Where is there work???????

[Guest shaunaforoz]

I am feeling a bit disillusioned at the minute, reading different posts on the site.

 

Where am I now - Well I had wanted to apply under the office manager catagory but unfortunately was made redundant from my job of five years which meant that i did not want to use what money I had on progressing with my visa until I knew I had a definate income (plus it was going to be tight time wise anyway and with the changes coming into effect I didnt want to waste money in case the changes affected me directly-how right was I).

 

Anyway here I am two months on and I have still not found a job here and it is really getting me down. This I could cope with because I always had the Oz thing in the back of my mind and I knew someday I would get there but now I am getting worried about whether or not I will find work there either.

 

I have never been unemployed in my life and have always found work easily but this time is different, there are no jobs out there and I am either finding myself over qualified or under qualified. All I want is to find a job that will keep me going until I get the Oz visa sorted out, but I am finding my confidence getting a bashing with all these 'Sorry your application was not successful on this occasion', emails.

 

Plus I applied for a position in a very large international IT company and I thought I would have been perfect for the position, all the concerns the interviewer had...such as dealing with different cultures, etc, I already had experience of. The recruitment company came back to me a few days later and said that they said I was an exceptionally strong candidate and that I had done a really good interview. Then two days later I open my email and there it is....the thanks but no thanks email.

 

My problem.....I really really wanted that job, I think I would have been really good at that job, and I really wanted to work for that company. It had not been a sector I had thought of before but once I had done the interview I really wanted the position. I think that has been the kick in the teeth that has lead to me really questioning my abilities (and for anybody that knows me they will tell you that is not something I often do). The recruitment company are useless and have said that they cant give me any idea of why I didnt get the job and whilst it will not make me feel any better at least I will know if I had done anything wrong or if I just didnt fit in with the culture of the company.

 

So I suppose I am asking is there a shortage of jobs in Oz, should I be looking at Canada as opposed to Oz??? I really want to go to Oz but I am having to ask myself is there much point if by the time I get there, there is a shortage of jobs??

 

Suppose its over to you guys who are in Oz, what do you think?

[Joebloggs]

I think if you are struggling in the UK then it will be much of the same in Oz, I'm amazed at how many people think that Oz is the land of milk and honey and that it is the answer to their prayers.

 

There are plenty of people struggling here in Oz, there is a big difference between a labour shortage and a skill shortage.

[Candygirl]

Whilst I partly agree with you JoeBloggs, Aus is not in the grips of the Recession, the likes of which Europe is in.

 

For instance, there are more jobs being advertised in OH's profession in Aus at the moment than the UK.

 

Shaunaforoz - I really wish I knew what to say to make you feel better. Sending you a big :hug:

 

As you are currently not employed, is it an option for you to find an employer sponsor in Aus? You mention Canada, my friend is going through the process of applying to Canada and she has been told by her agent that all skilled visas have been put on hold til on 18 weeks whilst the system is being reviewed.

[jothy]

What state are you thinking of moving too ?.

 

Sorry to hear things are not going to well for you, and i hope you find something soon.

 

The job market here in perth seems to be pretty good at the moment. My partner works in recruitment here and when we was back in the uk. At the moment she has no problem finding work for skilled people.

 

I would suggest having a look on some of the Australian job sites like Seek and see if you get a feel for what might be out there from them.

 

 

All the best J

[Guest shaunaforoz]

Hi Joebloggs,

 

Thank you for your response but I must say that I am under no illusion that Oz is the land of milk and honey - I have lived there before (ohh yes and Boston and Singapore and Vietnam, so I am fully aware that every labout market is different - I suppose that is kind of why I asked the question). I would have to say that I would of thought that I was seen as a skilled worker in that I have a business degree but did not stop my education there. My problem is that I can only apply for one catagory and I am not sure which to go with.

