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Comment by pcmaffey | Hacker News Reader

Can you expound on this warning?

I believe he's implying that this program may be a sign of a generally poor employment environment in New Zealand.

When people offers you free meat, it is because they have hidden a hook in it.

Honestly I can't really see why I should go to New Zeeland even if they had a great jobmarket: why relocate half-way around the world to a country that as far as I know has no interesting tech companies.

why relocate half-way around the world to a country that as far as I know has no interesting tech companies.

If that's truly what's holding you back, I gather that New Zealand might not be the place for you. I have been told, however, that NZ has other fine qualities having little to do with tech. For instance, the fact that it's half-way around the world, and they talk like those musicians on that HBO show, might be reason enough for me personally.

There's good surf, for one thing.

Probably just means not to expect similar salaries then you'd get in the US. Most IT jobs pay quite a bit less than other countries (UK, US, Aus) hence why most NZ IT people leave.

Given that they're apparently so desperate that they're resorting to this ridiculous tactic ("come interview in NZ and we'll pay for the trip for you!", something that used to be totally standard here in the US and still probably is for long-distance candidates), you'd think they'd wise up and raise their salaries to attract and retain people.

These are one time fixed costs.

Yes, but this is major evidence of short-sighted thinking. If you're resorting to using a silly marketing campaign to convince people worldwide to come apply for jobs in your city, you have a serious problem already with a lack of skilled people, otherwise you wouldn't be resorting to such a desperate technique.

I think it is win/win. Presumably the Engineers interviewing have a salary already that the NZ company would have to compete with. The NZ lifestyle as well may be seen as a benefit not dissimilar to free food, foosball, laundry etc...

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