The very first time I saw this place 7 years ago, I wish that I will get the chance to work and live here….and it did happen after 5 years of living in New Zealand…We decided to move down to  the Bay of Plenty….so now I get to visit The Mount anytime I want…. Every time I go there, it’s like a mini holiday….I always feel like I’m a tourist….it’s such a cheap travel…

I wanna share this video created by Mark Sandoval…. I’m so proud of him creating this short film about Mount Maunganui. 

Interviews are daunting. Our hearts start racing, we go to the toilet constantly, our throat gets dry, we feel weak on our legs, we get butterflies in our stomach and we start to fear the unknown. It even gets more stressful because we need to speak a language which is not our mother tongue – English.  When I had my first RN Interview in New Zealand, my heart felt like it was going to pop out from my chest. That time, I was rehearsing my answers to possible questions (which I was never questioned during the interview by the way) and somehow I wish that someone was there to give me some pointers and give me ideas of possible questions and their answers. I would have felt better and maybe the interview would have been a bit easier.  Two weeks ago, I went for an interview for a role that I really wanted. Initially, I thought I was going to feel exactly the same way I felt when I had my first RN interview in NZ – but I didn’t. Instead, I confidently went in the interview room and just started answering the questions and chatted away feeling relaxed and comfortable the whole time. The next day, I got a phone call and they told me that I got the job. They also told me that there were 5 people who went for the interview and they shortlisted three. One of the candidates who was shortlisted had 28 years experience, the other had 20 and I had 7. I obviously had the least no of years of experience. But why did I get the job? This is what I’m going to share to you today.  The way you look does matter. In this age and time, some people think that how you dress up during interviews doesn’t matter. Well, it actually does. And to be honest, how you look the moment you step in the interview room is your first selling point to a potential employer. Female interview outfit.   – Dress with close shoes – Slacks with a collared top and close shoes  Male interview outfit – Slacks with a collared top Some come to their interviews wearing their RN uniform which is also acceptable as most interviews are scheduled before or after a shift.  A few things that I want to point out are – first, it’s always a plus when you smell good but please also remember that most interviews happen in a close room, so don’t put too much perfume to the point of suffocating your interviewer. Secondly, if you’ve got long hair, please tie it or put it in a way where interviewers can see your face. Also, if you have facial rings, some managers actually appreciate it if you take this off. I worked with a couple of managers who mentioned that they really appreciate it when they see someone take their facial rings off prior to an interview as they feel that they went the extra mile to look neat and well presented.  Handshakes are gold. In NZ, we greet each other with a handshake. In the Philippines, handshakes are not given much importance. A lot of times in the past, some Filipinos seem to be too scared to extend their hand and shake my hand or they do extend their hand but give me a very limpy shake , almost like there’s no conviction to that shake. Here in NZ, a potential employer judges you and can tell a lot about your character base on how you shake their hand. Extroverts have firm confident grips while shy people and neurotics tend to shake hands softly and gently. So, when you come in for your interview and a potential employer extends their hand to shake yours, extend your hand  and give their hand a firm grip – this will tell them that you mean business and you’re here to get that job.  Body language. The moment you walk in the interview room, potential employers look at your clothes, how you walk,how you present yourself. They look at everything. One thing that really matters to them is how often you smile. I’ve interviewed a lot of carers and Registered Nurses who not once smiled during the interview. And what did that tell me? Pretty much that they are most likely going to be the same once they start working on the floor. So, be generous with your smiles. It will not only impress your interviewers but also helps in getting rid of your anxiety and nervousness. Also, your posture can make a difference. When you are sitting on the chair, make sure you keep yourself upright but not too stiff, this tells us that you are feeling confident and you have high self esteem. Studies have also shown that having good upright posture with your shoulders out and chin up gives you confidence. If you’re hunched down or sitting at the edge of the chair, it gives interviewers the impression that you are nervous and uncomfortable. Also, it is always good to lean slightly towards the interviewer. This tells them  that you are interested and involved in the conversation.  Eye Contact. This is something that we Filipinos are not so good at because of our culture. However, it is vital that we maintain eye contact with our interviewers throughout our interview. This tells them that you are actively listening. However, this needs to be done with art. Some people appear to look at you so intensely and aggressively , blinking at regular intervals and nodding every now and then that sometimes we wonder if they are actually getting what we are saying or if they are just staring. One thing that I’ve learned  is when I talk to an interviewer, I maintain eye contact for a few seconds , look away briefly and re-establish eye contact and this makes me feel more comfortable compared to just constantly staring at them for the whole duration of me answering their question.  Communication. One of the things that is really important for potential employers is your ability to communicate. In this profession, we deal with people which means we need to constantly communicate to them. Employers will always favour those who can speak English fluently. In the past I’ve interviewed some Filipinos who spoke fluently but didn’t monitor their voice delivery very well. Now, what’s the use of you being good at English when interviewers can’t hear a word that you are saying? You need to speak in a clear and controlled voice which conveys confidence. And please don’t speak in monotone, put some life and colour into your answers but also remember not to overdo it. Remember to pause, to breathe and to take your time in answering the questions – no one is rushing you. Questions and Answers. One thing that can make us feel confident and shine during interviews is the amount of knowledge we have. It always feels good when you know within yourself that you’ve come prepared no matter what question is asked. In NZ, interviewers make you feel comfortable first by telling you about them and what they do. One question they often ask is if you know much about them and its always good to be able to say a few things about them which means that you have done your research and that you are interested to work for the company. Then they start asking you questions like tell us about yourself, where you use to work and what you used to do, why you left previous employment, behavioural questions, clinical, health and safety, restraints, risk management and a whole lot more. There’s too many possible questions to mention that instead of me writing them all WE WILL HOLD A FREE WEBINAR to tell you more about these questions and discuss some really good answers. I will post more information about the date and time on my Facebook Page soon.  Ask them. At the end of each interview, employers will always ask you if you have any questions for them. This is now a good opportunity to ask them about staffing levels, roster, pay etc. A lot of us don’t want to ask questions thinking that employers might think that we are overconfident or asking too much but really, we appreciate people who do because it tells us that they are thinking and that they are on to it.  Pay. Lastly, please be kind to yourself and tell them exactly how much you want. A few nurses we interviewed in the past gave us answers like , its up to you or minimum wage and what do they get? They get minimum wage. While some ask for $2 higher than the minimum and what do they get? They either get exactly what they asked for or a $1.50 higher than the minimum wage.   Tour. After every interview I had, I always asked for a tour. As I am given a tour, I observe how the staff interact with the residents and each other.  Are the staff nice and welcoming? Are the staff smiling and do they look content and happy in their jobs? Are there residents neat and tidy? Are the rooms clean? Does the facility smell nice?  It’s always good to get a feel of a potential workplace. Remember, this is where you will be spending 8 hours of your day 5 days a week, so you need to make sure that you will be happy and content in this place. To sum it all up, you should interact with the interviewer as an equal, not a subordinate. When you come into your interviews, enter the room with confidence and with a smile. Walk straight, sit upright to gain more self esteem. Show interviewers who you really are. Don’t get anxious or nervous because this really comes through and then you fail to show them how amazing of a person you are. And lastly, when answering questions, don’t answer them like you’ve rehearsed the answers again and again but answer them with passion, with conviction to the point of inspiring your interviewer.  So guys, I hope to see you all in our upcoming Webinar! I’ll be posting more information soon on our Facebook Page – Nurse Whisperer 🙂

