While qualifications are great, generally speaking they are not a ‘must have’ for business support roles.

Evidence of skills and experience with tools such as Microsoft Office, Adobe, accounting software etc are useful, and if you have these, make sure to include them in your resume and application. If you are new to the industry, then any experience of working to deadlines, great communication and reporting may be helpful, for example if you are a recent graduate, then you can refer to your University experience.

The key focus for our recruiters is relevant work experience, software knowledge, specific hard skills and tenure.

For the majority of our jobs, we ask for previous administration experience, as that’s what our clients are looking for. This generally means experience with email management, reporting, data entry, and good working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite. Some roles may ask for specific skills, for example, a Marketing Administrator job may require previous experience of working with a CMS, or knowledge of the Adobe design suite.

Great communication skills are really important in this area, so having prior experience in a role where you have had to interact with internal or external customers is highly valuable.

Outside of general administration skills, we usually look for candidates who have experience relevant to the role they are applying for. For example, if we are recruiting an Executive Assistant, we would try to find candidates who had worked as an EA previously or have worked as a Personal Assistant, and possess strong administration skills.

Some of the answer to this question is covered in the experience question, namely, skills in administration, using common business tools etc.

However a further dimension to consider is that employers, and therefore recruiters like Madison, are also looking for non-technical skills, things like great communication skills,  the ability to work with all different types of people, being organised and having great time management in order to juggle multiple tasks.  These are not always outlined on a job advert (though they often are!) but if you think you have the kind of skills that will make you great in a role, then be sure to highlight these.

We get it, it’s hard when it feels like every job asks for ‘previous experience’, and you haven’t got any yet.

For some roles, employers will consider an applicant who may not have had the exact direct experience they are seeking, but otherwise has the right skills and attitude.

If you have been in a different industry, but are keen to get into a business support role, then we recommend taking stock of your related skills and experience, and doing any upskilling, if needed.

Perhaps you already use Word or Excel? If not, there are lots of short courses you can take to quickly learn these skills. Make sure your CV reflects everything you can do, and if you already have some of the necessary business support skills, then make sure to include these, if it’s not obvious.

At Madison, and in our specialist Business Support team, we are focused on delivering an excellent candidate experience. We aim to look after you, and we want you to be successful in finding your next job, because your success means our success.

Some examples of our candidate-focus in action are:

• We will consider you for job opportunities beyond the role you have applied for. Because of our wide range of clients, we regularly have new vacant jobs becoming available. During our interview process, we’ll discuss all the jobs that might suit you, and can put you forward for those that appeal to you.
• We will also share (with your permission) your job seeker profile with our broader team, so you get access to even more opportunities.
• We can provide resources to help you with your job hunt—resume formatting ideas, interview tips and coaching, and advice on negotiating job offers.
• If you aren’t suitable for a role you have applied for, you will be informed promptly, so that you can move onto your next application—no time wasting!
• We can support you, nationwide. Thinking about moving cities? Our nationwide database makes it easy to find a job and saves you the time of having to re-register with an agency. Simply connect with your new local Madison office and they will be able to quick pick up your details and get your job hunt started.

We hire people from all different backgrounds and countries. However, the recruitment happens once you have arrived, and is dependent on you as a job seeker having a right-to-work in New Zealand. Generally speaking, our clients don’t consider candidates for business support roles who require sponsorship.

Have a Working Holiday Visa (WHV)?  You will find you are sought-after for temporary positions.  We have a whole section dedicated to working in NZ, as a visa holder, check it out here.

We will certainly consider you as a candidate for temp and perm roles if you have an appropriate work visa, so just apply for the roles you are interested in once you have arrived in New Zealand.