Guest lucygooseyb Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Hey guys, I'm currently in the process of looking for jobs, searching for companies etc... It's all still very early days but I'm wondering if anyone has any advice re: contacting the companies? What is the best way to word the emails? I don't think I can just say, "Hi I'm Lucy, I want to live and work in your beautiful country, give us a job!" I'm on Linkedin so I can contact some people through that too. Looking to fly out to Perth next year around August/September time so would be able to meet with employers too. I thought I would ask some of you people in the know first... any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance, Lucy :smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eera Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I don't know if it varies between companies, but we wouldn't bother responding to vague "I'm thinking about coming over at some indeterminate time in the future..." type emails. You're probably better off actually writing as if you're applying, send in a cover letter and a CV and say you are available to start immediately but require sponsoship (that takes a few months to come through so don't worry if you have to give a months' notice or something. If you're still nearly a year out of coming over to visit, it's not worthwhile sending out any CVs yet as they probably won't remember you next year (unless you are available immediately if the offer were to come). Do your research, target companies specifically, do a knockout cover letter (specific to that company) and send it a couple of months before you come over to visit. Follow it up a month later with an email stating you'll be over soon and would like to visit, then try and get an appointment arranged a week prior. We take people a hell of a lot more seriously if they can show they're serious about us as a company. we get all sorts of "Dear Sir, I want to work in your company" type emails. If they don't even bother naming us in their cover letter they get ignored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lucygooseyb Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Hi Eera, thanks very much for your reply. That's really interesting to know, I could realistically go out earlier if it was to meet with employers etc, we were just looking at going out later in the year to make it a long holiday as well as a job hunt... and we wanted to save some money before hand... Will get onto a top notch cover letter and see how I get on! Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1K3R Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I second Eera's reply. When I applied months before, they told me to contact them again a month before arrive. Most companies are not really bothered if you are not in the country unless you are really specialized in something. Another issue I had was that most companies feel that they are used as a stepping stone to land in OZ and then find another job after a few months. So you have to make it clear that you will commit to the company for a while and would really like to stick there for a while giving valid reasons. LinkedIn is great. I made lots of contacts from there. Join as many groups as you can and try to network. But like I said, you have to be available within a month or so as they would want to meet you. Again, it all depends on your skills and experience and how much they are in demand. Don't give up, keep trying. It might take a while but you only need one Good luck!!! Cheers B!K3R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chops1963 Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Hi Thought i`d offer some advice based on my own experience (i landed in Canberra Nov 2010) With the timescale you have for coming over, you need to do plenty of research i.e. What industries? what roles? What other industries/roles you could consider or move into? Research professional associations. Start making network connections through Linkedin. Start to set up a database of companies and potential companies to contact, together with relevent person and their email contact details. Set yourself a timeframe in which to come over i.e 4-6 weeks, you will need an end point to have everything prepared for, otherwise things will drag (believe me). About 1 month out, starting posting in the relavent Linkedin groups (i can give you the names of groups i am in that i have used). Make sure that you`re contact details are easily seen, and make sure that you have a Skype or other means of having international phonecalls. I would then start to send out e mail speculative applications to potential employers, i think 6-8 weeks before you arrive, so that you can make an itinerary of who you`ll be meeting etc. And potential employers, may also put you in touch with other leads. I would post a message of 3-4 paragraphs, stating briefly what your intentions are, your availability and where you will be staying (or travelling between). I found this worked to great effect for me, i was promoted via an established british contact, resulting in networking with an australian business who i met for Coffee in Melbourne.....emailed me a list with 13 personal contacts on (inc 4 CEO`s). Also networked with a professor through linked in that led to a phone interview(which didn`t get me the job, but my interview passed on my details to one of Australias largest companies and i was offered an interview. As i said preparation is key:5000+ Australian companies researched, 2500 entered onto Database, 7 offers of interview .1st company i saw offered me the job. Because of my age, i had to do it the hard way, and get sponsorship through a company myself. It is hard, and don`t underestimate how time consuming it is (i was out of work at the time and struggled, being in work will be tougher). If i can be of further help, let me know, i might still have some websites of interest etc :jiggy: Good luck Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lucygooseyb Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Hi B1K3R and Chops, thanks so much for your advice - really interesting and helpful advice. Chops - I would be very grateful for any info on groups on Linkedin you used... I think it's going to be a long process for me - Neither my partner or I have skills that are on the required list so going to go to the companies direct. I work as an administrator and have done for 4 years (with different companies and a year in Oz on working hol visa) BUT nothing ventured etc etc... I think if I can get networking and build up contacts then fingers crossed something might work for me :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chops1963 Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Hi Lucy Sorry i`ve not gotten back asap..having serious dramas at work recently Here are the Linkedin groups i`m in and have used: Australian Business and professional network Australian Industrial Relations Australian Institute of management Australian Skilled Migrants network Friends of Australia Networking Australia (might be restricted to people in oz only check it out) UK professionals in Australia Working in Australia Here are some links that you might find useful : http://www.takingupresidence.com/country/country.php?t=Country&c=11&tb=Culture&a=11 http://www.nabthatjob.com/ http://firstjobaustralia.blogspot.com/ http://www.hireamigrant.com/html/migrants.html http://www.otpm.com.au/ If i can be of further help please feel free to get in touch Regards Andrew (aka Chops) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marta Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 That's a very interesting thread. Does anyone also have any tips for someone who is already in Australia and doesn't find a job? (That would be me.) I heard most of the jobs in Melbourne are found through networking but how does networking in Australia work? In Germany and England it's not very common to write random emails to employers out of the blue, at least in my experience. Any tip would be much appreciated. I have been applying since July without any luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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