 

For example I am fully trained in AutoCAD and associated 3D solidworks design programmes and I have worked within the mechanical engineering sector for the last five years, I have also completed an Accounting Technicians Course and I am now considering spending one more year and finishing my accountancy degree, so I wouldnt exactly class myself as unemployable and unskilled as you have alluded to in your previous post. Previous to that I was in Event Management (this is why I was living in Boston, Singapore and Vietnam)

 

So whilst I appreciate that there are going to be problems to finding work in Oz I dont really think you are in a position to comment on the labour market here Ireland. However I would be happy for you to comment on the Oz labour market given as that is where you have been living for the last number of years and would have a greater insight into it than I would.

 

I supppose it would have been alot easier if I was a just a couple of years younger and then I could have qualified for a WHV and might have found a company willing to sponsor me that way.

[Guest shaunaforoz]

Thanks Jothy, as you know it is one thing doing research but to get the real truth about a country it is best to ask the people who live there.

 

I have found quite a few jobs on seek that I would be qualified for but then from what I hear they are always slow comming back to people.

 

Thanks again.

[Guest shaunaforoz]

Hi Candy Girl,

 

I have yet to decide on what the best route for me would be. I was looking at Perth but now that the ACT list is out there are a few catagories on it I would be able to apply under.

 

I suppose my concentration is on getting a job here but where a couple of years ago there would have been a 20 page weekly jobs pullout in the paper, it now consists of two pages....very depressing indeed.

 

On the upside, and believe it or not , the sun is shining :biggrin:

[Joebloggs]

Hi Joebloggs,

 

Thank you for your response but I must say that I am under no illusion that Oz is the land of milk and honey - I have lived there before (ohh yes and Boston and Singapore and Vietnam, so I am fully aware that every labout market is different - I suppose that is kind of why I asked the question). I would have to say that I would of thought that I was seen as a skilled worker in that I have a business degree but did not stop my education there. My problem is that I can only apply for one catagory and I am not sure which to go with.

 

For example I am fully trained in AutoCAD and associated 3D solidworks design programmes and I have worked within the mechanical engineering sector for the last five years, I have also completed an Accounting Technicians Course and I am now considering spending one more year and finishing my accountancy degree, so I wouldnt exactly class myself as unemployable and unskilled as you have alluded to in your previous post. Previous to that I was in Event Management (this is why I was living in Boston, Singapore and Vietnam)

 

So whilst I appreciate that there are going to be problems to finding work in Oz I dont really think you are in a position to comment on the labour market here Ireland. However I would be happy for you to comment on the Oz labour market given as that is where you have been living for the last number of years and would have a greater insight into it than I would.

 

I supppose it would have been alot easier if I was a just a couple of years younger and then I could have qualified for a WHV and might have found a company willing to sponsor me that way.

 

Actually 1/2 of my family live in N.Ireland so I'm well aware of the job situation in Ireland. And you are right I have lived in Oz for many years so know what the jobs Oz jobs market is like, if you are skilled up in an occupation that is in demand then there are plenty of opportunities.

 

But the reality is that Skill select process is exactly that ... Selecting skills. That's the reason for it, sorry to be so blunt but there are going be occupations that are going have no problem getting selected... because they will have no problem being snapped up for a job.

 

Like I say there are a lot of people in Australia (including Australians) who are struggling, those who have the skills in demand are the ones who can pick, choose and bargain most of the others are just grateful.

[Guest shaunaforoz]

Joe Bloggs,

 

Thank you again for your response.

 

Just so there is no confusion let me clarify, I have absolutely no problem with people being blunt, in fact i always believe that is the best way to go. However I do have a few problems with your logic.

 

In my initial post I asked how hard the labour market is in Australia. I can apply for at least three occupations on the ACT skills list, and one on the victoria skills list but I was asking about the market in general as a lot of posters were saying that it was hard to find work in Oz after their visa had been granted. You are saying that because I am having difficulty finding a job here I will find it difficult to find a job there as well. My question would be, why are the occupations on the list in the first place if there are no jobs???

