Here, immigrants from different professions share how they build their careers in a new country.

To make each story rich and insightful, we ask every guest the same set of questions. Еhe kind of questions people always have for those who dared to change their country, language, and often even their profession or industry.

Evgeniia Dmitrienko used to work as a design engineer in the oil and gas sector in Russia. In New Zealand, she became a structural drafter — a role that used to be just one part of her responsibilities back home, but in her new country, it has become her full-time profession.

Background. Evgeniia Dmitrienko, 29 years old.
Before immigration, she spent 7 years working as an engineer in the structural design department of a major Russian oil and gas company. She holds a degree in Civil and Industrial Engineering.
She has been living in New Zealand since June 2023.

Where were you when you started looking for your first job in New Zealand?

I was already in New Zealand when I started looking for my first job.

Honestly, I had always dreamed of visiting New Zealand — the land of hobbits, green hills, kiwi birds, and magic. In 2022, my husband and I had a moment of clarity: it was now or never. After a year of intense preparation and hard work, we secured our visas and moved to Auckland in June 2023.

My husband enrolled in a Master’s program in Electronic Science, and I began searching for a job in my field — construction design engineering. As a partner of a postgraduate student, I received an open work visa, which allowed me to work for any employer.

I thought having an in-demand profession and a flexible work visa would make the job hunt easy. But it turned out to be more complicated…

Read about in-demand specialists in New Zealand

Did you have any New Zealand education?

No, I didn’t. And I believe that was one of the key reasons why getting into the engineering field here was nearly impossible for me.

I realized that design codes and drawing standards in New Zealand differ significantly from those in Russia. I also understood that my oil and gas background wasn’t very relevant here. Anyway, engineering is engineering. Physics works the same everywhere. So, I kept trying.

Read about professional training for engineers in New Zealand

Did you have any local volunteer, part-time, or other professional experience?

Yes, I volunteered both before and during my job search.

I thought it was a great way to practice English and connect with people. Of course, there’s no “volunteering for engineers,” but the experience still added value to my resume — especially the local references, which are so important to New Zealand employers.

My neighbor (now a close friend of our family) invited me to join her in volunteering at a local dog shelter. We looked after one particular dog, took her to the beach, and went on long walks. It was lovely and truly therapeutic for me.

Later, I found another opportunity through volunteeringauckland.org.nz. I helped an organization that runs science experiments for school kids in Auckland. I helped pack, update, and restock their science kits. It was fascinating — where else could I have looked at bumblebees through a microscope or tested equipment for chemistry experiments? It was also my first real-life English practice — in the field, so to speak.

What kinds of roles did you apply for? How did they relate to your past experience?

At first, I applied to every job listing with the words engineer and construction. Later, I narrowed my focus to structural engineer positions.

After a month of sending applications and getting no responses, some experienced people in online engineering communities advised me to specialize and simplify my resume — to target drafting roles instead.

All engineering vacancies asked for local experience, which I didn’t have — nor did I have local qualifications. So I started focusing on structural drafter, draughtsperson, and BIM modeller roles.

This was still my area of expertise. In Russia, I used to calculate, model, and draft building structures myself. But in New Zealand, large companies often divide these functions: engineers do the calculations and design, then give the tasks to drafters, who prepare the technical drawings.

Another plus: drafting roles don’t require industry-specific backgrounds. The principles of construction documentation are similar across sectors. So even though my experience came from oil and gas, it didn’t bother employers here. I had strong drafting software skills and deep knowledge of how buildings are designed. That’s what really mattered.

And in the end, this focused strategy worked.

What job search channels did you use? Which ones were most effective?

In the beginning, I used job websites like TradeMe, Glassdoor, and Seek. I found Seek the most functional. Its filters were more flexible, and it had the most engineering job listings.

I also promoted myself in local Facebook job groups. I joined a Meetup group called Auckland Structural Engineering and attended a few of their offline events. These events brought together experienced professionals. Some even asked for my CV. I didn’t get a job out of those contacts, but the networking was helpful, and I highly recommend attending industry events.