– See more at: http://www.nursewhisperer.co.nz/blog/previous/2#sthash.FxZbH6lO.dpuf

A joint gathering of Tauranga Filipino Society and Club Filipino Tauranga inviting Filipinos in Tauranga and any other culture.

Finally, our NZ Philippine Ambassador Jesus Domingo aka AmbaGary is visiting us in Tauranga. You must have seen him online as he is very active in social media sharing his thoughts and his mission as a Diplomat. He’s one of a kind – BOLD, INSIGHTFUL, PASSIONATE and ENTHUSIASTIC. Here’s the opportunity to meet him this coming Friday, 28th of April , 4:30pm- 8:00pm at the Bethlehem Hall ( Main Highway opposite Bethlehem Countdown ) and have a selfie with him. 🙂

AmbaGary’s Invitation to all Filipinos in Tauranga

Universal Diplomacy means that YOU, the Kiwinoy, are a potential diplomat. All Filipinos Overseas represent the Philippines to the world. The Philippine Embassy wants to work closely with you to promote Filipino causes, communities and commerce, through our unique sense of care and cooperation (malasakit at bayanihan), in Aoetearoa New Zealand. Join me this Friday to unlock the inner diplomat in you, through our Universal Diplomacy program. Maraming at Daghang Salamat Po !

