Not Working Here...Where Will It Work??

[SmellyN]

Sooooo 883 days odd in the country and we are worse off than we have EVER been in our lives- Both unemployed and for all intense purposes "homeless" still etc. (Although a few months back that WAS a reality too, so been there done that already!!!) We are LOSING EVERYTHING we have worked for, given up on a commitment to a Country & (now ex) employer (again) that doesn't back up it's legislations and leaves little old us dazed, confused and abandoned in the grey areas of Legislation. HELP!!!!!!!! Time to call it quits?????

[ottg]

@SmellyN  2016: Cursing the day we ever started this journey/left ...we belong nowhere now....

 

How can we help?

[Eyebrow]

So sorry to hear things are terrible for you.

There is a different side to Australia that isnt always evident from the outset. We have experienced the same thing. But not everybody does. If it happens to you it is very difficult. To be taken advantage of as a foreigner and when you are in such a vulnerable and desperate place is absolutely terrible. And you do get employers like that. More and more light is thrown on unscrupulous employers using desperate temporary workers and threatening unemployment and loss of visa if they complain. And if that happens one starts to look at all Australians with a suspicious eye... But really they are good people. The average aussie is decent and nice.

 

you have to find a job. Maybe harder in WA at the moment.

But I have heard people getting work in the strangest ways via voluntering becoming paid employment, via asking neighbour or friends, selling stuff online, via church connections. It is very hard to think outside the box when you have feelings of resentment and money stress! Believe me, we have been there. You want to focus inwards and be left alone with your pain, when you should be getting out there and doing something differently in order to have a different outcome.

 

There is work there. You just have to find it. 

Enlist someone other than yourself to help you look. Ask South Africans in your area how they broke into the labour market. Or ask an Aussie where they would look.

or tell us what we can do as a forum (which as a group is very powerful, and without which I would have been in a very bad place myself...)

[ottg]

@SmellyNAsk your hubby to send me a PM

[SurferMan]

@SmellyN

 

You are having a hard time, of that there is little doubt. I do however very much like your avatar...Dory - just keep swimming. Perhaps a measure of your resolve...? Keep swimming, our thoughts with you.

[funtobeaussiechick]

On 3/30/2016 at 9:27 PM, SmellyN said:

@ottg thinking hard and fast that no-body can -the real perpetrators of this tragedy/shell that is our lives at the moment haven't been brought to justice. Our story hasn't been fully heard....like a member from a Government Department today said....maybe it IS time to talk out and spray it out all over the news maybe THEY will then be FORCED to acknowledge the wrongs they have done to us....the damages they have left...we are trying to find our self-worth here and we are not being offered any options to work with....the reality is we need work....it CAN be that simple....it boils down to MONEY to live and continue, which there isn't....it went too far...we pleaded for it not to happen, nothing could have prepared us for this...

What kind of qualifications do you have? I know is sounds absurd but even try Macdonalds/Big W/Coles anything to get the foot in the door. Dont think what you are trained to do. Try something anything. I did and it set me up.

[SmellyN]

On ‎2‎/‎04‎/‎2016 at 1:58 PM, funtobeaussiechick said:

What kind of qualifications do you have? I know is sounds absurd but even try Macdonalds/Big W/Coles anything to get the foot in the door. Dont think what you are trained to do. Try something anything. I did and it set me up.

Ok....my Irony is bouncing back ....when I read this I couldn't help but think of a Robbie William's song that popped in my head (& no I haven't heard it for years!! LOL!) ..."LET MEEEEEE.....ENTERTAIN YOU!!!!"  YES: We are TRYING!! Thanks for asking again. We have been thinking out the box for employment for ages, yet not getting anywhere- I would say there are a number of factors involved including not having a work reference for Australian experience from Ex-Employer to name one of the major factors. (And yes we have already worked around it to turn it and make it more "sellable" to prospective employers- but the "story" gets dragged out inevitably - even if we try not to mention ANY part of it- because there are too many loose ends that occurred with Ex-Employer affecting our whole family's existence here in this country/ our coming here.) I don't know what your situation is but please don't assume that our situation is the same...we are proving daily with our efforts that we DON'T fit "THE mould." It's hard enough to try and swallow that and "feel" normal. What happened to us shouldn't have...it has left "scars" that are VERY visible in terms of trauma etc. People see through it a mile away. Most people are also battling their own problems in this world....they don't want to hear of ours. We can be as positive as we like, we do things a certain way BECAUSE of things we've experienced (which when people DO listen they acknowledge is correct given the circumstance) PS- We DO have MORE success by NOT giving our people our SURNAME, which unfortunately is a dead South-African (Afrikaner) give-a-way....even though we have British roots mixed in the family....

[Brad76]

 

On 4/4/2016 at 4:08 AM, SmellyN said:

 PS- We DO have MORE success by NOT giving our people our SURNAME, 

 

Would giving your surname affect your chance of employment in a completely different industry??

