Small tasks and odd jobs

[FairGo]

I am going through so many emotions today.  I am not perfect by any means.  I apologize in advance to those who feel offended by this post, but this is the way I feel and want to hear honest opinions to prepare myself for the reality that we will have to face in Oz.

 

My feeling towards humans is not that positive.  My perception is that 80% lack the consideration for other people.  Although they may say differently, they have the belief that they are better than the next person.  They talk differently to someone who does not have a corporate career or does not live in a certain suburb.  They easily forget the people who helped them on the way up.  How money changes people and affect their behavior.  Their tendency to complain, but not appreciate what they have. 

 

South Africans think that someone does not notice the way they talk to or treat them.  They think that some people are stupid and beneath them.

 

I often read posts about people complaining about the job market in Australia and how they cannot find a “job”. 

 

I have not been in their situation yet, so who am I to judge.  Am I being too optimistic??  I believe that we could find small tasks and odd jobs to help us survive.  And I mean survive.  Enough to keep a roof over our head and food on the table.  We do have enough savings to live off for 6 months, but would prefer not to use it all.
 

 

 

 

Edited January 14, 2016 by TacticJourney

[OubaasDik]

Well, I was out of work for a while and got a casual job loading blanks for setting off regattas at 30c per blank.

 

I also applied for a job in a rock laboratory washing rock samples for $15 hour, but didn't get it. There was an Afrikaans lady working at Hungry Jacks in Joondalup a while ago (5 years, maybe) who was probably earning whatever the going rate was.

 

At one stage one of the Maccas in Perth (Ocean Reef, I think) was getting Phillipinas in on 457s to work there.

 

So, yes, if you don't stand on your dignity an "dimmund" the boss's job, I'm sure you can get something. The pay is not THAT bad, since even the lowest job will keep body and soul together, if not in luxury - my daughter works as a waitress / food server and she has been to SA, Canada, Europe, Malaysia, Thailand, Bali - all paid for by herself. Admittedly she still lives at home and pays no rent, but ...

[EmNew]

36 minutes ago, TacticJourney said:

 

My feeling towards humans is not that positive.  My perception is that 80% lack the consideration for other people.  

 

Back to the post about immigrants complaining about not finding a job after 6 months. I believe that we could find small tasks and odd jobs to help us survive. 
 

Hi, 

 

To address the first part of my quote of your post:

I felt the same way in South Africa. It was one of the reasons I wanted to leave. A general air of entitlement that spanned all races and genders, an every 'man' for himself attitude that sometimes left me speechless. I could not believe how people could live with themselves, going about life not caring how what they did affected others.

The good news is that I have found the Australians here in Melbourne ( the only place I have been to and know so far ) to be generally extremely considerate and aware of others. 

 

As to the other part I quoted:

I am one that has 'complained' about not finding work in my area of expertise ( not on the post you mention though ). It's not so much a complaint, as an airing of frustration on my part. It's hard to come to terms with the fact that not all experience gained in RSA, no matter how impressive it is, is really worth anything in Australia in certain professions. I joked back in RSA that we would get into Aus based on my qualifications and experience as the main application on the PR189, but that my hubby would get a job first in his field. It is said that many a true word is spoken in jest........exactly what has happened. I have read and heard countless times that you should never take rejection personally........??? I have never understood that, as it's a basic human need to be loved, accepted and approved of. I can't believe that you can subscribe to the one, and dismiss the other. It seems that if you talk about rejection and its frustrations, you are automatically deemed to be complaining. I think perhaps that if you face ( and I sincerely hope you don't ) the harder job application journey, that perhaps you will see those posts in a new light, and realise where some people are coming from.

 

I have also literally walked the main shopping road I live in, looking for casual opportunities - anything from shop assistant, to volunteering at my local Vinnies when there was a sign outside that there were opportunities within. There is either nothing available, or there is still an insistence on local experience, even at Vinnies.

I have also established that jobs are not easy for locals to get either. The one lady at the till at our local Chemist Warehouse told me it took her a year to find a job. A shop assistant at a warehouse pop up shop said she looked for 3 months, and now has a long commute to get to work everyday.

I worked hard to build up a business in RSA, and keep it going. I am not someone who waits for things to fall in their laps. I am prepared to do almost anything ( so long as it does not involve strong odours ) to earn a living, but I can't force someone to employ me just because I am willing and able.

[ottg]

27 minutes ago, EmNew said:

established that jobs are not easy for locals to get either

Once you start understanding how the local economics and cycles work, and you start seeing how locals also struggle with employment specially under the youth or recently qualified students you realise that is not only immigrants.

