Don't come without a job, Australia is not working!!!!!

[boganbear]

It all depends on what industry you are in and what skills you have and the vacancies available. If there are few jobs available it doesnt matter how much experience you have got. I was lucky to get a job in my first week and have had no trouble finding work whatsoever and have been headhunted 3 times in 4 years. Having said that, I know I have been incredibly lucky with the job market at the time, but there are very few jobs in my sector now. I have had to do crap jobs and hated them and I'm now in one that i love, although the money could be a lot better and I know that I am worth more

[Petals]

Well after a 2 years we've been here 8 months applied for over 200 jobs, with covering letter and 3email returns telling me I don't have Queensland experience, so I can work on an Olympic program of works in London, senior project manager working on millions of pounds worth of projects yet I can't build a shed at the end of the garden in Australia.

 

i would say to anyone coming to Australia, delay it, don't come. Australia is not working at all. It looks after it's own 1st and there are lots of ozzies out of work they will come 1st, then the expats. ONLY COME IF YOU HAVE A JOB.

 

its not the dream anymore, it's not paradise anymore as it once was, there isn't any work, recruitment guys don't get back to you your totally in the dark, we've spent $35,000 dollars in 8 months, the wife is working otherwise we would be gone by now..

 

be warned don't come without a job, Australia is not working!,,,,,,,,

 

I feel your pain, my friend's oh is a civil engineer and project manages. He did the Brisbane Airport job and then the company folded and he had to look for work, that has been the story of his whole career over all the years we have known them. However because he is in the industry and knows a lot of people he always falls on his feet. Its getting your toe in the water that is the problem. As the gov is not spending money does not help building and commercial building is down presently as you know.

 

People think its easy to get a job, its not, when I first came here I worked in Sydney, moved to Melbourne and I could not get a job for quite a while as I did not have Victorian experience, its stupid I know but its what its like here in Aus.

 

With the State gov here in Victoria trying for a surplus a lot of people have lost their jobs.

 

I hope you can find something, can you fly to another State or take a job overseas fly in fly out, I know a lot of guys do that these days.

[flag of convenience]

just back from perth and lots o work:err:

 

Living in Perth and find the work has definately declined.

[catlover1]

Look, let's respect we are all different, with different expectations, skills etc. Fryertuck is talking from experience and his opinion is just as valid as yours and I think his post could be helpful to some people and encourage them to research the situation before they get here. You obviously have had a very different experience and good for you.

 

I thought the point of this forum was to help/support/encourage each other particularly when times are hard! Good for you that you are doing well but please respect that we all have different views and we are all entitled to express those views in an open and transparent way!:biggrin:

[Anika]

I have to agree, to some extent at least, that it is difficult and tough finding a job in the Brisbane area, in my opinion. I've been here since mid-october last year and have so far not found anything permanent. My background is in banking/financial services admin and although there seem to be a fair few jobs around that I believe I am qualified to do I have had no luck as yet. I started off working as a casual in a warehouse but in the last 2 weeks I have only had one shift, luckily my OH also works there and gets "regular" shifts so we are getting by. Last week I applied for a temping job and was accepted, I am now working for a financial planning firm however this will probably only last a maximum of 4 weeks as they told me from the off that they are looking to find a permanent candidate for the role and that I wouldn't be suitable as I do not have a diploma in financial planning. In the meantime however, to make my CV more impressive and also to give myself something to do I also do an evening class once a week, learning how to complete income tax returns. As long as I pass the exam at the end I may be able to get a job with the accountants running the course or else my sister in law who works for an accountants has said she would be able to get me a job there, however that wouldn't be until tax time at the end of June and would only last a few months at most. I would be prepared to move to another state to try my luck there however my OH isn't prepared to do that as his family all live here and he's also in the process of applying for the QLD police service. So the search continues, luckily we don't have any kids to support otherwise this would all be even harder than it already is.

[rosiew]

I have to agree, to some extent at least, that it is difficult and tough finding a job in the Brisbane area, in my opinion. I've been here since mid-october last year and have so far not found anything permanent. My background is in banking/financial services admin and although there seem to be a fair few jobs around that I believe I am qualified to do I have had no luck as yet. I started off working as a casual in a warehouse but in the last 2 weeks I have only had one shift, luckily my OH also works there and gets "regular" shifts so we are getting by. Last week I applied for a temping job and was accepted, I am now working for a financial planning firm however this will probably only last a maximum of 4 weeks as they told me from the off that they are looking to find a permanent candidate for the role and that I wouldn't be suitable as I do not have a diploma in financial planning. In the meantime however, to make my CV more impressive and also to give myself something to do I also do an evening class once a week, learning how to complete income tax returns. As long as I pass the exam at the end I may be able to get a job with the accountants running the course or else my sister in law who works for an accountants has said she would be able to get me a job there, however that wouldn't be until tax time at the end of June and would only last a few months at most. I would be prepared to move to another state to try my luck there however my OH isn't prepared to do that as his family all live here and he's also in the process of applying for the QLD police service. So the search continues, luckily we don't have any kids to support otherwise this would all be even harder than it already is.

 

Perhaps you should consider looking into starting to study the units for the diploma of financial planning as a new skill builder. The tax course you are doing is a lot of work and interesting but it leads to 3 months part time work at best and that work only pays $18-19 per hour. The work finishes on the last day of the tax season - 31 October. Banks are cutting down on the back office but financial planning would seem to have a bright future with so many people set to retire in the next 20 years all with superannuation to invest.

[Anika]

I was thinking about it but we don't have the money for me to be able to study, we just transferred a chunk of savings from the UK meant for a deposit on a house at a later stage so that we could buy a car and I want to avoid touching the remaining savings we have left unless absolutely necessary. I'm also hoping that once I pass my driving test (in the next 5 weeks) I'll be able to apply for more jobs that I haven't been able to until now as I have to rely on public transport.

[Incata]

I do agree its pretty hard to get a job anywhere at the mo. But what really gets me is that employers don't even have the decency to send you an email. Just a generic thanks for applying to the unsuccessful candidates, its rude I think.

 

Sent from my GT-P5110 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

Hi

 

Just in response and in defence of employers, we very often will get in excess of 500 applications per post. Most companies have the systems in place to send out an automatic email acknowledging the application, but only the largest will have systems whereby your email address is automatically logged and they could therefore just click on a button which would send an email saying you were rejected. Some, to their credit, do say in their adverts that if you have not heard by X date you have not been successful. In many cases (particularly in the Health Sector in the UK) you will get several hundred applications for nurses roles where the candidate does not live in the UK, does not have the right to a visa and does not even have relevant skills (eg a nursing qualification) and yet they still apply. A lot of time is spent sifting these and again if you sent out rejects, you would do nothing else.

 

However it is interesting to note that when I worked at a company where we did implement a system which did email candidates when they had been unsuccessful, the complaints then became "you haven't given me any personal feedback and it is rude to send a generic reject email".

 

If HR spent every minute of the day sending reject letters or emails to every candidate who applied, they would never actually get round to arranging interviews or making offers to successful candidates.

 

As an HR applicant (looking for work now myself) I tend to take the view that if I have not heard within a week, the answer is no, so move on. If I want feedback I will phone or email the recruiter and arrange a time to call for feedback about why I was rejected. My husband did this for one role he applied for before we moved here and found that the recruiter had misunderstood his visa and had rejected him out of hand, despite him having all the skills for the job. He apologised and admitted that my husband would have been interviewed if he realised he had permanent residency. As a result my husband revamped his CV so it was absolutely clear that he had permanent residency, and then when he was here, got his job. The feedback was invaluable. If he had not asked for feedback he could have applied for 50 jobs and been rejected before finding out what he was doing wrong. A quick revamp and he got the first job he went for when we got here.

 

I would thoroughly recommend that if you don't hear back about a job, phone and ask for feedback as to why you weren't shortlisted. Then ask them what you could change about your CV to get you shortlisted next time. The results may surprise you and may make the difference between being interviewed and being rejected.

[devon67]

My wife had a job to go to, but i didnt, i applied for about 6 jobs got interviews for all, accepted one and within 2 weeks im working

getting paid more money than when i was in the UK

 

not sure why you havent got a job, maybe aim a little lower

[rosiew]

My wife had a job to go to, but i didnt, i applied for about 6 jobs got interviews for all, accepted one and within 2 weeks im working

getting paid more money than when i was in the UK

 

not sure why you havent got a job, maybe aim a little lower

 

Yep we still seem to have a reasonable amount of jobs here in Victoria, but everyone seems drawn to Queensland and finding it much harder. Perhaps you could sell them the benefits of Peninsula beaches!

[Flathead]

not sure why you havent got a job, maybe aim a little lower

How can you aim any lower than Australia?:laugh:

[Sol Survivor]

Look, let's respect we are all different, with different expectations, skills etc. Fryertuck is talking from experience and his opinion is just as valid as yours and I think his post could be helpful to some people and encourage them to research the situation before they get here. You obviously have had a very different experience and good for you.

 

I thought the point of this forum was to help/support/encourage each other particularly when times are hard! Good for you that you are doing well but please respect that we all have different views and we are all entitled to express those views in an open and transparent way!:biggrin:

 

No one disputes the OP's right to tell their story but the criticism / counter arguments that have come off the back of it were in light of the sensationalistic manner with which it was written. The posting was a generalised dismissal of moving to Aus off the back of one persons experiences. Unless I've missed a reply from someone who has been callously unsympathetic in telling their "good version" of emmigrating, then every reply has been perfectly acceptable. If someone has posted a reply which talks up their good times, then why not, as it was necessary for people to do that to redress the understandably negative first post, which resulted in at least one panic response from people looking to make this move. As opposed to serving as a warning to be more diligent in your preparation and not "presume" the grass is greener. It pretty much just said, "don't come"! Which is not helpful, supportive or encouraging........

[Chortlepuss]

If someone has posted a reply which talks up their good times, then why not, as it was necessary for people to do that to redress the understandably negative first post, which resulted in at least one panic response from people looking to make this move. As opposed to serving as a warning to be more diligent in your preparation and not "presume" the grass is greener. It pretty much just said, "don't come"! Which is not helpful, supportive or encouraging........

 

I think for many of us who have been in 'in-demand' careers prior to coming to Australia, it comes as a shock to find yourself out of work. I have never had a problem finding work in the UK, and I'm willing to bet that the OP has the same experience. Needless to say I'm sure there are many in the UK who see such posts and imagine that they are somehow 'different' and that the situation we find ourselves in is due to lack of skill, aptitude, current qualifications, attitude, lack of willingless to take junior jobs etc etc instead of unfortunately experiencing the worst jobs market ever seen by many. I am old enough to have worked through recession in the UK - but there were always IT jobs if you were flexible enough on role/pay. It is desperate in Brisbane for so many people right now (I have friends who are losing their house), unemployment is very high, and new projects in a city where IT work is traditionally based on Government/Health are thin on the ground due to Campbell's indiscriminate slashing. I wouldn't recommend anyone coming to QLD without securing a job first - the risk of unemployment is very very high. If in order to stress this one has to be 'negative' then so be it. As I understand it, there are better opportunities in other states than here and I wouldn't want anyone to be misled by positive spin/adverts on Seek/bent immigration advisors trying to make a quick buck.

[jimithechew]

a lot in life seems about being in the right place at the right time, along with the old saying, 'its not what you know but who you know'

 

In WA all the job apps all said the same thing WA experience essential....

 

All I can say is keep plugging away, speak to friends of friends, its amazing how many people know someone in the same line of work as you and could introduce you to an otherwise closed door...

[ADAWN]

I haven't read all the posts and I can well imagine it gets heated.

I would Australia is not the land of milk and Honey it once was and I would urge anyone to get a job before coming out, this could be the difference between make and break.

 

to the OP

My Husband was also a Project Manager in Contruction on large London based projects. He came out on an interview/job seeking trip first to Brisbane as it was our first choice, he couldn't even get an interview despite lining up agent contacts before arriving. he had a 6 week trip planned and we thought best to cut our losses and move on before he wasted the whole 6 weeks. 3 days in Perth, 4 interviews, 3 job offers and a 2nd interview requested from the other. Seems WA is a world apart from Qld or the rest of OZ who are feeling the pinch

[zidden]

Know the right hand shake and it will be fine. :biglaugh:

[hubbert0403]

I have had the same problem, we are lucky that hubby was offered a job before coming here, but I have applied for around 160 and have got nowhere, in the UK I would usually get offered several interviews and be able to choose which one i wanted, here they recognise qualifications, experience is worthless and issues if you are on a 457 visa are now becoming problematic, it definitely is not how Australia was sold to us but we are determined to make it work, even if just for 4 years, after that who knows

[jimmyay1]

To anyone coming to Australia without a job, don't come delay your migration. Australia is not working every state is down, I've applied for over 200 jobs, you don't get a call, you don't get a email you get nothing it all goes straight in the bin.

 

we've been here 8 months, spent $35,000 dollars and running at a loss of $1500 a month.

 

i would advise anyone coming here without a job, DON'T, wait till the last minute before you activate your visa, there isn't any work here, were in Brisbane, government cuts cuts cuts and believe me, it's far far worse than anything in the UK.

 

im a senior project manager, worked on the Olympics can't get a thing, lucky the wife has a job otherwise we would gone back at Xmas.

 

believe me guys, stay where you are Austarlia is not working for thousands of expats, many going back.

 

Really sorry to hear that. I came out here without a job in November. i'd found work by the end of January. It's a good position, more responsibility and seniority than i had in the UK & and is better paid. Just to give people an alternative view. I am in Melbourne though and i know the job market in Brisbane is more geared to favouring " locals" .

[Guest]

Could you move else where for work ? Maybe apply for an unrelated job in the mean time to pay hte bills etc . . .

[okanna]

Hi there,

 

Yep unfortunately Im finding the same here in Brisbane also...really depressing. Husband has job (family came over on his 457 visa)...i thought i would have no problem getting work but its really incredibly hard and demoralising.

 

I have the experience and the qualifications (if not more so) than required for every job and as you say, either no word at all, or a standard rejection letter...very very tiresome

 

Hope it will improve as we have only been here since July 2012, and want to settle here but not looking too good at the moment

[jaffa57]

Hi Guys, I am a qualified Diesel mechanic with experience on all types of vehicle from small car to heavy mining and contractors Plant

I have lived in Melbourne, whilst there I trained and updated my qualifications for Australian ones:

because of my age I need a 457 to work, I applied for hundreds of jobs, met 20 + employers face to face, still nothing, but all the time just living (Food rent Etc) running at a loss living off savings, It became so bad, I have returned to UK to work and build up capital to enable me to return and try again: I do agree with Fryertuck, most would be unwise to come to Oz without a firm job offer

 

I KNOW Been There Done that too my cost

[flag of convenience]

Hi Guys, I am a qualified Diesel mechanic with experience on all types of vehicle from small car to heavy mining and contractors Plant

I have lived in Melbourne, whilst there I trained and updated my qualifications for Australian ones:

because of my age I need a 457 to work, I applied for hundreds of jobs, met 20 + employers face to face, still nothing, but all the time just living (Food rent Etc) running at a loss living off savings, It became so bad, I have returned to UK to work and build up capital to enable me to return and try again: I do agree with Fryertuck, most would be unwise to come to Oz without a firm job offer

 

I KNOW Been There Done that too my cost

 

I'd say sound advice. Changes a plenty are a coming.

[Guest chris955]

The problem is when you have (thankfully) a small number of posters telling everyone how there is plenty of work and if you want to work there is no problem. Thankfully the worst posters seems to have disappeared. There is absolutely no doubt it is MUCH harder to find a job now.

[Guest Andy]

The problem is when you have (thankfully) a small number of posters telling everyone how there is plenty of work and if you want to work there is no problem. Thankfully the worst posters seems to have disappeared. There is absolutely no doubt it is MUCH harder to find a job now.

 

Why thankfully? Is it because those posters have a different opinion than you so thankfully they have gone? :unsure: Anyway fancy those that are actually in Australia and doing ok passing that on to others that maybe there are jobs, bloody disgraceful :err:

[kissofthegypsy]

Why thankfully? Is it because those posters have a different opinion than you so thankfully they have gone? :unsure: Anyway fancy those that are actually in Australia and doing ok passing that on to others that maybe there are jobs, bloody disgraceful :err:

I am one of "THOSE" posters and everyones situation is different; different skills, experience, required roles, life needs, hence the fact that some of THOSE posters, offered their own perspectives although they may not have been as negative as the OPs thread title. The Brisbane job market in the IT space has never been as buoyant as Sydney or Melbourne, the government shake up, displaced thousands of employees and saturated the market, rates came down and the needs for a niche or angle has never been so important. There will have been hundreds of PMs displaced and who is to say which PM is better than the other unless you have a niche. We advertised for a permie PM the other day and had over 200 applicants. Brisbane jobs are mostly about networking, do a **** job and everyone will hear about it, lots of jobs have already been taken by the time they adverts go on seek, hence the 1200 people on my linkedin account. Its not easy for everyone, agreed, but as Andy has said, some people have come over here and find it relatively easy to find work. I am an IT contractor and have not been out of work in 4 years through 4 different contracts with no gaps. Good luck to everyone!