How to Find a Job Before Moving to Vanuatu

Be prepared for the change of scenery and Melanesian culture

Most of the available jobs in Vanuatu can be found in its capital Port Vila, which is a mix of different cultures. Your accommodation most likely will be somewhere on the hillsides around this laidback tropical town.

Would you like to work in a paradise-like environment? How does a sunny island in the Pacific Ocean sound like? There probably isn't a person that wouldn't relocate here, but it's the problem of finding a job that diverts us from these ideas. However, it is possible to find a job before moving to Vanuatu. If you find a job before moving, the whole process will go much smoother.

On the other hand, this is not an easy task to perform. There are many things that can get in your way. People usually feel much more stressed as soon as they start applying for jobs in other countries. Fortunately, there is a way to jump through all the hoops. So, read on to find out how to find and get a job before moving to Vanuatu.

A word about Vanuatu

The Republic of Vanuatu is a Melanesian archipelago and it spreads over 80 volcanic islands. It's precisely located northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and east of Australia. Although some of the volcanoes are still active, they don't represent a real danger. Mount Yasur on Tanna island is an easily accessible active volcano that is a big tourist attraction.

When you come to the background of this beautiful country, things get even more interesting. This country is a former British-French Condominium, which means that both of those countries were administering the islands together. That lasted until 1980 when Vanuatu became independent.

Nowadays, it is recognized as one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. There are communities of British, French, Australian, New Zealand, Chinese, and Vietnamese origins living here besides Ni-Vanuatu. It boomed lately as a tourist destination, so people here welcome visitors. However, if you decide to relocate here, be sure to get a precise estimate of your moving costs as things can pile up on a long-distance move.

One of the most obvious jobs in Vanuatu would be in hospitality industry, and if you are fortunate you might end up working at one of many island resorts dotted around Port Vila and on Efate island.

How to find a job before moving to Vanuatu

Well, finding job opportunities won't be particularly hard. Internet searches are your best bet. Just remember to correctly use keywords and connect the desired job with a place. There are websites on which you can find the latest job listings in Vanuatu without any problems. Follow these tips to maximize your opportunities of landing a job in Vanuatu.

What to put into your cover letter

Try not to be generic when writing a cover letter. Don't copy and paste the same info into each one. You want to catch their attention and explain why you want that specific job and why you chose Vanuatu for relocation. Be definitive about moving. Don't be afraid to show commitment in moving to their country whether you get a job or not. This makes you a lower risk candidate for wasting the company's money, and everyone likes that.

Being only a small island country, Vanuatu could be a tough place to find a job. But persistence can pay, especially if you have your heart set on living and working in Vanuatu.

What to put into your resume

When you're trying to find a job before moving to Vanuatu, it's best to be honest. Don't try to scam the system in any way as it will come back to you. You'll need to insert additional things into your resume. Remember to provide photos, age, and any other info that may be relevant. Be sure to also include your fitness level. This seems unusual but is actually crucial. Temperatures and humidity are very high in the Pacific, so if you're unfit this can cause real problems. People living here are very active scuba divers, surfers, and much more since a young age so they handle it well. If you don't think you could, maybe it's better to stay out of it.

Try to make sure that your CV goes directly to the owner of the company. If you have ever worked with Melanesian people before, put that into your resume as soon as possible as it will be a big plus.

How to nail your first phone interview

After all that work that you put into your CV and cover letter, you need to ace the first phone interview to increase your chances even more. When doing this, you need to sound laser-focused, and you need a really good reason for your move. Ideally, you want to be able to say that that city is the only one that you want.

Show your potential employers that you are a hundred percent serious. Don't talk to them about ''working in paradise''. Work is work wherever it is. At least that is how they see it. So, you need to stress what you can do for them instead of how much you would like to be there.

One of the conveniences if you land a job in Vanuatu, is its close proximity to many other island countries, including major countries such as New Zealand and Australia that are only a couple of hours flight away.

How to handle the interview schedules

If you follow all the steps from above, you'll probably land a few phone interviews and are already called to the second round. This is where you need to be prepared to pay and fly over for an interview in most cases. However, you can ask how much can be done via video calls before you finally come to an interview. Be sure not to sound like you're trying to avoid going there face-to-face, but just trying to get the most done before the moment comes. This way, you'll show that you're serious.

This will also give you a little bit more time to cluster all the interviews to be at the roughly same time. If they really like you in the first live interview, there's a real possibility that you'll get an instant job offer. That, of course, is if you can be flexible on the price of your work.

Final thoughts on finding a job before moving to Vanuatu

Now you know pretty much everything that you need to know about finding a job before moving to Vanuatu. Even better, you know how to land it. However, it will need a lot of work and effort to succeed. These tips will help you for sure, but they're not a magic wand and you'll have to put your whole self into it. But if Vanuatu really is your place of dreams, that won't be too hard for you.

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