BRING A PLATE TO SHARE ( preferably finger food and drinks) also some disposable plates and cutlery

Feel FREE to invite your friends around and join us.

Dress code : Smart Casual

There’s plenty of parking at the back of the hall….

Photo Credit to Sto. Ninio NZ Org

Click here and let us know if you’re coming –> https://www.facebook.com/events/1194017850710457/

I was browsing in one of the Filipino facebook group Pinoys in NZ and I came across this post from James Mercado from Success Personal. I thought it’s really helpful so I asked James to post it here so it can help anyone who might need it. This is the original post.

Tips in applying for jobs at success personnel.

Medyo dumarami po ang natatanggap naming na mga CV these days, from the Philippines and from the Middle East.
Eto po, payong kababayan, kung gusto ninyo mapansin at hindi mawala ang application ninyo.
When you send an email, and applying for any position.
Similar po sa ganito ang hinahanap nila;

Good morning,
“I am writing to apply for the position of _______ which was advertised on ________________.”
(dahil sa dami ng position available, medyo maguguluhan sila sap ag sort out, kapag gawin ninyo ang naka sulat sa taas, mas madali kayo mapansin.) Importante din po sa job poster kung saan ninyo Nakita ang ads, para malaman nila kung saan sila mag concentrate the most in advertising those jobs.)
Please don’t send an empty email. Then attachment lang.
Yung mga Misis din, need not apply in behalf of their husband na nasa barko or nasa Middle East.
Mas gusto nang employer malaman, kung paano mag communicate ang applicant. Hindi naman kailangan magalaing mag Ingles, importante sa employer ang maka communicate. Yung nakaka intindi and naiintindihan.

Please also write on the subject of the email the position you are applying for.
Example : 
Subject: Welder/Juan de la Cruz
In that way, madali ma sort and ma file sa tamang file, otherwise mawala and hintay ka nang hintay wala pala na pasok ang CV mo.
Yung title po ng CV file should also look like this;
Welder_Juan de la Cruz.doc

And last na lang po, wala po tayo position dito na “kahit ano”. Seryoso po ang employer.
Napansin ko lang, mas mataas ang chance ng mas meron mahaba ang experience lalong lalo na kapag galing sa labas ng Pinas.
Just keep your eyes on our 2 fb pages to keep updated. Success Personnel Ltd and Success HR. Mas preferred ko sagutin ang Success HR kasi marami Pinoy doon.

Mabuhay kayo kabayan. Sana po nakatulong itong tip na ito.

Kindly send your email to james@successhr.co.nz.

This blog was written by my friend Jenny Haber a year ago and it helped many Filipinos aspiring to work and live in New Zealand. Unfortunately, we still hear a lot of SAD STORIES of Filipinos who took the wrong pathway to come here in NZ and realized that they are not qualified to become a Registered Nurse that will help them eventually get permanent resident visa in New Zealand.So I’m posting this again to show support to our NZ Phil Ambassador Gary Domingo on his campaign WAR AGAINST OFW EXPLOITERS.

How We Save  549,000 Pesos or More To Come to New Zealand

I was one of those who had a dream and aspired to achieve something big in my life. Like every other Filipino, I was tired of how the country was being lead by corrupt officials, tired of the unfair wages and felt that there was no way I could give my future family a decent life unless I start earning in $$$$. Thus, I took up a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.

In 2008, I started to explore and did my research about different countries. Then, I was very much pro-America and hoped that I can migrate there with my credentials but at that time, entering America was getting difficult and the demand for nurses was not that high. This has prompted me to research a bit more and stumbled upon New Zealand.

Now I am here in NZ, living a challenging yet beautiful life. I have worked my way up from being a Registered Nurse to a Clinical Manager. I have an amazing husband and a beautiful daughter and we live a blessed life here in NZ enjoying its uniqueness, greenery and simplicity.

In my previous blog I mentioned that a NZ company has supported me financially to study and move here in NZ. That would be very ideal for most of us who are not financially blessed but unfortunately, that was 8 years ago when the demand for nurses was extremely high. These days, due to the influx of nurses in NZ over the last years, there has actually been a big market of nurses here for NZ employers. Thus, financially supporting overseas nurses to come has stopped.

To come to NZ to become a RN will still require money but there is definitely a way to save you 594,000 pesos and more and this is what I am going to share to you today.

NEVER COME TO NZ THROUGH AN AGENCY WHO WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY WILL GIVE YOU A STUDENT VISA TO STUDY HEALTH MANAGEMENT. 

