# what to ask in job interview - today!



## ropes4u

An opportunity popped up with in the last two days and I have a job interview with a company in New Zealand today. Completely unprepared and looking for a few quick tips. Currently a happy US resident but up for some adventure if the money / conditions are right. 

I have three dogs, three children and a wife. I would expect the children to stay here, as they are in their last year of high school or already in college. On the other hand the dogs and my wife will be coming along. 

Is NZ firearms friendly? Obviously there is plenty to do such as skiing, back packing, kayaking so we will be content with the outside opportunities. 

Sincerely, John


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## topcat83

ropes4u said:


> An opportunity popped up with in the last two days and I have a job interview with a company in New Zealand today. Completely unprepared and looking for a few quick tips. Currently a happy US resident but up for some adventure if the money / conditions are right.
> 
> I have three dogs, three children and a wife. I would expect the children to stay here, as they are in their last year of high school or already in college. On the other hand the dogs and my wife will be coming along.
> 
> Is NZ firearms friendly? Obviously there is plenty to do such as skiing, back packing, kayaking so we will be content with the outside opportunities.
> 
> Sincerely, John


Hi John

I'd say that NZ is more 'firearms friendly' than the UK, and much much, much less 'firearm friendly' than the US.
And I say 'Thank God for that'!

Our police officers don't even carry guns as a matter of course. And that's just how I and the vast majority of NZers want it.

What type of firearms are you talking about? NZ has a hunting fraternity, but the use or storing of any kind of gun (especially hand guns) is very controlled. They're certainly not for keeping around the house 'in order to protect myself'.


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## ropes4u

I appreciate your answer, I wouldn't debate another countries choice or lack of choice I was just curious. I will plan on leaving my firearms at home in the USA with family. Based on other sites there is a growing crime problem in NZ but I am capable of defending myself with or without a firearm. 

:focus:

Any suggestions for my interview?


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## topcat83

ropes4u said:


> I appreciate your answer, I wouldn't debate another countries choice or lack of choice I was just curious. I will plan on leaving my firearms at home in the USA with family. Based on other sites there is a growing crime problem in NZ but I am capable of defending myself with or without a firearm.
> 
> :focus:
> 
> I think there's a lot less crime in NZ than in other countries (except in a couple of pockets of known trouble spots) but in common with most of the rest of the world, it probably is getting a bit worse.
> 
> Any suggestions for my interview?


I'd ask about any 'extras' included in the package. Generally NZ companies don't give extras such as superannuation, medical insurance, etc. so make sure you're happy with a base salary that doesn't contain them.

And good luck with the interview!


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## ropes4u

Great information, I would not have even ask being that any decent job in the USA has benefits. I will ask about medical, dental, vision, annual leave, pay raises and bonuses. 

I am currently at 6 weeks leave with full benefits and yearly cash bonus. I imagine this will be hard to replace anywhere outside of my current company.


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## ropes4u

Is 160 to 220K enough to survive in NZ?


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## Eleisha

It should be enough to feel comfortable, providing of course that they actually pay you that amount. But I'm sure you'll have that written into your contract of employment. Some employers attract people from overseas with large salaries and then drop the offer after they arrive, or don't give pay rises for a few years until you've caught up.



> any decent job in the USA has benefits. I will ask about medical, dental, vision, annual leave, pay raises and bonuses.
> 
> I am currently at 6 weeks leave with full benefits and yearly cash bonus. I imagine this will be hard to replace anywhere outside of my current company.


Good idea to ask about this in detail. Sometimes you can get lower health insurance premiums if you arrange it through your employer. Dental cover is virtually non existent, not sure about vision. Health care service in NZ is of a different standard to that of the USA and you may find some procedures and medications simply aren't available - even if you offer to pay for them.

Annual leave is usually 20 days and you have to accrue it before you can take it, some employers insist that you work a full year before they'll let you take leave so I advise you to ask about their policyand get a written copy of it if possible.

Cash bonus depends on the company, not many NZ employers do it and of those that do - some years they'll pay it and some years they won't. Get it written into your contract.

Lastly if they're paying that sort of salary they should also be giving you some relocation assistance with the costs of the move, paying for accommodation for a little while after you arrive etc.


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## Eleisha

Suggestion for interview questions:

Ask how they see your overseas experience being applied and used in their company.
What proportion of staff are from outside of NZ and how many of them make up the senior and executive management.
What's the rate of staff turnover.
What are the major challenges and opportunities for the company over the short and long term.
What promotion opportunities exist for you.
Ask for a structure chart so you can see exactly where you fit in and at what tier, who you report to, who you are responsible for etc.


