My first job in Australia

[Toitjie]

I thought it might be a good idea to split this from my journal, as finding a job must be the nr 1 stressor after actually getting the visa!

I told a friend yesterday that waiting for the visa, we all think our lives are in limbo, but after this period in Australia, waiting to land a job, I realised that waiting for the visa was nothing, my life went on, I had a job to go to. Here I was literally living in limbo, waiting for a job, seeing my bank balance decrease daily and calculating how much longer I can survive before we had to take more drastic action and start looking at Sydney or Melbourne.

As I mentioned in my journal, after searching for a job for just over 4/5 months, I have found one. Im extremely excited yet nervous to start this new adventure in my life. I have worked for 18 years for the same company and 15 of those in the role I had when I left so this change for me is huge. Also, the sales aspect of this recruitment role is new to me. I really hope that i will excel in this Recruitment has always been a passion of mine, especially in the industrial side of things, and that is where I will be now too, so for that Im quite happy about.

Plus they are going to send me to Sydney for three days' training - looking forward to that!!

The few tips that I can give to prospective newbies are:

1. Start browsing all the sites so that you get a good overall idea of the type of positions available, the salary scales and how they advertise. In many of the positions you have to address specific selection criteria and those are critical. Those are really used as a sifting tool so yours need to be on point.

2. Have your resume redone so that the correct language for the industry is used. When this is done you can use that type of wording on your cover letter and selection criteria and linkedin profile so all speak the same language

3. I cannot stress enough how beneficial it was to me to do volunteer work. I realise that it might not always be easy to get into a company, even working for free, but do your homework and select a few companies where you would like to work (preferably doing something in your line of experience). Other volunteer work such as care&share is also good, I just think that if you do volunteer work in your field it would benefit you so much more.

4. Landing a job rests so much on your background but also so much on the individual that interviews you. I have zero agency experience and no sales background, yet I landed 2 interviews with Recruitment Agencies for a consultant within their ranks. i was surprised at this because I thought the market was tight, and since I lacked sales experience there would certainly be more experienced candidates than me. and for one of the interviews I think this is largely correct. It's for an IT recruitment company and I got the impression that my lack of sales experience was a bit of an issue. but still...I got an interview and as for the other company - although they know my background, they were still very happy to afford me the opportunity. The lady that interviewed me and I got on from the start, she is a lovely person and we really had more of a chat than an interview, and the rest is history

all I want to say by mentioning nr 4 - there is hope. lots of it. If I can do this, anyone can. And this is a tighter than normal labour-market at the moment, so the opportunities are there, you just have to ensure that your ammunition are in place and in perfect working order (CV) and apply for as many positions as you can (it took me around 60)

As soon as I start working I will use this thread to recount my experiences...hopefully it will all be ok (I hate that first day walk in into a unknown territory)

[JuanitaS]

Congratulations Toitjie;

I'm so happy for you and thank you for sharing as I'm also struggling and it is very difficult to keep focus and stay motivated.

All the best.

[Mikej]

Congratulations!!!!

[Tazzn]

Congratulations Such great news

[RYLC]

Wonderful news

One tip: take your own mug on the first day in case you need one - people can be territorial about "their" cup.

[Jacovl]

Congratulations!

[B007]

congratulations that is very good news and enjoy it

[Sol1]

WELL done Toitjie- hope you have a great first day. when do you start?

[Bronwyn&Co]

People might also ask you why you left SA. Have a couple of middle-of-the-rd responses ready, like 'we just wanted to give our children a world-experience'. Imho it's better to avoid discussions about crime, race, or previous weapon-ownership.

[Toitjie]

WELL done Toitjie- hope you have a great first day. when do you start?

I start on Monday 12 May, so I have a week left of being a lady of leisure. I must say, although I stressed a lot about finding a job, the time I was able to spend with my kids adapting to their school, picking them up after school, being with them, doing homework, going for walks in the afternoon, was priceless. I am so thankful I had that opportunity. I even had the time to get Lucy settled as she had my undivided attention every day when the kids were in school. I also brushed up on some cooking and baking skills I didn't know I had...so it was a good time.

People might also ask you why you left SA. Have a couple of middle-of-the-rd responses ready, like 'we just wanted to give our children a world-experience'. Imho it's better to avoid discussions about crime, race, or previous weapon-ownership.

Bronwyn - excellent point, I forgot about that one. In every interview I was asked that question, and the very first time I was a little taken aback. I realised I can't say the real reason but I had to say something good because no-one uproots their children just for the joy of it. In the end I settled for the education line. I just tell them that the education system in SA is in shambles and I wanted to give my kids an excellent opportunity for first world education. They all smile when I say this so I think it was a safe midway?

