STILL looking for work

[hubbert0403]

Well today I applied for my 67th job, since early December, and still not a sausage!

In the UK I would apply for about 5 get interviews and then be offered 2-3 at the same time.

I have adapted to the Australian format resume, wrote a detailed covering letter, i am now at my whits end.

Where we live does not have any direct public transport and until i get a job not going to get a car, so I am bored. bored, bored.

 

Came over on 457 as hubby got his job, he is loving it, tells me about people he met etc, but does not understand why I am frustrated.:arghh:

 

IF ANYONE HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR ME ON GETTING WORK PLEASE MESSAGE ME BEFORE I GO GAGA

[ali]

Do the jobs you are applying for have a selection criteria? If they do and you don't address this it may be one of the reasons you're not getting short listed. In the UK you would normally just send your CV and a covering letter - but some jobs here require you to also address the selection criteria - it is best to do as an additional attachment.

[Rupert]

Perhaps slow down and pace yourself, take more time over each and every application.

 

It is hardly anytime since early December and it has been the Christmas period too, as has been said on here a gazillion times, this is the worst time of year to look for work. So don't beat yourself up about it. Maybe take a break for a couple of weeks, do something different and then pick it up again mid January when people are back at work.

[hubbert0403]

I have thrown myself into finding work as there is not alot else I can do each day, I alot myself 4 a day, re adapt my resume and covering letter to fit the role, this takes me approx 3 hours, would be better if I was able to leave the house but although house and area is beautiful not alot of places to go without transport, suppose feeling sorry for myself! It gets like an addiction applying, but yes will give myself a week away

[Guest littlesarah]

I don't know about professions other than my own (health care worker), but I second Ali's post about selection criteria. I realised that addressing the criteria individually (i.e. using each one as a header, and detailing how I met it) made it much easier for prospective employers to see that I ticked every box. I took to doing that on a separate sheet, rather than on my covering letter.

 

But of course, it rather depends as to whether the jobs you're after list detailed selection criteria.

 

Considering that this time of year is the main holiday period, a lot of employees will be off on holidays, so things like recruitment will be much slower than at other times. Some of your applications may still be sitting on someone's desk awaiting attention. Where I work, our closedown finished on Wednesday, but yesterday and today there are only 4 or 5 people at work - I think a lot of folk took the extra two days off to make their holiday that little bit longer.

 

Don't lose heart, I'm sure your persistence will pay off eventually. If you're after something constructive to do, you're welcome to stay with us and help with our home renos! :biglaugh:

[Tuosist]

I would second the above post, now is not a great time to apply for work, have a break for a week or so.

 

It might be worth visiting some of the resorts in person. You never know, if you pick a quiet time of day you might catch the onsite HR manager and be able to make an appointment for later on. I presume you can get around Hope Island itself, bike, foot...bus?

[newjez]

Dec is like Aug in the UK. Holiday season, and very hard to get a job. The selection process for many of the jobs you apply for may take more than a month. Apply for less, put a day into each application, and follow up after two weeks, and then after 4, and ask for feed back. It shows willing, and if they have had a no show, or a dud, they may pick you up on the fly. The shotgun approach rarely works. It's better to be a sniper.

[Freckleface]

I have thrown myself into finding work as there is not alot else I can do each day, I alot myself 4 a day, re adapt my resume and covering letter to fit the role, this takes me approx 3 hours, would be better if I was able to leave the house but although house and area is beautiful not alot of places to go without transport, suppose feeling sorry for myself! It gets like an addiction applying, but yes will give myself a week away

 

 

Apart from this being a bad time of year to be looking for work I can't help wondering about your CV and covering letters if you are only spending an average of 3 hours per application on them. Many of the people competing with you for roles will be spending considerably longer preparing theirs.

[Ali B]

I have thrown myself into finding work as there is not alot else I can do each day, I alot myself 4 a day, re adapt my resume and covering letter to fit the role, this takes me approx 3 hours, would be better if I was able to leave the house but although house and area is beautiful not alot of places to go without transport, suppose feeling sorry for myself! It gets like an addiction applying, but yes will give myself a week away

 

What work do you do? What are you applying for?

where do you live? Could you commute or are you limited to aspecific area?