Every Filipino that has come to NZ through an agency to do health management studies and eventually become a RN will most likely agree with me that this is not the most ideal way to come to NZ. It involves a lot of money and a lot of risks and uncertainty. Health Management course costs $18,000. By not taking this path, you can save half a million pesos – that’s a lot of money. I agree that choosing this path allows you to come to NZ quicker and requires less work from you but remember that success doesn’t happen overnight and that the more challenges we face, the better success tastes.

So let’s say you are now here after paying 500,000 pesos and more, to do your health management studies. While you are here, you are paying for your weekly rent and other expenses. On top of that, you probably still need to get your IELTS exam, pay the nursing council for processing documents, pay immigration for visa requirements, pay your competency assessment programme, pay for the money you borrowed while just working 20 hours a week. That’s a weekly earning of $295. You cannot live with that amount of money while paying for your debt back home. If you talk to Filipinos who have been through this situation before, they will tell you that it was not easy. Some told me that there were times when they had to line up in Salvation Army offices (These are offices that provide food and shelter to the homeless in NZ) just so they can get a free meal. That’s not the way to live. Moreover, that’s not how we should choose to start over in a foreign country that is suppose to give us a better life.

If you’ve chosen the other path – the better path which requires more work and patience, where you arrive in NZ and do your competency assessment programme straight away, you just don’t save yourself half a million but also save yourself a lot of heartache and emotional burden.

So how do we do this?
What I am going to share to you now is information that I have collated from Filipinos who did not go through agencies but processed their papers on their own.

Take your English exam. Your English exam will involve money and effort. So, make sure you ace this. Start reading newspapers or books, listening to audio books, download IELTS tutorials and practice speaking English so it becomes a norm. For us to comply with the Nursing Council requirements, we need to have an overall band score of 7.0 and each test should have a score of 7.0. That almost seems impossible especially to us Filipinos who don’t use English on a day to day basis.  But as what they always say, practice makes perfect and you just need to keep on pushing yourself and focus on your main goal. Passing this test will be your first step to an amazing life and a great future for you and your family.

Have your documents assessed by Nursing Council. To save yourself time, make sure you have all your documents ready before you take your English exam. Once you get your English exam result, send your documents to Nursing Council. Make sure that the documents you send them are accurate and are exactly what they asked for to avoid wasting time. They will look at your documents meticulously , down to the finest detail. Another thing that has come up a number of times was the nursing experience we’ve had in the Philippines. The council requires 2 years of nursing experience and this is a must. There were incidents in the past where some gave them a certificate from their employer that they worked for them for 2 years when in fact they only worked for them for 2 months. Obviously, the council found out.  Nursing council has their ways and will ask every single question possible to ensure that they only give approval to those who are competent enough to work in NZ.  So please don’t try and cheat the system. The assessment of documents by Nursing Council in my experience took a year in some even more. Once they are happy and satisfied with your documentation, they will then give you a letter of approval informing you that you can now look for a school to complete your Competency Assessment Programme. To get a detailed information of requirements and the the council’s process, visit their website – http://www.nursingcouncil.org.nz/.

Look for a school. There’s quite a number of schools around NZ who offer the CAP. The only issue will be if they have a space available for you. This again is a waiting game and you may have to wait for up to a year to get a space allocated to you. Also most of the time, you won’t have the luxury of choosing which school you want to go to due to most of them not being available for enrollment as they are full. But in saying that, my advise is that if you can, try and get a school that is outside NZ’s major cities which are Auckland and Wellington so you can save more money as it is quite expensive to live in these cities. Again, do your research.

Apply for your visa. After receiving your letter from the Nursing Council, you can now apply for your visa to come to NZ. If you come to NZ to study for less than 3 months, you only need a visitor’s visa if its more than 3 months then you will need a student visa, both visas can be converted to a work visa after CAP. Another requirement will be a medical examination. A word of advice, start eating clean and training mean. I am saying this because immigration is very particular about making sure that they only allow people in the country who are fit and healthy. In the past, I applied for a work visa and did my medical exam. Unfortunately, my liver enzymes came back high. I had to pay $350 to see a liver specialist and had to re do my medical exam so I can have my visa approved. Again, this is a waiting game. NZ immigration is very good at communicating what you still need to submit or if they are not satisfied with certain documentation. To get a more detailed information about requirements and the process, visit http://www.immigration.govt.nz/.

