Is it wise to move to Melbourne?

[pomsoutofoz]

I've been reading it's difficult to get a job in Melbourne and on top of that cost of living is very high there. This is making me hesitate to move to Melbourne with my family as I am comfortable where I am at the moment. Anybody sharing the same fear or any advices please?

[newjez]

 

I've been reading it's difficult to get a job in Melbourne and on top of that cost of living is very high there. This is making me hesitate to move to Melbourne with my family as I am comfortable where I am at the moment. Anybody sharing the same fear or any advices please?

where are you now?

[4forAdventure]

We are thinking of Melbourne as our preferred destination too so I would really love to hear responses as I'm slightly concerned (mainly due to the comments you read on these forums) that the jobs are harder to come by in comparison to say Sydney which was our second choice. Hubby will be getting a job in financial services in an accounting role. Annette

[Petals]

Cost of living in Sydney is higher than in Melbourne and its high in Melbourne, it will depend on the salary you can expect to obtain what kind of life you have. Jobs in the financial sector are always up and down as Banks and other institutions send their work off shore. Its really down to the applicants and its a popular occupation and I am surprised that we still get people from overseas for this area. So many students t uni doing the courses that lead to finance.

 

You could look at Seek and see what jobs are around, you could read the Age newspaper on a Saturday, the employment section has a lot of jobs for the sector.

 

Other people have posted that you should allow yourself to have enough to support yourself for six months when looking for work.

 

The government is retracting spending and this has a direct hit on confidence in business and hence the job market.

 

Migration is always a gamble there are no certainties.

 

Good luck

[buzzy--bee]

I've been reading it's difficult to get a job in Melbourne and on top of that cost of living is very high there. This is making me hesitate to move to Melbourne with my family as I am comfortable where I am at the moment. Anybody sharing the same fear or any advices please?

 

To emigrate you have to get uncomfortable. In most cases you have to leave your job, home, family and friends and move somewhere with no job, home, family or friends.

 

So if you are comfortable, and want to stay comfortable, maybe emigration isn't for you.

 

BB

[Keith and Linda]

In answer to the thread title then NO! :wink: . but Brisbane Yes!:notworthy:

[Marisawright]

We are thinking of Melbourne as our preferred destination too so I would really love to hear responses as I'm slightly concerned (mainly due to the comments you read on these forums) that the jobs are harder to come by in comparison to say Sydney which was our second choice. Hubby will be getting a job in financial services in an accounting role. Annette

 

I notice that a lot of people on these forums are tradesmen, and they do seem to have trouble breaking into the construction industry in Melbourne. As an accountant, your hubby is likely to have better and higher-paid opportunities in Melbourne or Sydney than elsewhere, because Melbourne and Sydney are where most of the senior roles are.

 

As for expense - Melbourne is noticeably cheaper than Sydney, slightly cheaper than Canberra and I believe also cheaper than Perth. Adelaide and Brisbane/Gold Coast are much cheaper places to live, but job opportunities are fewer. It also depends what you want from life - Adelaide and Brisbane are like big country towns, which may be to sleepy for some. On the other hand if you're trying to escape the rat race, then Melbourne may be too sprawling.

 

Having said that, why anyone would even consider migrating when they're "comfortable where they are" beats me. Emigrating is expensive, and very stressful. I love many things about living in Australia but I wouldn't say it offers greater opportunities or a better lifestyle than the UK, unless you are an outdoorsy person. Australian office workers work some of the longest hours in the world, and commuting times in Melbourne and Sydney can be just as bad as in the UK. What is driving your desire to move?

Edited June 20, 2014 by Marisawright

[Keith and Linda]

I notice that a lot of people on these forums are tradesmen, and they do seem to have trouble breaking into the construction industry in Melbourne. As an accountant, your hubby is likely to have better and higher-paid opportunities in Melbourne or Sydney than elsewhere, because Melbourne and Sydney are where most of the senior roles are.

 

As for expense - Melbourne is noticeably cheaper than Sydney, slightly cheaper than Canberra and I believe also cheaper than Perth. Adelaide and Brisbane/Gold Coast are much cheaper places to live, but job opportunities are fewer. It also depends what you want from life - Adelaide and Brisbane are big country towns and can be too quiet for some.

 

I would advise the OP to ignore this post, as clearly does not know what they are talking about:wink::policeman:

[Marisawright]

I would advise the OP to ignore this post, as clearly does not know what they are talking about:wink::policeman:

 

I should have said they are LIKE big country towns, and I stand by that statement - I've spent a lot of time in both. It really depends what you're used to. If I was emigrating today I wouldn't even consider Brisbane or Perth are too parochial for me, even if they are more affordable. I like Adelaide's elegance but it's a bit quiet too. One of the big complaints I see time and again on these forums is the lack of cultural activities in Oz - and that's true in most places, even Sydney at times. Melbourne is the honourable exception.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Marisawright

[Keith and Linda]

I should have said they are LIKE big country towns, and I stand by that statement - I've spent a lot of time in both. It really depends what you're used to. I know people who find Sydney and Melbourne too frenetic and love the more laidback atmosphere of the smaller capitals, each to their own.

