an NZ CV:

Name and contact details: Email and mobile number only; for address, just the city name
Visa Status: Be sure to state this clearly. From a manager's perspective, your visa type and expiry date are key information in hiring decisions. Example: "Working Holiday Visa (valid until Dec 2026)"
Brief personal statement: 2–3 lines. What kind of work you're looking for and what strengths you have
Work Experience: In reverse chronological order. Include all part-time jobs and internships from Korea and Japan too. Job title, dates, and 3–5 key duties for each
Education: High school and above
Skills: Practical skills such as computer, barista, or POS
Referee: Nice to have, but not essential. If you've just arrived, it's hard to get an NZ referee. Korean or Japanese referees are also OK if they can speak English. Once you've worked one or two jobs, you'll have an NZ referee, so you can add one then

Tip: Canva has many free NZ CV templates. Search for "New Zealand CV template" and choose a clean one. A neat, easy-to-read layout has a higher success rate than a flashy design. Also, adjust the length so everything fits on one page. Managers review CVs while running the business, so if it goes over two pages, they usually won't read it.

4. Basic NZ Labor Law You Should Know

Before you start working, know your rights. In NZ, labor law applies the same way whether you're a foreigner, on a working holiday, or on a student visa. If an employer says, "It's different because you're a foreigner," that's a lie.

Key points:

Minimum wage (as of April 2026): NZ$23.95/hour — for all workers aged 16 and over. If a cafe, restaurant, or retail job pays less than this, it's illegal.
Be careful with cash pay (cash jobs): Cash jobs that don't report tax may look like they pay a slightly higher hourly rate, but because there's no record with IRD, you can't prove that work experience when renewing your visa or applying for permanent residency. You also won't get holiday pay, sick leave, or KiwiSaver.
Break times: If you work 4 hours, you're legally guaranteed one paid 10-minute break; if you work 6 hours, you're additionally guaranteed one unpaid 30-minute meal break.
Employment Agreement: A legal job always gives you a written contract. If they don't, it can be reported.

Tip: If an employer offers, "I'll exempt your tax and pay you more in cash," refuse it. It may seem beneficial in the short term, but it's a loss in the long term. Legal job → IRD record → better for visa renewal and permanent residency.

5. It's Okay If It Takes Time to Get a Job

A first job in Auckland usually takes about a month to land. It varies by person and by season. Hiring is most active from November to January (summer and peak tourism season), and slows down a bit from June to August (winter).

Tips to avoid getting too anxious:

Consistently do 5–10 walk-ins a day plus 3–5 online applications, 3–4 days a week
Even if you get rejected, don't take it personally. New Zealand's economy isn't doing well, so employers generally try to reduce staffing whenever possible
Even if your first job isn't perfect, just start anyway. It's not a place you'll necessarily stay for a year; it's the stage where you take your first step into the NZ labor market. Once you have even 2–3 months of local experience, your CV gains "Local experience," and when you move to your next job, you'll also have an NZ referee. The first one is the hardest, and from the second one onward, it gets much easier

Job Search Checklist

It's most efficient if you go in this order:

✅ Write an NZ-style CV: 1 page, no photo, age, or date of birth, and be sure to state your visa status
✅ Bookmark the Hana Hub job board: Check daily; good listings close within 24 hours
✅ Plan your walk-in route: Pick one neighborhood, list the stores, and visit between 2 PM and 4 PM on weekdays
✅ Apply online as well: Use Seek and Trade Me Jobs too, at the same time. Just don't make them your main method
✅ Check minimum wage and contract: NZ$23.95 or more, written contract required
✅ Check your IRD tax rate after your first pay: Review deduction items on your payslip

👉 Go directly to the Hana Hub Job Board

Settle in, smartly.

It can feel overwhelming when English feels difficult, you still don't have any NZ experience, and you don't have a network yet.

The first job is the hardest. Once you get started, everything after that becomes much easier. Don't look for the perfect job right away — just start first.

Wishing you a smooth settlement.

Finding Your First Job in New Zealand