[Bronwyn&Co]

I think so Toitjie. I made the mistake of telling someone I used to own a gun & then I had heaps of strangers stopping at my desk to ask me uncomfortable questions, so I learned that it was better not to say anything

[Toitjie]

12 May

So...today was the day of reckoning. The first day in almost a year that I went back to work. It was frightening and lovely at the same time.

I have read about people not loving their job or environment and I can so understand the difficulty in adjusting to a new country, new job and then having a difficult office environment. For me, the environment could not be more perfect. The people are lovely, they told me about 20 times today how happy they were that I was there.

Three of us went for coffee and had a nice chat. Then back to the office to get my up and running on all the systems. Then a site meeting in Fyshwick where I saw how a risk assessment was done (oh...btw....since Im going to work on a lot of construction site, I will be getting my own hard hat and safety hard-tip boots - apparently you can get them in pink, red or purple if you dont fancy the brown or black) Then another coffee at a nice coffee house in Fyshwick and then back to the office. They really spoiled me rotten today

I will be flying in to Sydney for a day's training on Wednesday, then on Thursday I have a client breakfast at 7am, on Friday a lot of different client meetings and we were invited to participate in the millionpawswalk on Sunday with Lucy. All the people in the office are doggie people and there is a whole wall of pics of all the pooches

There are so many online courses that I have to do, I have done 2 today and tried a third but I just couldnt concentrate anymore. Its complete information overload.

I noticed something else. I am very comfortable with English, I have done 2 degrees in English, my workplace in SA was mostly English and I overall do good. But throughout my life it was balanced with Afrikaans. The two went together. Today however, was 100% only English and I could feel that mentally I got tired. It was as if I was somehow losing my words. It's really difficult to describe, I felt as if I have learnt a new language and had to think about every word I was saying. I think I was just tired, mentally and emotionally I was drained....almost like in a dream where you are trying to walk but it feels like quicksand...my brain felt like that

It really is hard going back to work. I dearly wish I could win the lotto and never have to work again...but I think I have been incredibly blessed. As jobs go, and colleagues go, I got nice ones and it can only get better. They really look after their people and they are so efficient. Their systems are really grand and I have free parking under the building! Big prize!

I definitely feels weird to get home after dark, it will take some getting used to. I do feel a little stressed..I was used to having a lot of free time, doing things with the kids, walking the dog, making a nice dinner. Now I have to learn again how to balance all that because I got home just before 6pm and it feels like there is not enough hours in the day left to do everything I have to do!

[Batsie]

Thanks for the update Toitjie. Looks like you had a fantastic start. All the best and keep the faith.

[qwerty]

Big congrats on getting the job and surviving your first day at work!!! I fly on Friday and start my job next week Monday. Must say I'm nervous as hell...not knowing what to expect, etc.

[shannonc4]

Awesome Toitjie, this job was meant to be then

[McCabes]

Toitjie this is just awesome, I am SO happy for you! They sound like such a great group of people and I can't help feeling you've got the "right" job after all this time.

Re the languages, I also speak both - English all day at work (and I am originally English), but Afrikaans with hubby and his family - so after work and weekends. Especially when I am in a group, and even more so when it's a group I don't know well, I find I get "tongue-tied" - regardless of which language, and feel like I'm having vocab-retrieval issues. It usually passes once I get used to the "new" people, so I think just hang in there. you will also have been hyper-alert trying to absorb everything, and that is exhausting!

Hope you can find a new routine and get back into the swing of things!

Congrats!!!

[Ericadslv]

I am so thrilled for you Toitjie. Good luck - soon you will be settled and feel like you have been there forever.

[Bams]

Congratulations Toitjie. I am so happy for you. Thanks also for the encouragement. I have applied for 32 jobs in just under two weeks and not one word back, my faith was declining today, but your post have lifted my spirits again. So hope I get something soon, I love to contribute to society and at the moment I feel like I am just dangling around...

I also get tongue twisted, but not just that my brain gets all twisted where it feels like I cannot hear what people are saying, sort of like they are speaking a language from another planet...even if they are speaking plain Afrikaans or English. Must say I am a little nervous about the Aussie ascents. I love to hear it, but scared that I wont always understand and that people will be irritated if I ask them to repeat themselves.

Enjoy the rest of your week and all the meetings, please keep us posted.

[RYLC]

Bams try watching more tv or listening to talk back radio to get more of an ear for the accents. It's really just a practice / familiarity thing.