[whatsitallabout]

I struggled when I 1st arrived it took me nearly a year to find work, I think that being on a 457 visa doesn't help. My current employer didn't ask me at my interview if I was permanent, so I didn't tell them. When I gained my PR they "joked "that they wouldn't have employed me if they had known that I was on a 457. Good luck don't give up hope as one will come along soon.

[helly80]

I'm in same position, Been here 4 weeks and lost count of number of jobs applied for. It is time consuming replying to the key selection criteria for each job but worth it I hope! I have also met with an agency in the city, it went well and they set my expectations that I wouldn't find work til new year. Partner started his job a week after we arrived, it's tough watching them get into a routine and become settled isn't it?!

 

Best of luck to you, look forward to your updates!

 

Helen

[Que Sera Sera]

Can I firstly ask if you are qualified for the jobs you are applying for ? I don't mean UK qualifications I mean Aussie ones if necessary . Can you apply for something you would deem lower than your skills set?

[Mongrel]

I struggled when I 1st arrived it took me nearly a year to find work, I think that being on a 457 visa doesn't help. My current employer didn't ask me at my interview if I was permanent, so I didn't tell them. When I gained my PR they "joked "that they wouldn't have employed me if they had known that I was on a 457. Good luck don't give up hope as one will come along soon.

 

I had the same. When we were on a 457 , had a lovely conversation with a girl at Kelly rec , I had the job but couldn't get it because I was temporary , I explained so temporary means payin 5k bucks to bring my dog here and transferred my pension , I'll not bother taking my coat off lol

[Quoll]

It's most likely the visa, sorry. The 457 is notorious for not being kind to dependents - it's a temporary visa and employers often cant be bothered, they will go for a PR or citizen if they have the choice - saves the indecision (you possibly nicking off in short order) and costs.

[nicolac34]

Eco what others have said re the time of year, and to only have been applying a few weeks isn't very long at all. My OH has been looking since August and hasn't had anything - and he has PR. just one of those things you have to keep plugging away at I'm afraid, we're hoping that things will pick up towards the end of Jan.

[NicF]

I'm going to echo a lot of the points on here. This is a very slow time of year for jobs and unless you have had rejections from all the places you have applied to then it is possible your application is still waiting to be assessed. I appllied for two jobs at a Uni and it was at least two weeks after the closing date before I heard anything from either. Which brings me on to another point. If th jobs have closing dates, or have only just been advertised then its possible that either the closing date has not been reached or the organisation is waiting to see what other applications they receive.

 

The other point a lot of people have made is have you addressed the selection criteria? A lot of jobs advertised on seek don't necessarily give much information but if you phone the contact person you can usually find out more about the position and whatvthey are lookking for. To really make your application stand out you should customise your covering letter and CV for each job (and I don't just mean changing the name of the person you have addressed it to). And as others have said it can be worth adding a seperate document addressing the selection criteria if it is not possible to fully address it in the letter and CV. Spend at least a day on each application and get someone else to proof read it before sending it off. Both myself and my OH have been looking for work at various points in the last few months and we both found that getting the other person to read the application and give feedback was very helpful.

 

The other thing to try is research the companies that either do what you do, or are likely to have positions doing what you do and call them direct. You never know if they might have positions available that they haven't advertised yet. My OH was recently offered two jobs and he hadn't actually applied for either of them. One was because he was interviewed by a consultant for a position in anothr organisation that he didn't get but the consultant thought he would be good for a different position in another company. The other job, which he took, he got by phoning an organisation that does what he used to do in the UK and saying here I am, I have the skills you need, can you help.

[Anika]

Well today I applied for my 67th job, since early December, and still not a sausage!

In the UK I would apply for about 5 get interviews and then be offered 2-3 at the same time.

I have adapted to the Australian format resume, wrote a detailed covering letter, i am now at my whits end.

Where we live does not have any direct public transport and until i get a job not going to get a car, so I am bored. bored, bored.

