Your employment plan

An employment plan is an easy way to see the activities you need to do to find and prepare for work. Some people who get Jobseeker Support or Sole Parent Support have an employment plan in MyMSD - we'll let you know if you have one.

When you get Jobseeker Support or Sole Parent Support, one of your obligations is to find or prepare for work. To meet this obligation, there are activities you need to do by a certain date.

An employment plan is an easy way to see these activities and the date you need to do them by. You'll get a notification on your MyMSD homepage when your activities are due within 7 days.

If one of your activities is to apply for jobs, you can use MyMSD to:

  • let us know when you've applied for a job, by 'Adding a job search activity' 
  • update your job search status activity to 'Applied', 'Interview stage', 'Successful' or 'Unsuccessful'.
View transcript of 'Adding your job search activities in MyMSD' video

0:01 ‘You can use your employment plan in my MSD to tell us what jobs you're applying for. Here's how to do it.’

0:11 ‘Log into MyMSD and scroll down to My Employment Plan’

0:19 ‘In here you'll see a list of activities you need to do. Scroll down and click Add Job Search Activities.’

0:26 ‘In the date of for Activity section. Use the date picker to tell us what day the activity happened’

0:35 ‘In the name of employer. Type the name of the employer or business you applied for a job with’

0:42 In role applied for. Tell us what role that you've applied for, start typing the name of the role and pick from the suggestions that appear. Don't worry if the role you applied for it isn't there, just pick the closest one to it.

0:56 In application method. Use the drop-down menu to tell us how you found the job.

1:01 In status, select a status from the drop-down menu

1:06 Click Add. Done. You’ve now updated your job search activity. You need to do this for each job you apply for.

1:16 When you hear back about a job you've applied for, you need to update that job status in your employment plan.

1:24 To do this, find the job in your employment plan and click Update Status. In the Status drop down menu. Select a new status for the job.

1:35 Then click Update to save your changes.

1:42 If you didn't get the job, change the status to Unsuccessful

1:47 and click confirm. After you change the job status to unsuccessful, the job details won't show anymore.

1:55 If you get the job, congratulations, you'll need to change the status to successful.

2:06 After you change the job status to successful, the job details won't show anymore. You'll also need to contact us to tell us about your new job and so we can check how this might affect your payments.

2:21 We'll also look at other support you may be able to get while you're working.

View transcript of 'Audio for 'Adding your job search activities in MyMSD' video' audio

1

00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:07,890

(Background music plays throughout welcome page with wording adding your job search activities in my MSD shows and a female voice speaks.)

 

2

00:00:08,407 --> 00:00:13,335

‘You can use your employment plan in MyMSD to tell us what jobs you are applying for.’

 

3

00:00:14,127 --> 00:00:16,877

(The screen transitions to the MyMSD homepage.)

 

4

00:00:17,427 --> 00:00:18,509

‘Here's how to do it.’

 

5

00:00:19,328 --> 00:00:24,858

(The screen scrolls down. An orange rectangle surrounds my employment plan which is selected.)

 

6

00:00:25,530 --> 00:00:29,430

‘Log into my MyMSD and scroll down to my employment plan.’

 

7

00:00:29,893 --> 00:00:35,143

(The screen transitions to my employment plan, displaying activities and the date they are due.)

 

8

00:00:35,705 --> 00:00:38,750

‘In here you'll see a list of activities you need to do.’

 

9

00:00:39,358 --> 00:00:43,378

(An orange rectangle surrounds at job search activity which is selected.)

 

10

00:00:44,047 --> 00:00:47,511

‘Scroll down and click Add Job Search Activities’.

 

11

00:00:48,081 --> 00:00:55,181

(Add job search activity screen displays an orange rectangle surrounds the date picker that is clicked and a date is selected.)

 

12

00:00:56,006 --> 00:01:01,706

‘In the date for activity section, use the date picker to tell us what day the activity happened.’

 

13

00:01:02,087 --> 00:01:08,477

(An orange rectangle surrounds Name of employer. Lollies Ltd is typed in this section. Screen zooms in.)

 

14

00:01:09,328 --> 00:01:14,846

‘In Name of Employer Type the name of the employer or business you applied for a job with.’

 

15

00:01:15,074 --> 00:01:18,329

‘In role applied for. Tell us what role you've applied’

 

16

00:01:19,066 --> 00:01:28,816

(An orange rectangle surrounds role applied for where Sales is typed in the section and Sales Assistant General is selected. Screen zooms in.)

 

17

00:01:29,390 --> 00:01:33,947

‘Start typing the name of the role and pick from the suggestions that appear.’

 

18

00:01:34,036 --> 00:01:36,673

‘Don't worry if the role you applied for isn’t there.’

 

19

00:01:37,236 --> 00:01:38,973

‘Just pick the closest one to it.’

 

20

00:01:39,445 --> 00:01:44,985

(An orange rectangle surrounds application method where trade me is selected. Screen zooms in.)

 

21

00:01:45,823 --> 00:01:50,386

‘In application method. Use the drop-down menu to tell us how you found the job.’

 

22

00:01:50,635 --> 00:01:55,525

(An orange rectangle surrounds status where applied is selected. Screen zooms in.)

 

23

00:01:56,301 --> 00:01:59,279

‘In status, select a status from the drop down’

 

24

00:02:00,024 --> 00:02:02,934

(An orange rectangle surrounds add which is selected.)