[Toitjie]

21 May

I see i have put my one journal entry about my job in my "landing" journal...Bronwyn..I was wondering why you answered me in that journal. I never realised i put it in the wrong journal. Im so tired, some days Im really just not thinking straight

On the job front things are very very slowly beginning to make sense to me. It is still a long way from where I would feel completely at ease. Small little things...they are starting to tease my about my accent which I take as a sign of acceptance

Today I said I will take "milk" in my coffee and was teased about it. She said, it's not "milk", it's "mielk"...so I equally told her, no, "mielk" sounds so Brittish! I will stick to "milk" thank you very much! It's good if there is good natured bantering, it means you are considered part of the team.

I got my very butch steelcapped boots and have to wear them tomorrow to a site meeting. Another thing I was teased about..I jokingly said I want to get purple boots (I never intended to, was just a joke, I took the normal black ones) but apparently in Oz purple is a gay colour? Dont know if thats true or not but was asked if I am gay. *sigh* I really have to get the cultural differences under the belt (no pun intended) because I felt a little foolish after that (I do think the question was meant as a joke though, but not knowing meant I didnt really know how to respond appropriately). Sometimes it's easy to chat to everyone and sometimes it's a bloody minefield to navigate!

My brain is still in overdrive...and getting home just before 6pm still irks me..hopefully I can change that in future. I dont know exactly how the culture here works. I guess every company is different, I was appointed on 38 hours per week which means 8:30 - 4:30 and that includes a 30 min lunch yet everyone stays until after 5pm. Im a really hard working person, and I dont want to be the one that always leaves early but I dont understand the concept of how they calculate their hours. Unless they take longer lunches, I guess they stay at work then longer. I guess it's just because it's still early days and I really miss being at home with the kids. Gosh...being at home! I miss my clean neat house with dinner made when everyone is there. Now, nothing gets done, I hastily do some laundry when I can drag myself to the laundry room, a clean tidy house is a distant memory and dinner is either something hubby concocts or something I can do in 20 minutes

[Bronwyn&Co]

Toitjie my kids were teasing my husband the other day because he wore a purple shirt. The eldest said 'don't you know purple is the international gay colour?' Anyway we were just laughing, it's my favourite shirt Just a joke I think.

A slow- cooker is your friend in winter! Brown a cheap roast (the most irritating part) the night before. In the slow cooker put about 2 peeled carrots & 2 potatoes per person plus a cut up onion. Bomb in the roast. Sprinkle a packet of brown onion soup (SA section at Coles?) & a half a cup of water. Stick in the fridge. In the morning take out & put it on low. When u get home 20 mins for rice in a rice cooker. Yummy!

Speaking of which, get Coles shopping home delivered.

Also, if you can afford it, get a cleaner. Maybe $100 per week to save your sanity. Stop ironing ANYTHING extra. It's surprising, but school uniforms and pyjamas, lots of stuff...just hang it nicely.

Antibacterial wipes & toilet duck in the bathroom...

Good luck! It can get hectic but don't put too much pressure on yourself. Your standards will drop when you work full time.

Edited May 21, 2014 by Bronwyn&Co

[RYLC]

Isn't that funny about the colour purple. I have always associated it with epilepsy, Alzheimer's and various cancer awareness campaigns.

Glad you are starting to feel more settled at work. Check out www.flylady.net for getting some routines in place to keep the house running smoothly. After 14 years I still miss that "whole house is gleaming" look of having an employed cleaner

Bronwyn's suggestions of the slow cooker and Coles Online are great too.

[SurferMan]

Buy a halogen oven and a slow cooker from KMart. $ 20 and $40 bucks. Well done on the job. My wife struggled when she got here, just listen to the TV and radio, you will pick up the accent in no time. I hardly hear it at all anymore. Just on the brown onion soup, rather make your own stock, that stuff has got some nasty ingredients! (no offence forumites, I used to use the stuff too until I started reading labels!)

Now I bulk make stocks, and buy no processed food at all. We buy from farm stalls and country folk around us, and from the Organic Co-Op. One day I will earn enough for a "mate/meid" LOLOL

[rozellem]

Purple is my fave colour and nobody has ever said this to me. My (male, straight) electrician wears dark purple safety boots. Very forward and brave of your colleague, its not obvious if someone is gay. For all they knew you could be. Your partner just being very hairy

[Crossedover]

Thanks for sharing... The more we read before we land the fewer silly mistakes we are likely to make. I hate making mistakes, I better get used to it I guess.