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Accountants in Australia


DXB2OZ

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I'm not a CA, but I have almost 20 years experience, much of it at a Finance Manager level, plus accounting degree and completed articles.

Have sent off around 80 CVs (combination of directly applying, general applications and cold calling) and I cannot even get a single interview.

I'm overqualified so can't even get a look on on an assistant bookkeeper position, without local experience no recruiting agent will touch me, trying to get into audit, without any luck.

Suggestions welcome as I am on the verge of strapping on a pair of thigh high boots and handing out resumes on the street corner.

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Hi DXB2OZ

An accountant friend of mine who arrived some years back did some temp work in the beginning. That helped him get the coveted Australian experience box ticked.

Good luck!

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What software do you have on your cv? You really need to have Xero (pronounced ZERO) to set yourself apart. It's only been around for about 5 years so you won't be expected to have heaps of experience.

Edited by Crisplet
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Crisplet, fully agree which is why I am a certified Xero advisor. I have also successfully completed foundation and advanced levels of the Certified Tax Advisor diploma through the Australian tax institute - effectively completed the tax module for the CA program.

Have looked at temp work, but at this time of year there isn't enough that I get a look in. Am waiting for an agency to get back to me about contract work as a payroll clerk, but they aren't exactly jumping up and down. To be fair, I'm not either - not for this one at least.

Will be re looking at the covering letter as I have tried various versions, and have had the most success where I injected a bit of personality. But just a bit - too much and it goes straight in the bin.

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Hi DXB2OZ, where are you based in Aus? My husband managed to find an excellent recruitment agent that may be able to help. He is in NSW. Let me know and I can pm you his details. Best of luck!

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Ah :( Unfortunately he is a one man show in Sydney NSW. Hubby found it pretty tough to crack interviews until we found an agent willing to work with him. He was also "overqualified" but with no Aussie experience. Not an easy place to be. There are a few contract roles going which might get you a foot in the door. We also had a much better response from regional areas (if you are prepared to move). Sorry I can't be of more help. Best of luck!

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Crisplet, fully agree which is why I am a certified Xero advisor. I have also successfully completed foundation and advanced levels of the Certified Tax Advisor diploma through the Australian tax institute - effectively completed the tax module for the CA program.

Great that you are certified in Xero. Did you go along to the recent free Xero Roadshow because that would be a target rich environment where you can network and become more than just a name on a cv?

Actually I've just looked up the date and its next Wednesday the 18th. If you haven't booked in yet then here is the link:

https://www.xero.com/au/roadshow/

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Thank you so much, Crisplet, will try and look in. Can't stay for the whole thing, due to another appointment, but will definitely stop in. As you say, a fab networking opportunity.

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DXB2OZ, the “thigh high boots” made me chuckle J.

My husband and I both work in finance and we have about the same number of years experience as you. And at the moment our plan is to migrate to either Melbourne or Sydney end 2015/beginning 2016, Melbourne being our first choice. If you are struggling to find a job and you are already in Aus, the odds of us finding something from here looks a bit low to me now. We are both more than willing to accept jobs at a lower level, just to get a foot in the door. But from what you say and from what I have read elsewhere on the internet, the chances of someone being appointed in a position for which he/she is over qualified is very rare. After many emotional discussions and deliberations we are now certain we do not want to stay in SA, but a future in Aus looks a bit bleak to me now. However it is better that we know exactly what we are in for.

I hope you find something soon.

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Thigh high boots on hold!! Friday the 13th is obviously my lucky day. Have found a company which offers a two month internship (further investigation warranted) which would at least give some local experience, but the big one is that I am meeting a recruiter on Tuesday

She said I was over qualified for the role I phoned for (shocking) and she didn't say she had anything else, but this is still a chance to meet a real live agent. Difference with this one is she actually worked in the field as oppose to being a recruiter who knows recruiting and the right buzz words but doesn't necessarily really understand what your experience means.