CAP. Congratulations!! You’ve come this far and this is now your stepping stone to becoming a successful RN in NZ. A lot of Filipinos fear CAP and they get anxious about what this programme is about. To be honest, it is so easy. The programme is divided between lecture and clinical hands on experience. It focuses on immersing ourselves to NZ’s health care system, cultural sensitivity, nursing skills and documentation. We talk about topics that are very foreign to us such as wound management, manual handling, health and safety and so much more. Most of the clinical experience are in retirement villages where you are going to be working with the elderly patients and work closely with  RN who will be your preceptor. In my experience, in the first few weeks you are asked to work with healthcare assistants and you get exposed to how they do the day to day care of their patients. After that you then start working with the Registered Nurse to give out medication, change wound dressings, GP rounds, complete care plans and a whole lot more. There is no need to be anxious and scared , for one thing this programme is really exciting and it fully immerses you into a whole new experience.

Life in New Zealand is amazing. New Zealand didn’t only give me a better future but also  challenged me to the point of breaking which allowed me to grow and step up beyond myself. There is so much this country can offer aside from its financial gains if we only utilize its gifts wisely.  Remember, good things take time so be patient and try and process things on your own. Save yourself the burden of paying half a million pesos and studying a course that you won’t and can’t even use to further your nursing career or to improve your life in NZ. I know all of us have a dream to give ourselves, our love ones a better future but sometimes we need to stop, persevere a little bit more and reflect if we are choosing the right path to have a more abundant life. Through all this, always remember to keep that dream alive and keep asking the Universe to give it to you. Focus all your energy into getting it – be determined, keep on visualizing it, never give up and I have no doubt that one day you will get it and will enjoy the beauty that NZ has to offer.  

Visit Jenny’s website @ http://www.nursewhisperer.co.nz/ 

We had a very informative day yesterday after a FREE IMMIGRATION SEMINAR by Atty. Gene Bagsic  of Te Mana Law. The topic was  about Student Visas, Work Permits, and How to Apply for a Permanent Residency in New Zealand .

We’re really happy about the turn out.  There  were more than 50 students from NTEC and a  few more people attended the second session in the evening at one of our kababayan’s  flats in Judea.   I had a chat over a coffee with Atty. Gene after our first session and I was really impressed by his passion to help and guide Filpinos if they want to stay  for good here in New Zealand, as a permanent resident and to become a NZ citizen eventually. For short, for them to have a BRIGHTER FUTURE.  He offered his services for FREE to give us valuable information. Atty. Gene is from Auckland and he had to drive down for 3 hours and stay overnight just to be with us.  We offered him a dinner. He was willing to pay for accommodation, but I felt  bad for him to spend for accommodation here in Tauranga, so I offered our spare room which he gladly accepted. It feels good to have that spirit of BAYANIHAN,  we  Filipinos are well known for that.

Atty. Gene  Bagsic has been doing FREE IMMIGRATION SEMINARS for Filipinos in Auckland and around New Zealand for the last 7  years . He has helped many Filipinos to successfully get their permanent residency by  guiding them to the right path.  He gives free general information about the correct and legal way to become a permanent resident in New Zealand.  What really impressed me is his values. Honestly, integrity, and his willingness to go out of his way to help.  He said that through the seminar, he gets  to meet Filipinos who becomes his clients and wants to avail his services as a lawyer/ legal advisor. If they don’t acquire his services, he’s still happy that he was able to give them free valuable information that may help Filipinos in the future.  Imagine how wonderful the world will be if we have more people like Atty. Gene, the willing to help and  go out of his way regardless, if he will make money or not. These are the type of people we should approach if we need their  services because we know that they don’t just do their job to make money, they do it with passion. By doing this, we all can be a HERO of whatever we do.

The thought of organizing this event  originated from our concerns and worries  about  many Filipinos who came here in NZ  who’s on a  student visa who we’re given false/misleading  information by some immigration  consultant  /agencies from the Philippines.  As members of  Club Filipino here in New Zealand, we aim  to organize events/ activities  that may help our  kababayans in any way we can.  We are inviting you to  JOIN  as volunteers of Club Filipino and share your passion, talents  and expertise to help other people in anyway you can. 

In behalf of Club Filipino, we want to say thank you again to Atty.  Gene  Bagsic and NTEC Tauranga for co-organizing this event. We hope to have more events like this in the near  future.

Club Filipino .Helping Fiipinos through Inspiration and Information