 

Came over on 457 as hubby got his job, he is loving it, tells me about people he met etc, but does not understand why I am frustrated.:arghh:

 

IF ANYONE HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR ME ON GETTING WORK PLEASE MESSAGE ME BEFORE I GO GAGA

 

I know how you feel, I've been here since mid October (on a 309/100 visa) and still haven't found permanent work. I'm currently working as a casual in a warehouse but am really trying to find a "proper" job as I rarely get a full weeks work where I am now plus it's a huge step down from what I used to do (working for an asset management bank). I've applied for countless jobs and everyone keeps telling me something will come along eventually but I'm really impatient and also I hate the uncertainty of casual work (never knowing if you'll have enough money for the week). The most annoying thing is that if my visa had been approved earlier I would have been able to get work with my sister in law. Guess that's murphy's law for you

[Rossmoyne]

Anika many other people are also on temporary contracts and dont have a permanent job. This is the way that Australia works unfortunately. It doesnt matter whether you are citizens, permanent residents or on Temp Visas, it is just so hard to score a permanent job. But I hope something comes along for you soon.

[fifi69]

I agree, being the partner of a sponsored 457 visa holder can put so many barriers in the way. Ive been here since August, 1st got a temp job thru an agengy only because the person who was meant do be doing it let them down at the last minute. I was available and it was close to wear i live. It was sold to me as a totally different job to what it actually was, it wasnt anything i had did before but i was niave and didnt question it. I hated it but stuck it out. The girl at the recruitment firm left and i didnt hear anything from them again. 2nd temp post i only got because the interviewer although a South African had been schooled in the UK and was roughly the same age as me so regonised by qualifications and said they were much better than the Oz ones!! after that I was then out of work for weeks but used the xmas holidays to my advantage, re-sent my cv to all the agengies telling them i was available over xmas. Got a offer of a weeks work the week before xmas, then kept on for the following 2 weeks, now got a another 6 week contract with the same firm, although it is quite a bit out of Perth CBD and i do have to do the twighlight shift (finish about midnight) not ideal but a/ it brings in money b/ hopefully the agengy will find me something else if i "prove myself"

This is not the working life i imagined but i will keep plodding on, even if it is only temp work.

 

To the OP, i really feel for you,me and everyone else in our situation, especially if youve given up a great job to follow a partner here, even if like me it was a joint/family decision. Offer yourself for the jobs that maybe nobody else wants, or if you live in area not accessible by public transport by other people, let them know that you are willing to work there. The post i have has a bus going once an hour, i just have to make sure that im on that bus.

 

Good luck, its tough for sure. Six weeks time im back in the same boat and dreading it

[rachellou]

I'm in the same boat, been here for about 10 months on a 457 through my fiancee, have applied for anything I can remotely tailor my skill set too but haven't had a single call back. I've also applied for jobs in shops and cleaning jobs just to be able to get out there, make some money and meet people but I haven't had any calls back about these either - just rejections. It really knocks your confidence.

[hubbert0403]

Just an update on all of your posts, firstly thank you for telling me your own situations.

Well we are now at the end of January and I have still heard nothing! I have added my details on linkedin, called agencies myself (and just told email your resume), I have adapted my resume for the 5th time, have a standard cover letter which i adapt to the position, read the localpaper each week, applied for jobs that my Grandson could do and still nothing.

I am getting more and more depressed by the day, I am not used to not working and it is driving me mad. I have taken all reference to the UK out of my resume/cover letter, but there is no hiding my qualifications!!! it is obvious they are not Australian.

Applied for one job today and within 3 minutes was told I was not suitable, although had more qualities than they were asking for.

Fingers crossed for myself and everyone else that we get some work soon, bet they dont show how difficult it is for dependants on 'wanted down under'!!

[Paul1Perth]

Get yourself a bike and make use of the loads of bike paths around. Visit a couple of cafes in the morning, preferably with Ocean views and you will remember why you came.

 

I was out of work 5 months when we first arrived and I used to put the 2 year old on the back of the bike, pack some sandwiches and explore. Saw more of Perths, suburbs and parks, usually by the river or sea, than anytime since.

[MARYROSE02]

Well today I applied for my 67th job, since early December, and still not a sausage!

