Kiwis seeking career guidance on-line in record numbers

Careers website CV tool registers 500 visits per day in 2009

Kiwis are seeking out on-line job skills information and career development tools in record numbers, according to the government’s careers agency, Career Services.

Deputy chief executive Susan Kosmala says that in the last 12 months the Career Services website, www.careers.govt.nz, has received more than two million NZ-based visits, making it one of the most popular government sites.

“We’ve seen a dramatic surge of interest from people actively taking advantage of our on-line career planning tools, especially the CV and cover letter templates,” says Ms Kosmala.

One of the most popular tools is CV4Me, an interactive programme that leads people through the process of creating a CV from scratch. Ms Kosmala says that since launching a year ago, it has been used by more than 185,000 NZers – almost 500 people per day.

“The current economic climate and changes in employment are playing a key role in these changes and demand for our services. People are taking more responsibility to be well informed about their futures and to come out of the storm in a better position,” says Ms Kosmala.

Ms Kosmala says that the CV4Me on-line tool has proved so popular that Career Services has now added a host of new features to augment the advice, information and examples already available.

These include:

• The option of two types of tailored CVs, one specifically for young people and school leavers with no work experience and another for people who have work experience.

• Spell check for CVs to help present an error-free CV.

• Two distinct layout options – one basic, the other more traditional.

• The ability to compile a CV in Te Reo Maori.

• The option of receiving step-by-step instructions.

Ms Kosmala says that Career Services is continually developing their website to deliver better and more efficient ways of helping NZers achieve their career goals.

For more information about the range of career development tools available from Career Services, visit www.careers.govt.nz