 

25

00:02:03,688 --> 00:02:04,350

‘click Add.’

 

26

00:02:04,932 --> 00:02:05,354

‘Done.’

 

27

00:02:06,173 --> 00:02:13,533

(Screen transitions to show the job search details previously entered. An orange tick in a circle is below the updated status.)

 

28

00:02:13,902 --> 00:02:16,439

‘You’ve now updated your job search activity.’

 

29

00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,642

‘You need to do this for each job you apply for.’

 

30

00:02:20,260 --> 00:02:24,370

(Screen transitions to a middle page with the wording updating the status showing.)

 

31

00:02:25,755 --> 00:02:31,673

‘When you hear back about a job you've applied for, you need to update that job status and your employment plan.’

 

32

00:02:32,043 --> 00:02:40,523

(Screen transitions back to my employment plan with the previous job search activities showing an orange rectangle surrounds update status.)

 

33

00:02:40,969 --> 00:02:45,536

‘To do this, find the job in your employment plan and click Update status’

 

34

00:02:46,348 --> 00:02:52,768

(Screen transitions to activity status an orange rectangle surrounds the status where interview is selected.)

 

35

00:02:53,510 --> 00:02:56,836

‘In the status drop down menu, select a new status for the job’

 

36

00:02:57,161 --> 00:03:05,611

(An orange rectangle surrounds update button screen transitions to my employment plan and an orange arrow has the wording status has been updated.)

 

37

00:03:06,884 --> 00:03:09,266

‘Then click Update to save your changes.’

 

38

00:03:10,224 --> 00:03:12,644

(Screen transitions to activity status.)

 

39

00:03:13,383 --> 00:03:14,150

‘If you didn't get the job

 

40

00:03:14,796 --> 00:03:23,056

(An orange rectangle surrounds unsuccessful which is selected as the new status and orange rectangle then surrounds update which is selected.)

 

41

00:03:23,531 --> 00:03:25,449

‘Change the status to unsuccessful’

 

42

00:03:26,423 --> 00:03:33,413

(Screen transitions to status confirmation and orange rectangle surrounds the confirmed button which is selected.)

 

43

00:03:33,915 --> 00:03:35,066

‘and click confirm.’

 

44

00:03:35,819 --> 00:03:42,249

(Screen transitions to status update and orange tick in a circle is below the close button which is selected.)

 

45

00:03:42,841 --> 00:03:49,071

‘After you change the job status to unsuccessful, the job details won't show anymore.’

 

46

00:03:49,808 --> 00:03:52,238

(Screen transitions to activity status.)

 

47

00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:53,548

‘If you get the job’

 

48

00:03:54,493 --> 00:04:02,313

(Orange and blue confetti surround the background and animated confetti, popper and yellow face with a party hat and party horns show on the screen.)

 

49

00:04:03,392 --> 00:04:04,140

‘congratulations’

 

50

00:04:04,672 --> 00:04:12,862

(An orange rectangle surrounds the status section that is updated to successful. An orange rectangle then surrounds the update button which is selected.)

 

51

00:04:13,096 --> 00:04:15,714

‘You’ll need to change the status to successful.’

 

52

00:04:16,683 --> 00:04:29,743

(Screen transitions to status confirmation page, an orange rectangle highlights Confirm which is selected. The screen transitions to my employment plan and an orange rectangle surrounds add job search activity.)

 

53

00:04:30,108 --> 00:04:35,426

‘After you change the job status to successful, the job details won't show anymore.’

 

54

00:04:36,324 --> 00:04:40,014

(Screen transitions to success page and screen zooms in.)

 

55

00:04:40,639 --> 00:04:47,239

‘You'll also need to contact us to tell us about your new job and so we can check how this might affect your payments.’

 

56

00:04:48,149 --> 00:04:52,956

(Screen transitions to ending page with wording, Ministry of Social Development and logo)

 

57

00:04:53,609 --> 00:04:57,700

‘We’ll also look at other support you may be able to get while you're working.’

 

58

00:04:58,178 --> 00:04:59,780

(Background music fades out.)

How to see your employment plan

If you have an employment plan in MyMSD, you can see it by going to 'My employment plan' on the home screen.

MyMSD

Can't use MyMSD

If you can’t use MyMSD, your case manager will print the plan with your activities and when they need to be done by.

Your activities

Your case manager will talk to you about your employment needs. They'll tailor the activities based on your conversations. Together you will agree on a due date for each activity.

Activities could be things like:

  • creating a CV
  • updating your Jobseeker profile on MyMSD, or
  • applying for suitable jobs.

You may have to apply for jobs as one of your activities. If you apply for a job, record this activity in your employment plan in MyMSD. You don't need to tell your case manager about it.

When you complete any other activity, you need to contact your case manager. They can then mark that activity as complete in your plan.

If there's any reason why you can't complete an activity by the due date, contact your case manager straight away.

Help with your activities

If you're unsure what you need to do or need help with your activities, the best thing to do is contact your case manager. They'll be able to talk you through it.

What happens if you don't complete your activities

These activities are part of your obligation to find or prepare for work. If you don’t do an activity, it means you’re not meeting your obligations. If you don't meet your obligations without good and sufficient reason, your benefit could be reduced or stopped.

If there's any reason why you can't complete an activity by the due date, contact your case manager straight away.

We have a traffic light colour system to help you stay on track with your work obligations.

Traffic light system