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/australia/youth-unemployment-rate

Further it is shocking to learn how many Australians either moved temporary/working overseas for economic reasons. Once I contacted a very selective group of Aus professionals on Linkedin in a niche market to found about ~20% of them reside overseas only to be back in the country in about 6-12 months. Many has to move where the jobs are. That puts a burden on the family which we as expats are probably not very used to coming from a corporate environment. 

https://www.border.gov.au/about/corporate/information/fact-sheets/05emigration

Often I though those coming across on a 457 may be in a slight better position (initially) as they already have a job, where many independent visa holders still need to find a job. But obviously both have their own pros and cons.

[FairGo]

Hi EmNew

 

My post was a bit harsh.  I have edited it.  We decided to make the big move in September or earlier if my husband finds a job.  The stress is getting to me and there is still 8 months to go.

 

I will most likely be venting on this forum in a few months time.  It is ignorant of me to think that it would be easy to find a job, even a casual one.

 

I only have 6 years work experience and perhaps the reason why I lack appreciation for years of hard work.  I only realize now that this is the way my husband perhaps feel.  He is 9 years older than me and studied part time in his early 20's.  It must have been a long road for him.

I am a financial accountant and not in a senior position.  It will be much easier for me to be in a junior position again.

 

My husband has been applying for positions and receives the one rejection email after another.  I told him not to take it personally, but I also think it is impossible not to.  We have four contacts in Australia who has said they will send his resume to their contacts. We decided yesterday that for our morale, it would be better to wait and see if they could perhaps help us and if not, to wait until August for him to apply on Seek and LinkedIn again.  

 

My fear is then, if you can not even find a casual job, what will become of us.  There is many families who have had positive outcomes and I hope that we will be one of them. 

 

 

Edited January 14, 2016 by TacticJourney

[FairGo]

@ottg Hopefully I will be able to find a waitress position.    What is the minimum wage in Australia?

 

The article about Australia youth unemployment rate is worrisome.  Especially since one of the reasons most South Africans emigrate is for a better future for their children.  

Edited January 14, 2016 by TacticJourney

[RedPanda]

Unless I missed something, the Youth unemployment link is good news? Especially if you look at the 10 year graph and not just the one year default view. They have around 13.5 % unemployment, compared to (what do we have in RSA at the moment? 25% or 50% or some ridiculously depressing number). It means that if 100 young people look for work 86 of them will find it. Those are good odds.

[ottg]

@TacticJourney There are very useful tips on this forum on how to go about finding employment. (Search those keywords)

Dont rely on others to pass your CV around - if you put in the hard yards you will find a position.

The two killers are: how to handle rejection and the wait - no remedy for that except keeping the mind occupied with positive stuff!

Edited January 14, 2016 by ottg

[ottg]

@RedPanda I like your thinking - positive and optimitic.

[FairGo]

The average unemployment rate for Australia is 6% and that is what I had in the back of my mind.  I assumed 13.5% is then quit high for youth.

 

South Africa has an unemployment rate of average 25%, 36% for youth(according to google).  I don't know how much one can read into these statistics as there is a vast majority of the group that does not have access to higher education and is unskilled.  I would like to know what is the unemployment rate for skilled youth. 

 

Australia has the advantage of study assist.  At the end of the day, undoubtedly  more opportunities in Oz.  

 

I was just surprised that the youth unemployment rate was so much higher than the average.

 

Edited January 14, 2016 by TacticJourney

[RedPanda]

19 minutes ago, TacticJourney said:

 

I was just surprised that the youth unemployment rate was so much higher than the average.

 

 

Perhaps they discriminate against anyone who does not have 'local experience'?

[RYLC]

From a couple of other forums I'm on, "Youth Unemployment" refers to kids straight out of school with no tertiary education who then can't find work.  They have no skills, no experience, make more mistakes than most (generally speaking) etc and are bound to leave once they decide what they really want to do for a living.  They are high risk for employers.

[RedPanda]

Then I'm really surprised that 86/100 of them find work!

[RYLC]

7 hours ago, RedPanda said:

Then I'm really surprised that 86/100 of them find work!

 

Thats because they are also cheap!  Wages are mostly governed by awards administered by Fairwork Australia and pay scales have an age component. 18-21 year olds only earn a percentage of an "adult" wage.  Most work in labouring jobs or casual retail or hospitality. 

 

So Saffas coming over say "I'll do anything" and then get turned down at McDonalds and take it personally that "Australia doesn't want me" don't know that Maccas predominantly have staff under 18 because of the pay scales and the number of "adult" positions are few and far between.  It's not personal. They just have a business structure that knows how to keep their costs down. 