Ultimately, LinkedIn turned out to be my most effective job search tool.

I had no LinkedIn profile while living in Russia. I created and started building my profile here in New Zealand, during my second month of job hunting, again, thanks to local advice. LinkedIn allows you to add a portfolio section, where I uploaded several of my past projects.

I started by connecting with other Russian-speaking professionals in the NZ construction industry. Then I explored their networks and reached out to a few people directly. I didn’t ask for a job straight away, just inquired about the local specifics of working in design. Within a couple of months, I had over 200 LinkedIn contacts.

Someone taught me a great trick: LinkedIn lets you see the list of employees at any company. So I checked out companies that had open positions and searched for staff working in relevant departments. Then I sent short, personalized messages: introduced myself, mentioned the vacancy, and asked if they could answer a few questions about the company. Most people responded positively.

That’s how I found out, for example, that Revit is the most commonly used drafting software here.

In Russia, I mostly worked with other programs like AutoCAD, TEKLA, AVEVA, and MicroStation. I quickly took a relevant online Revit course and added a few Revit-based projects to my portfolio.

Once I started taking LinkedIn networking seriously, I began receiving meaningful interview invitations. In two cases, when I reached the final stages of the hiring process, it was the engineers and drafters I had previously chatted with on LinkedIn who recommended me to their HR departments.

How many jobs did you apply for? How many interviews and offers did you receive? How long did your job search take?

The active phase of my job search, from writing my first resume to receiving a job offer, took three months.

At first, I applied to suitable vacancies through Seek, tailoring my CV and writing a unique cover letter for each application. But that effort didn’t bring much result.

During the first two months, I sent over 100 applications and had only 3 interviews. And none of those roles aligned with my skills or experience. I think my CV was either being filtered out by automated systems or rejected due to the lack of local experience.

By the end of month two, I was seriously considering applying to McDonald’s or The Cheesecake Shop.

Only after I improved my LinkedIn profile, created a detailed 2D and 3D drafting portfolio, and began messaging professionals from companies actively hiring, did I start getting interviews that were a good match for my background.

In total, over the course of three months, I applied to hundreds of jobs, was invited to seven interviews, and received two offers. One offer fell through, because the company decided to freeze the role. Later they changed their mind and reached out again, but by that time I had already accepted a different offer.

In the end, I was hired as a Structural Technician — that’s how our company refers to drafters with additional responsibilities, like communicating with other departments, partners, and clients.

The company I work for is a multidisciplinary design and engineering firm that handles the full design process for clients building various types of structures. By New Zealand standards, it’s a fairly large company — with branches in five cities. The Auckland office has about 30 employees.

By the way, the job description for the role I eventually got also listed local experience as a requirement. I just ignored that. If I hadn’t, there would’ve been no jobs left to apply for.

Did the salary of your first job meet your expectations? Did you negotiate?

Yes, it did. I was aiming for a median or slightly above median salary, and that’s what I got. No negotiation was needed. I was happy with the offer.

How is the job search process in New Zealand different from your home country?

The biggest difference is that you’re outside of your own context. You’re no longer in your country, culture, or professional environment. It means no local experience, references, or qualifications. That makes job searching much harder.

But hard doesn’t mean impossible. Your personal charisma, confidence, experience, and professionalism still matter, especially in interviews. No one can take that away from you.

What was your English level during the job search?

I’d say confident intermediate. I took the IELTS Academic and scored 7.0 overall, which is considered C1.

I began seriously studying English only after we decided to apply for our visas. At that point, I quit my job and focused entirely on learning the language. In five months, I went from zero to being ready for the IELTS Academic exam. I had private online tutoring three times a week, and the rest of the time I self-studied for several hours a day.

Before that, I had only studied English at school. And like in many Russian schools, the teaching quality wasn’t great.

I had very little real-world speaking experience, so volunteering after we arrived in New Zealand really helped me build confidence and start speaking.