 

With regard to the UK and Irish economy (also being from NI) it is in dire straights. Most of the positions I have applied for I am over qualified for....

 

Whilst I have only been on this site for a few months I have read quite a few posts about people who have had their visa granted, got to a specific state and cannot find a job in the occupation which was the basis of their visa being granted.

 

My question was simply.....if your skill is on the states list then does that always mean there will be work.

 

With regard to me being unskilled, I thought the whole point of the exercise was that Australia has a skill shortage and as a result they have typed up this big, big list of skills that are in short supply (either by country or individual states) and only people with those certain skills get the visa in the fist place.....therfore my point would be that you are filling this skill shortage by being given a visa, not a labour shortage and therefore there should be work, but going by the posts on POI recently this is not necessarily the case.

 

But dont worry Jothy and Candy Girl have been more than helpful :biggrin:

[Rupert]

I would not assume that because an occupation is on the list that nobody will have any issues finding work in those occupations. The list is based on long term needs and plenty of new migrants struggle to find their first position and there are also plenty of unemployed Australians skilled and unskilled. I would rather be in Australia than the UK at the moment when considering job prospects alone that is though.

 

Don't let a job knock back get you down. It happens to the best of us, no it happens to all of us. Pick yourself up, dust yourself down and try again.

[Joebloggs]

 

 

In my initial post I asked how hard the labour market is in Australia. I can apply for at least three occupations on the ACT skills list, and one on the victoria skills list but I was asking about the market in general as a lot of posters were saying that it was hard to find work in Oz after their visa had been granted. You are saying that because I am having difficulty finding a job here I will find it difficult to find a job there as well. My question would be, why are the occupations on the list in the first place if there are no jobs???

 

With regard to the UK and Irish economy (also being from NI) it is in dire straights. Most of the positions I have applied for I am over qualified for....

 

Whilst I have only been on this site for a few months I have read quite a few posts about people who have had their visa granted, got to a specific state and cannot find a job in the occupation which was the basis of their visa being granted.

 

My question was simply.....if your skill is on the states list then does that always mean there will be work.

 

With regard to me being unskilled, I thought the whole point of the exercise was that Australia has a skill shortage and as a result they have typed up this big, big list of skills that are in short supply (either by country or individual states) and only people with those certain skills get the visa in the fist place.....therfore my point would be that you are filling this skill shortage by being given a visa, not a labour shortage and therefore there should be work, but going by the posts on POI recently this is not necessarily the case.

 

But dont worry Jothy and Candy Girl have been more than helpful :biggrin:

 

 

With regards to people being granted a visa and struggling to find work, they were not granted the visa under skill select as it only kicked in on July 1st.

 

Skill select is supposed to be the tool to greatly reduce this situation, DIAC have been after this for years.

 

They have been chiseling away at the process moving the goal posts and bottlenecking people into the sponsorship option.

 

Job + sponsorship = visa

 

Not

 

Visa = maybe job

 

When skills select kicks in and DIAC start tweaking and tuning it they will be deciding on how many of each occupation will be granted a visa. The occupation ceiling will increase or decrease according to the demand .......and not just the supply of willing migrants.

 

Its a simple matter of registering your EOI, if you have the skills that is deemed to be required then you will be invited either as an Independent, State Sponsored or employer sponsored.

 

Of course the employer sponsored is really the only one that is guaranteed a job the others are not but with enough tweaking and tuning after a few months those who are more likely to be employed will be invited than those who will not.

 

The Buzz word here is 'select' its new and it's coming your way.

[Candygirl]

Hon, have to agree with Rupert. Don't let them get you down. You sound very experienced and skilled to me. You are lucky to possibly have the option of 3 occupations on the ACT List and I would speak to an agent to see which one you would almost certainly get posisitvely assessed for and ultimately get a visa.

 

I also know too well what the state of the economy is in Europe at the moment as we live in Spain and the government is looking into a big black dark hole and wondering whether to jump into it or not.

