Miss Feeks (22) worked in the dairy industry and the hospitality trade in her home town of Whangarei and in the South Island, but with Queenstown's jobless numbers increasing, she is struggling to get an interview.
Now, finding a job is all she can think about.
The country has enjoyed years of single-figure unemployment, but there are now 114 people registered as unemployed in Queenstown and only a handful of jobs available.
At present, no jobs are listed on the Work and Income website for the Queenstown Lakes district, only 42 throughout Otago and 35 in Southland.
Despite holding a diploma in dairy farm management, Miss Feeks thinks her farming background has counted against her, with potential employers thinking she has been doing unskilled labour.
"But there are lots of skills involved . . . it's a lot of hard work to keep the cows alive . . . they are very valuable animals," she said.
To ensure the highest milk yields, she had to calculate each cow's feed requirements, which took good computer skills, data entry and logistics work.
She now wishes she had not left her last job in a cafe doing some cooking and management, but she had been sure she would find another job.
However, she is now applying for almost everything that comes her way, but is competing with unemployed local people and the large number of people who come to Queenstown on work visas.
"I've called about cleaning jobs, no experience required, and been told they have had over 200 applicants already," she said.
Placing work-wanted advertisements in newspapers has also not paid off.
The local job agencies have told her there may be work in six weeks but she says she cannot wait that long.
Despite wanting to stay in Queenstown, she may go to Invercargill where there are more dairy farms and more work opportunities.
• If anyone has a job for Amanda Feeks, email Felicity Wolfe at the Queenstown Times for contact details.