 

Please Marisawright, there is no way on this planet that Brisbane is anything like a small or even big country town! it is either a small or large city depending on the comparison city.

Also as I work here, then again, no way is it laid back, socially it can be as laid back as one makes it, as anywhere.

[Paul1Perth]

What's a "cultural activity" and what is missing from Perth?

[Marisawright]

Please Marisawright, there is no way on this planet that Brisbane is anything like a small or even big country town! it is either a small or large city depending on the comparison city.

Also as I work here, then again, no way is it laid back, socially it can be as laid back as one makes it, as anywhere.

 

I'm used to big-city living so the smaller capitals seem unsophisticated to me - that's my personal opinion. On the other hand, I know people who love living in Perth or Adelaide and would hate the idea of living in a sprawled, traffic-jammed city like Sydney. We all have different likes and dislikes, and we all have different needs and expectations in life. It's good that there are opposing viewpoints in this thread because that will give the OP an idea of how different people see it.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Marisawright

[Marisawright]

What's a "cultural activity" and what is missing from Perth?

 

Because Perth is further away, you don't get as many visiting performers - nothing to do with lack of demand in Perth, it's just that it's expensive to get there and the population is relatively small, so it's tough for performers to make a profit on a visit. Also being a smaller population, there is less choice of classes in the various arts - it 's just inevitable that a bigger city is going to offer more variety. For instance, I'm sure many suburbs in Perth have a dance school - and therefore the sheer fact that there are more suburbs in Sydney or Melbourne means there are more dance schools (or art schools or whatever) - and they often then specialise, to compete more effectively, which means you get more variety.

 

Funnily enough, although they're not that different in size, Melbourne has more performance art and more arts activities than Sydney, so it's not just size that's a factor.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Marisawright

[Quoll]

All depends where you are, what you do and what you enjoy doing with your time. Melbourne wouldn't be my choice, no, but, then, neither would any of the other capital cities (Canberra excepted of course!). If you have a skill set which would find you good employment in a large country town then that may be a better option than Melbourne's extensive 'burbs.

 

However, if it ain't broke wherever you are now, don't try and fix it unless you get a cracking concrete option of something much better.

[MichaelP]

Yes.

[Paul1Perth]

Because Perth is further away, you don't get as many visiting performers - nothing to do with lack of demand in Perth, it's just that it's expensive to get there and the population is relatively small, so it's tough for performers to make a profit on a visit. Also being a smaller population, there is less choice of classes in the various arts - it 's just inevitable that a bigger city is going to offer more variety. For instance, I'm sure many suburbs in Perth have a dance school - and therefore the sheer fact that there are more suburbs in Sydney or Melbourne means there are more dance schools (or art schools or whatever) - and they often then specialise, to compete more effectively, which means you get more variety.

 

Funnily enough, although they're not that different in size, Melbourne has more performance art and more arts activities than Sydney, so it's not just size that's a factor.

 

The number of top acts visiting Perth has certainly improved since we had the new entertainment centre. I've been to see Elton John, Nickelback, Neil Young all at the new place. Best concert I saw last year though was The Cult at a smaller venue. They were playing one of my favourite albums, electric, for the first time ever on tour. I think anyone who says there isn't much to do in Perth doesn't look very hard. We have loads of concerts in summer, a lot of them free and there was a stage set up with concerts every week at Scarborough Beach in the summer. A lot of people don't know what's going off on their own doorstep and prefer just to assume that Perth is dullsville.

 

A quick read through the local free Xpress magazine would give them a few ideas every weekend.

 

http://xpressmag.com.au/

Edited June 20, 2014 by Paul1Perth

[Echidna66]

I've been reading it's difficult to get a job in Melbourne and on top of that cost of living is very high there. This is making me hesitate to move to Melbourne with my family as I am comfortable where I am at the moment. Anybody sharing the same fear or any advices please?

 

I live in Tasmania and when I watch the traffic watch on the news every night with the horrific traffic jams at 6pm every night in Melbourne, my advise would be no dont move to melbourne, its so overcrowded now its horrific...Look at Tassie where there are no traffic jams and hardly any people at least where I live..Its paradise..