By the time I was going to interviews, I didn’t feel much of a language barrier. My English is far from perfect, but it’s more than enough for work and communication.

What has changed in your career since then? What role did your first job play?

It’s been seven months since I started working in New Zealand, and I feel like I’ve grown a lot professionally. In fact, I’ve already been promoted — since June, I’ve been working as a Senior Structural Technician. My company is expanding, and now I lead a small drafting team of four people. We work on ongoing projects for one of our biggest clients.

How did I manage to grow so quickly? First, I think my engineering degree helped. In New Zealand, drafters don’t need a university degree — some have only completed short architectural courses, which don’t provide a deep understanding of structural design from an engineering perspective.

Second, I’m proactive. I ask questions, dig into the details, and try to fully understand anything new or unfamiliar.

Understanding the local structural standards wasn’t as difficult as I expected. Physics is still physics. Bolts are still bolts. Switching to new materials isn’t a problem for an engineer. I actually started studying New Zealand building codes back when I was job hunting. By the way, not all industry standards are publicly available. However, LinkedIn contacts helped by sharing some of the documents.

Mental adaptation brought more surprises than technical ones. I had never worked with so many people from different nationalities and cultures, or tried to understand such a wide range of accents. Our Auckland office has 30 employees from 17 different countries!
It’s also my first experience working in an open-plan office. I came from a “closed-office culture,” so this level of constant, open interaction with colleagues was new for me.

I still make mistakes or forget words sometimes. You think your English is terrible, and then you come to work and hear everyone else making mistakes too. And that makes everything easier!

What’s your career plan?

I see a few possible directions for professional growth. First, I could continue to develop in drafting and BIM modeling, expand my leadership skills, and work on more complex projects. I’ve already made a huge leap from “no NZ experience” to “senior role” in just seven months.

On the other hand, I could return to engineering. Study New Zealand structural standards more deeply, maybe get a local qualification, and eventually transition into a structural engineer role, like I held back in Russia.

I haven’t made a decision yet, but I can say this: I genuinely enjoy my work as a drafter.

How do you see your path to permanent residency?

My husband’s profession is on the Green List Tier 1, which means he’ll be eligible to apply for residency once he gets a job offer. We’re counting on that happening after he finishes his studies.

There’s also a backup plan — applying for residency through the Skilled Migrant pathway. My Russian degree was assessed by NZQA as Level 7. So, after two years of working in New Zealand in my profession, I’ll be eligible to apply for residency myself.

Read about pathways to New Zealand residency

What practical advice would you give to those who are looking (or planning to look) for their first job in New Zealand?

Here are the key things that helped me:

• Build a portfolio if it’s possible in your field. A thoughtful portfolio is a huge advantage during interviews.
• Invest in your LinkedIn profile and networking — it really works. Reach out to professionals in your industry and don’t be shy about asking for advice.
• Improve your English — it’s absolutely essential. A strong command of the language will set you apart from other migrant job seekers.
• Be flexible about your role.
  When I arrived in New Zealand, I didn’t even know that being a drafter instead of an engineer was an option in the construction industry. In Russia, these roles are usually combined. But here, they’re often separate.
  Look at your profession from a different angle — maybe you can specialize or shift focus to better fit the local job market.
• Work on a proper CV.
  Many candidates are filtered out at the ATS stage (Applicant Tracking System — software that screens CVs before a recruiter even sees them). Formatting issues alone can make your resume “invisible” to the system.
  There are lots of online resources and tutorials on how to format your CV for ATS.
• Be proactive.
  I’m a huge introvert — reaching out to strangers online was terrifying.
  Building a professional network in English felt overwhelming.
  At first, I naively thought I could just send out resumes and get a job.
  Don’t waste time like I did.
  Build connections. Don’t be afraid to reach out. Go to meetups and industry events whenever possible.
• And finally — luck is a huge factor.
  I truly wish you lots of it!

P.S. The Kiwi Education team is always looking for new stories. If you’re ready to share your experience — or would like to recommend someone — please get in touch with our Victor at [email protected]