Wooba Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 My partner is an experienced executive assistant/secretary in her home country and has worked for large multi-national corporations. She had a very hard time finding her current job in Canada because no one will hire you if you don't have at least 6 months of "Canadian Experience". I've read that Australia is much better for accepting foreign experience than Canada is, so does anyone know how easy/hard it will be to find work in that field, most likely in the Sydney area. Also if you can give salary ranges that would be great. Secondly, she's been getting on the job training with accounting duties. Primary she's using a software called Quickbooks. A quick google search leads me to believe that Quickbooks exists in Australia too, but I don't know how common it is there. What she'd like to know is if they don't use Quickbooks, what's the common accounting software used in Australia? She's like to start learning it before we go so she's got as much locally relevant skills as possible. Thanks.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sustain Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 www.seek.com.au All countries have "own experience" as priority check list. It has merit for some technical aspects but not as this level of transactional and communication. Just be prepared to take what ever to get that first week of local experience. This might be your first step. We developed our own bespoke ERP/MRP in house system but others we reviewed would not assist your partner. The main one I think she is likely to come across are Xero, QuickBooks, MYOB, all the others will not necessarily get you the job unless you have in depth experience with them. My advice would be to focus on the skill set across all i.e. the bookkeeping. All systems are user friendly. Reciprocal what is the rate for a good EA in Canada? Specifically Toronto as I will be needing one shortly as I move to North America shortly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 Secondly, she's been getting on the job training with accounting duties. Primary she's using a software called Quickbooks. A quick google search leads me to believe that Quickbooks exists in Australia too, but I don't know how common it is there. What she'd like to know is if they don't use Quickbooks, what's the common accounting software used in Australia? She's like to start learning it before we go so she's got as much locally relevant skills as possible.. In Australia I suspect she'd be regarded as a bookkeeper rather than an accountant. I'd say she'd be more in demand as an EA than for her ability to use Quickbooks or similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooba Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share Posted January 3, 2016 Thanks for the advice. I'll show it to her later. As for the experience, certainly I would expect a local person to get first dibs, so to speak. But in Canada it's on another level. I've seen it first hand not only with my partner but with others. It's extremely difficult to get a job without Canadian experience, no matter what the field. I've read it on more than one Canada vs Australia list that this is one of the biggest negatives of migrating to Canada. My partner actually went on a few interviews where the person didn't realize that her experience was not actually in Canada. They told her that her resume was amazing and they would hire her on a heartbeat if she had some Canadian experience, but since she didn't they couldn't. Madness. You'll see for yourself when you get to Toronto, most of the taxi drivers are engineers, doctors and scientists that can't get work in their field here. I seem to remember reading somewhere a guy was getting a sandwich at Subway and the lady making had worked on the Chinese space program before moving to Canada. It's a disgrace. As for the salary, I'm sorry but I don't know the answer. She had to take a near minimum wage office assistant job to build up some local experience. At least she's been learning a new skill with the accounting while there. What I can tell you though is that she was contacted to work as a personal assistant for an executive at a large corporation (ironically, the same one she worked for in Brazil) as the person needed someone with her experience and was fluent in Portuguese. She was unable to take it as it required travel and her visa conditions at the time wouldn't allow for that. But that was paying $75,000/year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 As for the experience, certainly I would expect a local person to get first dibs, so to speak. But in Canada it's on another level. I've seen it first hand not only with my partner but with others. It's extremely difficult to get a job without Canadian experience, no matter what the field. I've read it on more than one Canada vs Australia list that this is one of the biggest negatives of migrating to Canada. Where are you coming to in Australia? You definitely won't get that attitude in Sydney or Melbourne. Many top execs in Australia are foreigners themselves and they have absolutely no problem with PA's from overseas, in fact it could be an asset as she has a greater breadth of experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 Will she be on your visa for Aus? If not, that's going to be her first hurdle. I think she may find just the same sort of barriers to getting jobs here - very much a nudge nudge wink wink kind of environment and who, rather than what you know, especially as her skills may be quite generic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooba Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share Posted January 3, 2016 Where are