Expect a full report shortly. Is it wrong that I have already laid out my outfit, down to handbag and jewelry?

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Market in melbourne is apparently flooded with applicants, most of whom have lots of lovely local experience. If I am a very good girl, I may be able to get temp work as a bookkeeper, although even that is dodgy without local experience, especially as I am overqualified.

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  • 1 month later...

Am delighted to be able to report back that I have a job and start Tuesday. Actually more shell shocked than anything else. It's a really exciting opportunity but all a bit unbelievable after such an uphill battle.

The agent I met with in February never delivered anything, it was basically a bit of a bust. This job was obtained through another recruitment agent, again one who actually qualified as an accountant, so understands a bit more about what is what. I phoned him about another opportunity (tip #1 - work the phones). He said, quite honestly, that without local experience, I wasn't right for the role. So I promtly embarked on the biggest hard sell of my life. Every time he said "no", I would respond with "but wait, there's more". Honestly, I felt as if I should offer him a set of free steak knives! Anyway, eventually he agreed to look at my resume. He asked me to draft a detailed covering letter, focusing on particular areas, outlining my experience in an essay format - effectively tell a story. And keep it interesting.

We then met, he put me forward for this role and we moved swiftly to the interview process. From the interview process, I picked up the following:

- very important to put experience into context. Assume nobody has heard of the company, so outline the company. If there is a legislative issue, dramatically different from Australia (eg withdrawal from pension funds, pension funds vs superannuation funds) highlight it so your experience can be properly evaluated.

- have done some fairly extensive tax studies, which went a long way towards allaying the fears with regards to local experience. Some form of course in the tax/GST area will look good on your resume.

- am a certified xero advisor. But, this is not something to be put in the first paragraph of a covering letter, otherwise you get filed under "bookkeeper". If you are a bookkeeper, get the xero certification and put it in the first paragraph.

- did not take a step back, was not allowed to. But have compromised in other areas. Am starting on a 3 month contract at a fairly low rate. However, should everything work out, we will be renegotiating the rate in 3 months time, which has already been agreed.

Hope this helps. It's been a hard process but keep slogging at it.

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Wow that is excellent news DXB2OZ!! Congratulations! It looks like your tenacity paid off. I hope all goes well.

And thank you for those valuable tips.

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Hi DBX2OZ

Really awesome news :jester: .

I guess the message to everyone else is that preserve, preserve, preserve :magic: .

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Well done, knew you would do it!!! Hope you have something good planned for when that first pay cheque comes in!

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Donovan83, huge congrats. Seems as if things are starting to pick up a bit here.

Barbara1, my present to myself is going to be some serious kick-butt pest control! Huntsman in my kitchen this morning - possibly the most obedient spider ever - nicely climbed on the broom, rode outside, climbed off onto the bushes, but still not very welcome.

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You're supposed to let them ride on the broom?!? Oh... Er... I thought it was for smashing them to pieces... :0

Congrats on the new jobs, to both of you!

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Husband doesn't even like evicting them (believes it to be bad luck) - wholesale slaughter is really only a last resort. Thank heavens the same inhibitions don't apply to cockroaches.

Anyway, as long as I don't have to come within 3 meters of the darn thing, it's ok

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Vacuum cleaner will get the huntsman out of your house.

Well, technically, not really -

Depending on where you store your vacuum cleaner :D

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DXB2OZ well done on the job, onwards and upwards.

At least bugs in Melbourne are under control. Level of bugs in Brissie much higher. I'm not really a bug killer, but I've had so many it's you or me moments since arriving in Brisbane I no longer qualify as a conscientious objector!

Worst bug in Brissie though is maggots in the dustbin. Makes me want to throw up. Neighbour told us to use mothballs in the bin to discourage the flies. Not 100% effective. I've told my OH that I'm sorry, but maggots are his job. Just thinking about them makes me nauseous.

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