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## sdh080

Eleisha said:


> It should be enough to feel comfortable, providing of course that they actually pay you that amount. But I'm sure you'll have that written into your contract of employment.* Some employers attract people from overseas with large salaries and then drop the offer after they arrive*, or don't give pay rises for a few years until you've caught up.


More fool people for not having it signed and agreed before they go to NZ.

Why anyone would accept a job anywhere in the world without the written contract is beyond silly.


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## NZCowboy

Eleisha said:


> It should be enough to feel comfortable, providing of course that they actually pay you that amount. But I'm sure you'll have that written into your contract of employment. Some employers attract people from overseas with large salaries and then drop the offer after they arrive, or don't give pay rises for a few years until you've caught up.
> 
> 
> 
> Good idea to ask about this in detail. Sometimes you can get lower health insurance premiums if you arrange it through your employer. Dental cover is virtually non existent, not sure about vision. Health care service in NZ is of a different standard to that of the USA and you may find some procedures and medications simply aren't available - even if you offer to pay for them.
> 
> Annual leave is usually 20 days and you have to accrue it before you can take it, some employers insist that you work a full year before they'll let you take leave so I advise you to ask about their policyand get a written copy of it if possible.
> 
> Cash bonus depends on the company, not many NZ employers do it and of those that do - some years they'll pay it and some years they won't. Get it written into your contract.
> 
> Lastly if they're paying that sort of salary they should also be giving you some relocation assistance with the costs of the move, paying for accommodation for a little while after you arrive etc.


^^ incorrect 
There are *minium* holidays and annual leave entitlements by law.
*Annual Holidays*
You are entitled to four weeks’ paid annual holidays at the end of each year
of employment with any one employer. If you leave your employer before
completing a full year of employment, you should get 8% of your gross earnings,
less any holiday pay you have already received.
You can agree to holiday pay on a “pay as you go” basis if you have:
• a job for a fixed-term of less than 12 months
• a casual job where you work so irregularly that it isn’t practical for your
employer to give you four weeks’ annual holiday.
This means that your employment agreement has to say clearly that this is how
you will be paid and the amount paid. Holiday pay must be at least 8% of your
gross earnings and recorded separately on your pay slip.
More information about annual holidays is available on the Department of
Labour’s website at Holidays : Employment Relations Service
*Public holidays*
There are 11 public holidays each year. If they fall on days you would normally
work, you are entitled to be paid for that day, even if you do not actually work on
that day.
If you work on a public holiday, you:
• must be paid at least time-and-a-half for the time you work
• are also entitled to an alternative holiday, if the public holiday falls on a day
that you would normally work.
More information about public holidays, and when they occur, is available on.

In NZ all employers must supply a written employment contract and there are a number of employment rights that all contracts must include. http://ers.govt.nz/publications/pdfs/minimum_rights.pdf


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## sdh080

Eleisha said:


> Cash bonus depends on the company, not many NZ employers do it and of those that do - some years they'll pay it and some years they won't. Get it written into your contract.


Missed that part, pretty much anywhere in the world bonus is linked to company and often personal performance so that's pretty standard.


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## topcat83

ropes4u said:


> Is 160 to 220K enough to survive in NZ?


Absolutely. I don't know that many people that are on over $100k - and that's considered high.


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## ropes4u

Thank You all for the replies! 

We would be located in Wellington, do you have any suggested neighborhoods? We would rent until we figured out where we really wanted to buy. We would be bringing along the dogs of course. 

I am going to negotiate my vacation up front, as I cannot wait an entire year to return and see my children. 

Still lots of hurdles and I am not counting on anything yet. This will be the second opportunity overseas, the last did not work out and we were bitterly disappointed. 

Housing prices look crazy expensive in NZ


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## topcat83

ropes4u said:


> Thank You all for the replies!
> 
> We would be located in Wellington, do you have any suggested neighborhoods? We would rent until we figured out where we really wanted to buy. We would be bringing along the dogs of course.
> 
> I am going to negotiate my vacation up front, as I cannot wait an entire year to return and see my children.
> 
> Still lots of hurdles and I am not counting on anything yet. This will be the second opportunity overseas, the last did not work out and we were bitterly disappointed.
> 
> Housing prices look crazy expensive in NZ


Lol - we thought houses were cheap when compared with London! 