[Paul1Perth]

I live in Tasmania and when I watch the traffic watch on the news every night with the horrific traffic jams at 6pm every night in Melbourne, my advise would be no dont move to melbourne, its so overcrowded now its horrific...Look at Tassie where there are no traffic jams and hardly any people at least where I live..Its paradise..

 

and no jobs.

[boganbear]

It depends what you like. We lived in Williamstown and we're lucky to rent a 2 bed flat at a fairly reasonable price. Train fares were about a third of the train in Brisbane. If you rent in Australia you do not pay rates or for water except if you are in a meter and then you pay for the water you have used and not the other charges which should not be much.

 

we moved from Melbourne to Brisbane partly to be nearer to family but found traffic, train reliability and house prices in Melbourne ridiculous. Otherwise it was a nice place. However Melbourne is not as cultural as it makes out. A there was more going on in Bristol . theatre or concert ticket costs a fortune compared to the UK. If you are not fussed about the arts then Brisbane is ok. Some big international acts do cone to Brisbane, but again, prices are high. I prefer Brisbane but I found had most of the disadvantages of London and not many of its advantages...and it's cold in winter!

[ekf]

We moved to Melbourne last year. I am very familiar with looking for a job in financial services in Melbourne. The market is just so small and everyone likes to see Australian experience on the CV too you need to be prepared to put in a lot of hard work looking for work and it could take well over 12 months. A recruitment consultant put in this perspective, the Market in Melbourne (in financial services) is 10% of Sydney and Sydney is 10% of London.

Also as the market is so small here, it moves very slowly with very few positions opening up, even less at the more senior levels. People seem to get work through personal recommendation and their networks. Also as a previous poster has mentioned there is a lot of restructuring going on with the banks outsourcing to Asia.

[grahamffc]

We are thinking of Melbourne as our preferred destination too so I would really love to hear responses as I'm slightly concerned (mainly due to the comments you read on these forums) that the jobs are harder to come by in comparison to say Sydney which was our second choice. Hubby will be getting a job in financial services in an accounting role. Annette

 

I have just returned to London after 18 months in Melbourne, and am also an accountant.

 

As regards work it was very difficult to come by. In all it took me six months to find a permanent job (I did have two months of temping in that time though). There is the issue of most employers preferring Australian qualifications, CPA in my case. However, the main problem is being new to the country and employers understandably being cautious of taking one someone new to the country. My boss was English so valued my qualifications but did say that although hypocritical as an immigrant himself he never even interviews anyone who hasn't been in the country for two years for permanent job (I started as a temp). Also Melbourne never felt like an 'international city and didn't have the rapidly moving job market of London, where not being there for two years would not be a consideration for employers. I always wondered whether Sydney would be different but have no experience to comment. I'm sure that I was not an exception and everyone gets that lucky break at some point. One big positive is that work is a lot easier compared to the uk where you are expected to be proactive and show initiative, hence I was offered a FT job after only a week as temp.

 

As regards the city, I really wanted somewhere where my life outside of work would be spent in shorts, singlet and flip-flops. I probably should have done better research as only Jan-Mar is warm enough for that sort of attire. However after a year or so I got used to it and appreciated that while not hot, it is far milder than home, never gets below freezing and days will get up to 15-20C even in winter. It's a great city that really grew on me and I would not rule out the possibility of going back one day but if weather is a big factor for you then I certainly wouldn't bother.

 

I only had myself to worry about but would urge caution if moving with a family if there is nothing really forcing you leave home. As said I would consider going back now I know what to expect and am not under the impression that life is like home and away.

[pomsoutofoz]

Thanks to all for the replies. Grahamffc my wife is also an accountant and ACCA qualified. I have worries that it will be harder for her to get a job as ACCA is not well recognised.

[Quoll]

They're taking accountants off the list of needed occupations too, I see, so looks like there might be a bit of a surfeit!

[pomsoutofoz]

Thought that accountants would remain on the list but will be accepting less of them.

 

So if it's that expensive in australia in general, can anyone share if a family with 2 young children make savings? Assuming both parents have average jobs. I know it will depend on certain factors but in general can we save money if we live a simple life?

[Keith and Linda]

I'm used to big-city living so the smaller capitals seem unsophisticated to me - that's my personal opinion. On the other hand, I know people who love living in Perth or Adelaide and would hate the idea of living in a sprawled, traffic-jammed city like Sydney. We all have different likes and dislikes, and we all have different needs and expectations in life. It's good that there are opposing viewpoints in this thread because that will give the OP an idea of how different people see it.

 

OK. it was just calling it a small or big country town, can give the wrong impression, especially if you see the country towns here in Oz! I have grown up, lived, worked in and visited big and small cities all over the world, and I can confirm that Brisbane is a city (it has a Cathedral too) and not a town.

PS. and it is better than Melbourne:tongue: