Being British a disavantage when job seeking?

[vickyplum]

Evening everyone

 

I am browsing the forum, idling away my Sunday evening. I wondered if Brits have experienced difficulties in getting jobs in Australia (regardless of trade / profession) due to employers having a preference for locals or people not on a visa?

 

I live in London and regularly come across Aussies (and Kiwis, + other Europeans etc) in my line of work (I'm a PA) but the job market here is much larger, so there's more opportunity, even though it can still sometimes be a struggle to get a job.

 

So does anyone have any insight on this / or an opinion?

 

Thanks

 

VP

Edited September 1, 2013 by vickyplum

[wolvesaussie]

I don't think so. half my work are British. I supposeu could always get one decision maker who would go for the local regardless just as u would get someone who would go for the hot girl or someone who would go for the younger candidates as they are a better "fit"

[Petals]

I think people may think that its because they are not Aus that they miss out on a job and if this happens a lot for them then they feel their ethnicity might be to blame. However I believe its just the same as anywhere else if you are after a job which has a lot of applicants then they are going to take the person who has experience in the local environment/market rather than someone who they may have to spend some time training or familiarising with the job.

 

I know when I moved from Sydney to Melbourne it was not easy to get a job at first and I was in the same country just that each State is different.

 

I think people need to think what job am I doing and how many of the local people also do this job and may be looking as well as me.

[Guest]

I work for a small manufacturing firm and more than half the people in the office weren't born in Australia. Lots of Brits/Kiwi's.

 

I think the lack of work experience in Australia more than the nationality itself is the problem.

[Tickled Pink]

I've had no problems, as soon as I got my foot in one door others opened. If you have the right skills and you get on with people, then I think its not too difficult. I believe the right skills and the right experience to go alongside that are much more important than where you come from.

[caroline84]

I moved here almost four weeks ago to be with my Aussie fiance and am having no such luck with jobs. Perhaps it is due to living in the states most of my life...not sure.

[Chortlepuss]

On the whole I don't think it matters - in Brisbane it's who not what you know and people just have to get on with networking. I've had the odd role where I think my accent didn't do me any favours - it sounds quite posh although I have a working class background & I think I've been wrongly judged as not capable of coping with blue collar workers - but that could happen in UK as well

[Candygirl]

I have a skype interview on Thursday and the interviewee has dual nationality. The other agencies have all said to contact them upon arrival in Oz. I am hoping that as my potential new employer has been through the process, perhaps they are more willing to give me a chance.

[windbreaker]

I have my own business and have found that it is not what you know but whom. I would still be unemployed if it was not for me. I have been looking for a job for a few years now but to no avail. On the surface is a different picture to what is the real underlying truth.

[markb28]

I struggled when I got here, but since getting some local experience I'm finding it easier, now on my 3rd role since arriving in Oct last year. No one gives a toss about your nationality, the big companies have a very international workforce with Asia, Europe (including Spain, France, Ireland, UK) and NZ all well represented.

[Rupert]

There is nothing unusual about a Brit in the workplace. I think at worse it makes no difference, at best well my colleagues are always very pleased and make a big point especially when they get a Brit just arrived (so therefore bring in fresh thinking).

[egrek]

British - I'd not think so.

At least in Melbourne there are so many people of every background.

Maybe if you have a non English accent (eg Indian rather than Brumie) I've heard of some people thinking they have issues.

In fairness, it depends who you're working for and what they look for. I was working in a team of 10 where there was only 1 born and bred Aussie, 2 more emigrated Aussies - so 9/10 weren't born here!

 

Visa status is different.

A permanent resident is treated very differently than a temporary. And then you start getting into Australian experience, then it's city experience, then sector experience, sector experience in the city?

 

I've been told with 6 months on my visa - I can't apply for a 3 month role.

And now with 4 years on a visa - I can't apply for permanent roles (but again, different people say different things).

 

Keep asking around. It's all out there, just got to find it.