I'm not too hot on Wellington suburbs - but on a sunny day central Wellington is a nice little city. On a wet, windy day with horizontal rain - well, that's another story


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## ropes4u

topcat83 said:


> Lol - we thought houses were cheap when compared with London!
> 
> I'm not too hot on Wellington suburbs - but on a sunny day central Wellington is a nice little city. On a wet, windy day with horizontal rain - well, that's another story


Comparatively speaking housing is expensive to where I live now, but everywhere is expensive to where I live now. 

There is little I can do to change where the office is but hopefully we can find a nice neighborhood, hopefully with public transportation or a twisty road I can ride my Ducati on to the office..


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## topcat83

ropes4u said:


> Comparatively speaking housing is expensive to where I live now, but everywhere is expensive to where I live now.
> 
> There is little I can do to change where the office is but hopefully we can find a nice neighborhood, hopefully with public transportation or a twisty road I can ride my Ducati on to the office..


A Ducati, eh? You'll love NZ for the country roads once you're out of the city! And get it on that ferry to South Island too - it's just beautiful riding through the glaciated valleys with mountains on either side...


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## topcat83

ropes4u said:


> .....I am going to negotiate my vacation up front, as I cannot wait an entire year to return and see my children.....


Bring them here for the hols.... it's a great place for kids of all ages


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## ropes4u

I am going to need a multistrada, the 999 is a bit cramped with one seat


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## Eleisha

NZCowboy said:


> ^^ incorrect
> There are *minium* holidays and annual leave entitlements by law.
> Annual Holidays
> You are entitled to *four weeks’ paid annual holidays *at the end of each year
> of employment with any one employer.





> Annual leave is usually *20 days* and *you have to accrue it before you can take it, some employers insist that you work a full year* before they'll let you take leave so I advise you to ask about their policy and get a written copy of it if possible.


Sorry but didn't we both say the same thing? 

Some employers will allow their employees to take leave without first accruing it, mine certainly did, although they weren't obliged to. Others will let you take leave as you accrue it and not make you wait until the end of the year. No harm in asking up front what their policy is towards leave as it will avoid disappointment later.

Some employers have a mandatory 2 week shut-down over the Christmas period. Here's more questions to be asked:
How long do you close for business over Christmas? if I don't have enough leave will deductions be made from my salary? 

Wouldn't it be awful if Ropes4you wanted to spend a few weeks with his kids and found out that he'd have to wait a full year before he could do it.


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## Eleisha

ropes4u said:


> Thank You all for the replies!
> 
> We would be located in Wellington, do you have any suggested neighborhoods? We would rent until we figured out where we really wanted to buy. We would be bringing along the dogs of course.
> 
> I am going to negotiate my vacation up front, as I cannot wait an entire year to return and see my children.
> 
> Still lots of hurdles and I am not counting on anything yet. This will be the second opportunity overseas, the last did not work out and we were bitterly disappointed.
> 
> Housing prices look crazy expensive in NZ


Where were you before overseas that didn't work out?

Correct about the crazy expensive house prices in NZ and you don't get much for your money.


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## Eleisha

sdh080 said:


> More fool people for not having it signed and agreed before they go to NZ.
> 
> Why anyone would accept a job anywhere in the world without the written contract is beyond silly.


I absolutely agree.

I'm a bit out of touch now but hasn't some new law just been passed that allows employers to sack you without reason during the first 60/90 days of your employment, and they don't have to compensate you for it? I'd be interested to know if there's anything to prevent them from sacking you and then offering you a new employment on a reduced salary.


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## Eleisha

I did some looking around and found this

90 day law & Holiday Act changes | Unite

about the new laws, there's also some changes to leave entitlement to take it down to three weeks and to transfer public holidays to other working days.

This is only a union's view of it though and sometimes they have an angle, perhaps someone here has got an on-the-ground opinion of it?


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## sdh080

Eleisha said:


> I absolutely agree.
> *
> I'm a bit out of touch now but hasn't some new law just been passed that allows employers to sack you without reason during the first 60/90 days of your employment, and they don't have to compensate you for it?* I'd be interested to know if there's anything to prevent them from sacking you and then offering you a new employment on a reduced salary.


That's not really anything new compared to places around the world, you'll very often be on a 3/6 month probation and they don't have to give you any reason not to keep you on after it.

I just read the Unite link, usual Union slant on things.


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## NZCowboy

Eleisha said:


> Sorry but didn't we both say the same thing?
> ......