 

The labour and skills shortgage issue is a strange one alright. I have also read of other PIO'ers who went as brain surgeons for instance and are now bus drivers. IMHO, I think the option to live and work in a good economy in whatever job is better than nothing. I believe a few people who have PR visas start off taking any job until their chosen job comes along. There are far more opportunities in Aus at the moment.

 

I don't want to sound harsh, but just because someone else has struggled to get a job does not mean that you will. Someone may have been in the same job for a long time in the UK and been out of the loop of job hunting and putting themselves out there.

 

If you are currently unemployed and looking for work and want to go to Aus, I would definitely think about the 457 route. I am sure an employer would see you a good bet as you have no notice period to give your current employer and you are well travelled and are able to adapt easily and quickly to new surroundings.

 

I don't know whether I am Artha or Martha at the moment with this process, but I wish you the best of luck.

[Guest shaunaforoz]

Thanks Rupert. I have to say you just took me by surprise there.

 

I have always been known as a very strong person, academically, personally and professionally but it has been a rough couple of years - my nan (who also happened to be a lunatic and my best friend even after her 90 years on this planet) took a stroke and I suppose she was always the one I spoke to about this sort of crap and now I cant. Believe me she was a little cannon ball and would have said the same as you just did and it was weird hearing it again after two years.

 

I usually a very optimistic person but I was thinking the same, would it be better looking for a job over there than here??? If only I was two years younger I could have went on a WHV and things would have been simplier.

 

Thanks again and I think I will start calling you nan :biggrin:

[Guest shaunaforoz]

Hi Artha, Martha or Candy Girl,

 

I was looking at the 457 route but all that is on offer is highly technical mining jobs, or electrical jobs...so not qualified for that (pretty sure I couldnt BS my way into that sort of job), or in fact really high level hospitality jobs.

 

Outside seek.com.au and other recruitment sites what other options are there for finding employers who are willing to sponsor??

 

SS

[NowPerth]

I can only really comment on the area around Perth, but there are far more jobs advertised here than you would find advertised in the uk. That doesn't mean that everyone finds work easily or first time. You still have to be prepared to takes plenty of knock backs, but there are jobs. There also seems to be quite a lot of contract work. It might be worth you speaking to a job agency about how easily you could find contract work once here. I would have thought that the AutoCAD and 3D work would be in demand for temporary and contract work. Being flexible and having several skills will help you. If you don't find a job in your main area, you could use one of your other skills on a temporary basis while looking. There doesn't seem to be a problem here with skilled people being out of work long term in the way that there is in the uk now.

[Guest shaunaforoz]

Hi Now Perth,

 

That was kind of my plan once I got there. I suppose I was thinking that contract work, temporary work and hotel work woul be my first ports of call on arrival.

 

I suppose I am lucky in so far as I have family in Melbourne, I have savings and I would just be looking for enough money to get by to begin with until I found the right job, the fact that I would have no husband, kids, etc makes it easier.

 

Its just even the people I used to work with and my friends are gob smacked that I have been out of work this long and I am applying for everything from call centre worker to care assistant to tide me over until I get something more permenant.

 

There is just not the work here at the minute and that is even for people like me who are willing to relocate to the other end of the bloody country!

[Quoll]

I'd be a bit wary of the ACT TBH even though you may qualify for 3 occupations on their list. The list bears little resemblance to job vacancies in occupations that people actually get sponsorship for in ACT, as many have found to their cost. The biggest ACT employer (the APS) demands citizenship for permanent employment and some non ongoing positions as well. You may well experience just the same sort of difficulties in Aus as you are in UK

[Guest shaunaforoz]

Hi Quoll,

 

That was one of the main reasons for my post. My other question would be, what happens if when you get there you cannot find a job in your choosen occupation, can you just find a different kind of job in that area or do you have to go to a different state altogether to find a job in your choosen occupation?