you coming to in Australia? You definitely won't get that attitude in Sydney or Melbourne. Many top execs in Australia are foreigners themselves and they have absolutely no problem with PA's from overseas, in fact it could be an asset as she has a greater breadth of experience. Nothing is carved in stone, but most likely Sydney. I have a friend there and I think it would likely be best for my job (electrician). What you've said reflects what I've read and been told however my partner is terrified of repeating her troubles of finding a job there and I don't blame her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooba Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share Posted January 3, 2016 Will she be on your visa for Aus? If not, that's going to be her first hurdle. We both have 189 visas, so no issues there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 Nothing is carved in stone, but most likely Sydney. I have a friend there and I think it would likely be best for my job (electrician). What you've said reflects what I've read and been told however my partner is terrified of repeating her troubles of finding a job there and I don't blame her. Her best bet on arrival would be to do the rounds of the recruitment agencies, as in, dress up in her very best suit and present herself at their offices. Sign up for temp work as well as permanent jobs, as there is a good market for temp secretarial in Sydney and who knows, she may get a temp job at a company which will then want to hire her. Not sure how the EA market is in Canada, but in Sydney appearance is absolutely critical. She must be smartly turned out, nails manicured, hair and makeup immaculate, smart suit, high heels, smooth tanned legs (Australians don't wear stockings). I know it's sexist and sounds like something out of the 50's but it's the way it is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooba Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share Posted January 3, 2016 Her best bet on arrival would be to do the rounds of the recruitment agencies, as in, dress up in her very best suit and present herself at their offices. Sign up for temp work as well as permanent jobs, as there is a good market for temp secretarial in Sydney and who knows, she may get a temp job at a company which will then want to hire her. Not sure how the EA market is in Canada, but in Sydney appearance is absolutely critical. She must be smartly turned out, nails manicured, hair and makeup immaculate, smart suit, high heels, smooth tanned legs (Australians don't wear stockings). I know it's sexist and sounds like something out of the 50's but it's the way it is! Ha! Sounds like Brazil Thanks for the advice.. I'll pass it along.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 Ha! Sounds like Brazil Aaargh, no not quite like that! I knew a few Brazilian girls when I lived in Sydney - that's going too far! Definitely not fake tan (except on the legs!), no fake boob jobs and no plunging cleavage, please! The keyword is "polished". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooba Posted January 3, 2016 Author Share Posted January 3, 2016 Aaargh, no not quite like that! I knew a few Brazilian girls when I lived in Sydney - that's going too far! Definitely not fake tan (except on the legs!), no fake boob jobs and no plunging cleavage, please! The keyword is "polished". Yeah, I know what you meant.. expectations in Brazil are similar to what you describe.. my other half isn't the low cut blouse, fake boob type. She doesn't need to tan though, that's her natural look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sustain Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 Yeah, I know what you meant.. expectations in Brazil are similar to what you describe.. my other half isn't the low cut blouse, fake boob type. She doesn't need to tan though, that's her natural look. Sophisticated not tarty Lets not be too hasty on fake boobs, just not emphasis on hanging them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickyplum Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Hi there, I'm an EA in Sydney, working in the same role since early June 2015, initially providing maternity leave cover and my contract has now been extended beyond that. I didn't get the job because of any 'nudge nudge wink wink' nor did I turn up to interviews with bare, tanned legs - if only! I arrived at end May 2015 from London. Please feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions I might be able to help with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianaK Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Regarding the accounting/bookkeeping opportunities - we came from Canada 3 months ago and my husband is still looking for a job. He is a CPA from Canada and recently became a CPA in Australia, has over 10 years of accounting experience(including supervisory roles and audit) in big corporations in Canada but only in the Oil and Gas industry. According to the recruiters and some of the employer's feedback, this is a huge problem. Both, the lack of Australian experience and the industry that he worked in makes it very difficult to find a job. This is in Sydney. There are a lot of accounting jobs advertised but the market is flooded with accountants. He has never had a problem finding a job in Canada, even when he had 0 years Canadian experience 12 years ago. So far he has sent over 100 applications. it is true that he did not tailor his resume for each position he applied for, but still.... The recruiters are also saying that the market will be dead until the second part of January. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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