No, 4 weeks holiday and 20 days are different. 
That is why the Holidays Act 2003 uses 4 weeks not 20 days.
Best to use the terms used in the Holiday Act 2003, to avoid confusion.

The obvious place to look and direct people to would be
Government Labour Department
in particular the Employment Relationship Section
Employment Relations

Ropes4u
_Holiday Act 2003 › Part 2 › Subpart 1
*20 Employer may allow employee to take annual holidays in advance*
An employer may allow an employee to take an agreed portion of the employee’s annual holidays entitlement in advance_
So it is up to you to negotiate with your employer.


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## friendly scot

topcat83 said:


> I'd ask about any 'extras' included in the package. Generally NZ companies don't give extras such as superannuation, medical insurance, etc. so make sure you're happy with a base salary that doesn't contain them.
> 
> And good luck with the interview!


Hi

What amount of tax do you pay off your salary (percentage %)


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## NZCowboy

friendly scot said:


> Hi
> 
> What amount of tax do you pay off your salary (percentage %)


Taxable income
PAYE rate for every
$1 of taxable income
(including ACC earners' levy*) 
up to $14,000.........................12.54 cents 
from $14,001 to $48,000........19.54 cents 
from $48,001 to $70,000........32.04 cents 
$70,001 and over...................35.04 cents 
Income tax rates for individuals (Find out about)

Its a progressive tax rate
For example gross income of $80,000
Individual person income tax rates
1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010
Income............................................................tax rate........Income.........Tax 
Income up to $14000 taxed at.........................12.5%.....$14000.00...$1750.00 
Income over $14000 up to $48000 taxed at.....21%.......$34000.00...$7140.00 
Income over $48000 up to $70000 taxed at.....33%.......$22000.00...$7260.00 
Remaining income taxed at................................38%.......$10000.00...$3800.00
Totals..............................................................................$80000.00..$19950.00 

*This calculation doesn't take into account any tax credits which may reduce your tax.

(Sorry ...it's a nightmare trying to do tables in this forum)


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## FrancisJames

NZCowboy said:


> Taxable income
> PAYE rate for every
> $1 of taxable income
> (including ACC earners' levy*)
> up to $14,000.........................12.54 cents
> from $14,001 to $48,000........19.54 cents
> from $48,001 to $70,000........32.04 cents
> $70,001 and over...................35.04 cents
> Income tax rates for individuals (Find out about)
> 
> Its a progressive tax rate
> For example gross income of $80,000
> Individual person income tax rates
> 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010
> Income............................................................tax rate........Income.........Tax
> Income up to $14000 taxed at.........................12.5%.....$14000.00...$1750.00
> Income over $14000 up to $48000 taxed at.....21%.......$34000.00...$7140.00
> Income over $48000 up to $70000 taxed at.....33%.......$22000.00...$7260.00
> Remaining income taxed at................................38%.......$10000.00...$3800.00
> Totals..............................................................................$80000.00..$19950.00
> 
> *This calculation doesn't take into account any tax credits which may reduce your tax.
> 
> (Sorry ...it's a nightmare trying to do tables in this forum)


Wasn't that question directed at Topcat?


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## FrancisJames

ropes4u said:


> An opportunity popped up with in the last two days and I have a job interview with a company in New Zealand today. Completely unprepared and looking for a few quick tips. Currently a happy US resident but up for some adventure if the money / conditions are right.
> 
> I have three dogs, three children and a wife. I would expect the children to stay here, as they are in their last year of high school or already in college. On the other hand the dogs and my wife will be coming along.
> 
> Is NZ firearms friendly? Obviously there is plenty to do such as skiing, back packing, kayaking so we will be content with the outside opportunities.
> 
> Sincerely, John


How did it go, are you going for it or not?

Yes there's plenty to do, pratically everyone has a kayak or access to one. Skiing is accessilbe but expensive and you'll need a four wheel drive vehicle to get to the slopes. 

The outside opportunities aren't all that, honestly. If that's all you're being attracted by there's probably better to be found closer to home. But bring your guns though, you'll get plenty of chance to use them in New Zealand.


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## topcat83

FrancisJames said:


> Wasn't that question directed at Topcat?


Does it matter who answers it? And NZCowboy answered it very well!

Might be worth looking at Inland Revenue - Te Tari Taake


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## FrancisJames

I don't know but it may have mattered to Friendly Scot if he wanted an answer from some one on the ground and paying taxes in New Zealand.

But if he got the answer he wanted then it's all good 

Did you take the job Friendly Scot?


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