[RYLC]

 

The other reason youth do get jobs is that family run small business is HUGE in Australia (by number not size) and they employ their family over outsiders almost every time no matter what the skill level. 

[ottg]

1 hour ago, RYLC said:

they employ their family over outsiders almost every time no matter what the skill level.

 

Big & expensive lesson learned for those who wanted to run their own consulting business, targeting small & med business in the Field and Services industry. Doesnt matter how smart the business improvement technologies, tools & processes you propose or how much hours (& labour cost you can save them) in the end of the day. If they have to decide between the cost for implementation of new business planning and operational technologies and need to let family members go, the decision will be not to spend money. They will not care about scaling and growing their business if it means a family member needs to go. (With hindsight and knowing how brutal the economics work, how tough it is for some locals to get jobs, it actually do make sense for small family run businesses - but not so obvious for outsider.) Many said to me they will never go bigger again - too much difficulty in managing people & behaviour.

 

However if there is a new business owner, or they become part of an acquisition, or will be under management you will have a better chance consulting to them.

Obviously this doesnt apply to the upper end of medium and large businesses.

[Guest]

One of the reasons I hated living in South Africa was the way that people treat each other. The lack of respect and the don't care attitude coupled with a sense of entitlement by many of the population left my blood boiling. I was brought up in England and as a child had a variety of friends from all walks of life, my parents taught me to treat everyone equal. To face racism as a white person was a very strange and uncomfortable feeling. One that I had never encountered before. Because my husband is Indian we also at times would be the objects of deathly stares when walking holding hands. I remember one older lady in Cape Town whose jaw nearly dropped when she saw us, the disgust on her face was clearly apparent. I grabbed my husband and gave him a kiss ....that sorted her out! The reason I tell you this is because the world is full of people who are not particularly nice. But its also full of some wonderful people too. In South Africa you get used to being wary of everyone and suspicious it's survival mode. You also become accustomed to the lack of respect and fellow feeling. I say this with no disrespect to South Africans - I have some wonderful friends back in SA. I am just giving you my personal experience ?

 

 

In Australia I have not once felt judged or discriminated against, not once felt like anyone cared what colour you are. Now I am not saying that there isn't racism, I have just not experienced it. Melbourne has such a diversity I think it would be impossible. Dealing with people here is such a pleasure. They are kind and very genuine. For instance my husband wanted to join a local.soccer team in the area, so yesterday I found him an ad on gumtree. He rang the guy and because he also lives in Point Cook he said he would pick my husband up and take him to training. Where would you ever feel comfortable doing that in SA?? So yes people can get you down but they can also pick you up too. ?

 

As regards the job front I can't really give much advise other than you just have to keep trying. Perseverance is key. If you have to go walking around and handing out CV's then be prepared to do that. My husband did that in Perth. Try to remain positive about your prospects. ? I am sure everything will work out just fine for you.

[OubaasDik]

On 14/1/2016 at 10:27 PM, TacticJourney said:

@ottg Hopefully I will be able to find a waitress position.    What is the minimum wage in Australia?

 

The article about Australia youth unemployment rate is worrisome.  Especially since one of the reasons most South Africans emigrate is for a better future for their children.  

 

 

I tried to find out what my daughter's hourly rate is, but she is too busy to talk to her Dad - last I heard she was on the mandated minimum of just over $20 / hour, but I am going to do the unprecedented thing of doing a Google search (via Duck, Duck, Go) and give you these

 

https://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-guides/fact-sheets/minimum-workplace-entitlements/minimum-wages   

https://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-guides/fact-sheets/minimum-workplace-entitlements/minimum-wages#current-national-minimum-wage

 

where the minimum wage is $17.29 per hour as the website says - but there are all sorts of caveats and exceptions and so on - just reading the bottom line won't give you the real deal.

[OubaasDik]

22 hours ago, RedPanda said:

Then I'm really surprised that 86/100 of them find work!

 

 

OuMiesDik - her own self went to a tupperware party where one of the participants was about 22 and had worked out that if she had a certain number of kids (I think it was over 9) she would be looked after very nicely by the federal government. She was incubating number three, from what I remember.

 

So, sort of taking advantage of the gullible .....

[FairGo]

19 hours ago, emma.yenkanna said:

I remember one older lady in Cape Town whose jaw nearly dropped when she saw us, the disgust on her face was clearly apparent. I grabbed my husband and gave him a kiss ....that sorted her out! 

Had a good laugh at this!! 

 

I look forward to living and raising my child in a diverse and supportive society.   It will all be worth it in the end.  We will have to take the leap of faith (just like everyone else) and hope for the best.