In the UK I would apply for about 5 get interviews and then be offered 2-3 at the same time.

I have adapted to the Australian format resume, wrote a detailed covering letter, i am now at my whits end.

Where we live does not have any direct public transport and until i get a job not going to get a car, so I am bored. bored, bored.

 

Came over on 457 as hubby got his job, he is loving it, tells me about people he met etc, but does not understand why I am frustrated.:arghh:

 

IF ANYONE HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR ME ON GETTING WORK PLEASE MESSAGE ME BEFORE I GO GAGA

 

Sorry to hear about your woes and it mirrors my own situation. I got up to 137 odd apps and six months without work before I scored a job last year. Now it is two months and 16 although I am still in holiday mode and not trying hard. Yesterday, I did an online typing test which I stuffed up as usual. Eventually, I will get something, I know. In the meantime I am depleting my assets again. No dole for me.

[Johnny Kash]

Just an update on all of your posts, firstly thank you for telling me your own situations.

Well we are now at the end of January and I have still heard nothing! I have added my details on linkedin, called agencies myself (and just told email your resume), I have adapted my resume for the 5th time, have a standard cover letter which i adapt to the position, read the localpaper each week, applied for jobs that my Grandson could do and still nothing.

I am getting more and more depressed by the day, I am not used to not working and it is driving me mad. I have taken all reference to the UK out of my resume/cover letter, but there is no hiding my qualifications!!! it is obvious they are not Australian.

Applied for one job today and within 3 minutes was told I was not suitable, although had more qualities than they were asking for.

Fingers crossed for myself and everyone else that we get some work soon, bet they dont show how difficult it is for dependants on 'wanted down under'!!

 

I can relate to your frustrations Hubbert. Myself, I was 3 months with nothing on arrival and was applying for everything - both jobs I was qualified to do and menial stuff. I even remember chasing up a job sorting out rubbish in a recycling depot, didnt even get that!!

In the end I landed a job in a car wash, although even that took a bit of chasing - phone call, interview with one manager, come back for interview with 'big boss', next day 2 hour unpaid trial - it was laughable, I thought they were going to make me do a competency based panel interview at one point.

Anyway after all that did that for a few weeks then landed myself a decent job, although that came from a prospective email rather than job advert. Was a real grind at the start though.

 

Difference I found was in the Uk if you ever find yourself out of work you can get something through the agencies such as order picking in a warehouse whereas here you need 'tickets' for this, that and the other.

Was going to suggest you may have to apply for something simple/menial to get Aussie references but sounds like youre doing that anyway. anyhow stick in, something will come up. :cool:

[fergal007]

Just an update on all of your posts, firstly thank you for telling me your own situations.

Well we are now at the end of January and I have still heard nothing! I have added my details on linkedin, called agencies myself (and just told email your resume), I have adapted my resume for the 5th time, have a standard cover letter which i adapt to the position, read the localpaper each week, applied for jobs that my Grandson could do and still nothing.

I am getting more and more depressed by the day, I am not used to not working and it is driving me mad. I have taken all reference to the UK out of my resume/cover letter, but there is no hiding my qualifications!!! it is obvious they are not Australian.

Applied for one job today and within 3 minutes was told I was not suitable, although had more qualities than they were asking for.

Fingers crossed for myself and everyone else that we get some work soon, bet they dont show how difficult it is for dependants on 'wanted down under'!!

 

I know how you feel I have been here since July 2012,Number one rule I have found is "dumb down your CV" many prospective employers will deem you overqualified, I have a degree and a trade and I am currently looking for a junior or assistant manager role (construction or engineering) to no avail so far! Number two, Aussie employers seem more interested in Australian experience , which luckily I have. I have secured a full time job in Melbourne, abet not in the role I want but at least its full time and will allow me to earn money and look for something more suitable while my degree gets assessed.Number three , be prepared to do anything , it can be frustrating but any job is a job! Like me you will find the right job when it crops up I am staying positive for 2013

 

It is not the best time of year to be looking for work , it seems to me people who I have talked to said things start moving jobs wise from about mid February.