More than 1,300 people from around the world have applied to be the Department of Conservation’s new Biodiversity Supervisor in Haast after the job advertisement went viral online.
While the Department initially only received three applicants, a deadline extension and media coverage of the job – which showcased beautiful scenery around Haast – saw the applicant numbers skyrocket.
“By close of business Tuesday, 1,383 people from 26 countries had applied for the job. We’ve been totally blown away by the interest shown,” says South Westland Operations Manager, Wayne Costello.
The Guardian UK, Taipei Times, Al-Arabiya News and New York Post newspapers also publicised the job on offer and fabulous location, before Agence France-Presse did a follow up interview with Mr Costello, with the story then translated into Arabic, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German.
Versions of that have run in online and print news outlets in countries such as Austria, Germany, Romania, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and India.
Applicants for the job include people from Finland, the UK, Colombia, Brazil, India, Ireland, the USA, Dominican Republic, South Africa and Paraguay – along with New Zealanders and Australians.
The job advertisement stipulated that eligibility to work in New Zealand was mandatory including holding a valid work visa that covers the whole period of employment.
Of those who applied, more than 40 meet those criteria.
Some overseas media publications use online translation tools so their articles can also be read in English. Artificial intelligence translation has brought about a few changes in messaging.
For example, the translation of the story in Badischer Zeitung, a regional newspaper in Southern Germany, said the job was for a “future Haast Kiwi Commissioner of the National Park.”
“The main focus at this site is on saving New Zealand’s rarest kiwifruit species, the Haast’s kiwi,” it proclaimed.
DOC recruitment staff are now short-listing for the position.
