Negative Looking for Work in Perth

[CinSny]

I know that we have not been in Perth for a long time now, only 4 weeks, but seeking for work has become a concern...

In the past 3 week's I have applied for 20 vacancies (Administrative/Secretary/PA), went for 2 interviews and the rest just say unsuccessful....

What I realy would like to know is, what do they look at, my resumé is realy not that bad. Coming from South Africa, I would think that they know what we are made of.... I realy hope that the Aussies do not discriminate, if that is the case, I do not have high hopes for myself..

Is there anyone that can maybe guide me a bit or just even tell me what they are looking for??

[Enrica]

Two words.... Aussie Experience.

Dont get dispondant. WA ...stand for Wait -Awhile , something will come up.

Apply for temp jobs as well, you could get lucky , and get offered a really nice job with a company

Edited April 20, 2012 by Enrica

[Donovan83]

I managed to get a few interviews in Perth, but only after 6+ weeks of meticulous planning and emailing of companies, recruiters, etc. I noticed a very low response rate (especially if you're offshore!).

[MrsMupersan]

Many of us have suggested this before and I'll do it again.  Volunteer. It'll keep you sane as you'll be interacting with other people. You'll start to get some of that all important and absolutely vital Aussie experience. Even if it isn't in your field, it will still look good on your resume and you get some local knowledge to take to interviews. AND, you'll be doing something good! Bonus! And you also never know where the volunteering may lead you - whether through the people you meet or through the organisation itself.

One thing I did notice in your original post... "Coming from South Africa, I would think that they know what we are made of.... I realy hope that the Aussies do not discriminate, if that is the case, I do not have high hopes for myself..". It kinda smacks of 'do you know who I am' type thinking. Aussies definitely don't take kindly to that - it really gets their backs up! (check out this link to see what I mean:  http://blogs.smh.com...youknowwho.html) . Saffers have a reputation for being arrogant. No, the Aussies don't assume to know 'what you're made of'. They want to be impressed by your skills on paper and, if you're granted an interview, they want to be impressed by your knowledge, skills, demeanor, presentation and whether they think you'll be a good fit for their company. No discrimination - they want the best person for the job.

I've been where you are - only worse because we moved states three times in as many years because of hubby's work visa. I'm also in office admin and I found it very difficult to find work - three times! In three different states! But I asked for some honest feedback on the jobs I interviewed for and didn't get. It was hard to hear, but I was told that I was too outspoken/opinionated/arrogant/too eager to please.  And that was just me thinking I was going in confident and secure in the knowledge that I could do the job with my eyes closed and my resume should reflect that. You've really got to get the balance right between confidence, humility, selling yourself and easy-going with a bit of ambition thrown in for good measure.

Instead of skulling a Red Bull or a cup of coffee before an interview, have a cup of camomile tea and take some Rescue Remedy. You might think the caffeine makes you alert and ready to think on your feet, but all it does is make you come across as hyper. What I've learned is that if you remain calm and answer questions thoughtfully, you stand a far better chance. There are plenty of websites that give you excellent practice questions for interviews. Look some up, choose some which you know will be relevent to you and practice your answers in front of a mirror. I promise you this helps!  And have the curtesy to do some research on the company. Google their website and read through it. Familiarise yourself with their brand, what they offer their clients, what their mission statement is and then formulate some questions of your own. The main thing is to remain cool, calm and collected. You will not be frowned upon if you ask for a question to be repeated or for the interviewer to clarify what sort of answer they're looking for. This is a great technique if you're wanting a little extra time to formulate your answer. It'll also show that you are giving the questions due consideration and thinking carefully about your answers.

Sorry for the long rambling post. I hope there's something useful here for you. And good luck! You will find a job - maybe not your dream job to start with - but it'll be a foot in the door. Oh, and also, don't rule out looking for part time work - it will still count towards that vital Aussie experience.

[Emille]

send me a private email and i am happy to look at your cv and give some advice

[21yearsoutofrsa]

Coming from South Africa, I would think that they know what we are made of..

The latest statistics have ~100 000 South Africans living in Australia. So lets say they are out of date and thre are in fact 200 000 South Africans in Australia. There are 20 000 000 people in Australia. that means that 1% of the population is South African. In Perth the ratio is higher than the rest of the country, but not by a huge factor. There is actually a very good chance that the people you meet have never been in contact with a South African in a professional capacity. Relying on the reputation of South Africans is not in your interests and in fact by making the above statement you are implying that South Africans should be positively viewed based on their background and that other candidates discriminated against.

There is a skills shortage in Australia, that's why there is an imigration program, but it is not as acute as South Africa's skills shortage, so one actually has to expect that finding a role in Australia will take longer than RSA. (I'm talking skills not labour)

CV's are done differently in Australia and a lot more emphasis is placed on the covering letter, where you draw out your CV atributes that are relevent to that specific role. I see a forumite has offered to review yours. It may be money well spent to get a professional to review yours and a covering letter format. You should also consider "tweeking" your CV for each specific role and draw out those skills that you have that specifically relate to the role. It may be nothing more than listing your skills in a different order,with the ones specific to that role at the top.

[Wizard]

Hi all

I agree with Mrs Mupersan (above) and 15 years out of SA (above). I just want to add a little bit if I may.

Firstly, quickly my background: 22 months ago, after two years (preserverance !) of applying for Oz positions while still in RSA, I was eventually recruited across the waters. I accepted an entry-level salary in my field just to get a foot in the door. Now, nearly two years later, the same employer has greatly increased my seniority and remuneration ! How did I do this: just through hard work and commitment !

Since then, as part of my job, I have even appointed a couple of new staff to my organisation. Therefore, I feel I can contribute to this thread with confidence.

Generally, South Africans in Oz are perceived to be hard workers that are committed. However, this alone will not get you the job.

Firstly: KEEP APPLYING FOR POSITIONS, DON'T GIVE UP !! (it's a numbers game, you will eventually get the interviews). Do get your resume done professionally, in OZ format - this is not negotiable if you want to be successful.

Secondly: don't be a smartass during the interview ! Just showcase your qualifications, skills and experience confidently but quietly.

Thirdly: during your interview, express your excitement about being in this lovely country and how you are REALLY looking forward to the opportunity to apply your skills set in this country.

Fourthly: when you get the job, please knuckle down, work hard, be committed and make a difference at your new employer ! If every Saffer in Oz can do our name proud, then this may just become our competitive advantage going forward !

Good luck

Regards

W

[candivw]

I worked as a casual and my job got made permanent, maybe consider doing some temp work for experience? I know a lot of migrants have had to do this

[looking1]

I know that we have not been in Perth for a long time now, only 4 weeks, but seeking for work has become a concern...

In the past 3 week's I have applied for 20 vacancies (Administrative/Secretary/PA), went for 2 interviews and the rest just say unsuccessful....

What I realy would like to know is, what do they look at, my resumé is realy not that bad. Coming from South Africa, I would think that they know what we are made of.... I realy hope that the Aussies do not discriminate, if that is the case, I do not have high hopes for myself..

Is there anyone that can maybe guide me a bit or just even tell me what they are looking for??

Hi I was just wondering and believe that you have now been succesful in getting a job as this post was almost a year ago . Could you perhaps share what you did and what advice would you give from your eyperience