[ottg]

If you have an non-Anglo name/surname your resume may be at risk

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2013/04/15/job-hunters-change-foreign-sounding%E2%80%99-names

However this is not only Australian related - more western related

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/how-an-ethnic-sounding-name-may-affect-the-job-hunt/article555082/

 

Based on my own experience; it was shown that often there are other but much deeper underlying reasons caused by false expectations that appear real. That is why surgeons don't operate on themselves :=) or psychologists attempt self diagnostics. My 2c

 

[Peterthe1]

Keep an eye out for jobs with BMA (Mining). They currently have a drive on to diversify their workforce to 50% female staff and they are struggling to get interested females. Even with no experience you have a good chance as a female. Eventhough there is a downturn in mining, the mine which I work at, is ramping up production by 25% which means there may be a few more jobs on the go. This will happen across most BMA sites. These will mostly be on a casual basis, but a job is a job. Register with the Labour Hire companies and keep your eye on Seek for any  possibilities. Permanent jobs are very few and far apart so casual is the way to go. Most end up being indefinite anyway.

[Kanniewagnie]

Just want to let you know your family is still in our prayers.  Hope you're OK? 

[Nallan]

Hi

This story really saddens me, it was the fear I had when I arrived in Aus but thankfully it has all worked out for now. This can happen to anyone at anytime. I hope it gets better for you, have you considered cleaning or running a little food van/catering business. You could also dog walk, house sit or take care of someone's new born..u might need some docs.  Packing jobs in retail? 

I suppose the lesson for me here is to grateful for what I have and be more prudent money wise because no one knows what is around the corner.

[monsta]

This story is a good lesson for people..  Some sectors of Australia are still very unionised with a huge old boys network. 

 

For all those still in RSA..  Be glad that the prime minister is actively trying to do something about it. He is not pulling a Zuma and spending his days planning upgrades to his home.  

 

The prime miniater wants a royal commission to investigate the construction industry.  That's the highest authoriry,  most independent type of investigation possible in Australia. But he is facing massive opposition from the Labor party. 

 

Its the same reason there is never enough roads or trains in big cities. The cost is just too high. That's largely thanks to the unions. 

 

But with the manufacturing sector dying in Australia,  the unions are holding tightly onto their last remaining cash cow,  the construction sector. 

[Starbucks]

OMG , what is this ? Sound like a horror story. I am very stressed now...............

Edited June 2, 2016 by Starbucks

[Riekie]

A family member was in the similar situation - came to Australia on a sponsorship and then the company didn't provide the job they promised.  He took them to court and won with costs, but they claimed bankruptcy and he basically saw none of it. He could have taken it further but at some point you have to get rid of the anger and move on or you'll be consumed.  He sold cookies for the cancer council door to door, worked in gardens and as a chef's hand.  It was really tough for them but they stuck it out and 15 years later they are still in Australia and doing extremely well. 

 

I can't really gather from your posts why your husband cannot work in the same industry again but is there not something in a similar line of work he can do?  Even if he starts as an apprentice it is still a start.  Or maybe do something completely different.  Or hubby could stay at home with the kids and you may find a job so you won't have the additional costs of childcare. I would also go to centrelink and have your payments re-assessed as you may qualify for increased or additional payments. You say FIFO won't work - why not give it a try and see how you go? If hubby has technical or handyman skills, how about registering on airtasker? People pay for someone to help them move a couch or paint a wall or deliver a bunch of flowers to someone - we use them all the time.  Just trying to come up with some answers here, but I realise it is often easier said than done.   

 

There is a huge South African community in Perth.  Join their various social groups and reach out for help.  There may be someone able to offer you a job or some kind of assistance - miracles do happen. (The 1st link has a jobs tab)

 

http://www.southafricansinperth.com.au/

 

http://www.south-africans-in-perth.com/

 

https://www.facebook.com/SouthAfricansinPerth

 

http://www.meetup.com/en-AU/South-Africans-in-Perth/

 

Thinking of you in this tough & challenging time and I really hope you get a break soon.  Just don't give up - there is an answer out there. 

[Kanniewagnie]

Hi, SmellyN - how are you doing?  Hope it goes much better and that you found employment. 

[TamTam]

Wow this post was really sad. I hope @SmellyN you and your family are ok. But it also gives some insight into the potential drawbacks of sponsorship visas.

 

I won't lie but posts like this make me want to avoid WA - can anyone weigh in here. Is it really so bad there still, across the board?

[SimpleSimon]

The issue with moving to AU is it is different to South Africa in subtle ways. Business operates differently and you can annoy people easily by flexing your South African personality.

 

My first major job went downhill very quickly and luckily I was offered another before the inevitable happened. My brother is also battling now due to different operating styles.

 

I cannot offer any advice that @SmellyN hasn't already tried. However, their story should be circulated as what to be aware of when starting off in AU. If you are over on a sponsored visa, take the attitude that your major job is to make your boss look good. Do not challenge them or bitch about them...... not until you have another job lined up. Australia is a hierarchical society it just doesn't seem that way on the surface.

[ChrisH]

1 hour ago, SimpleSimon said:

If you are over on a sponsored visa, take the attitude that your major job is to make your boss look good. Do not challenge them or bitch about them......

 

The problem (even on a PR visa) is that it is not easy to get your first job here.  They generally don't like employing people with no local experience.  If your first local job is working for an asshole of a boss you will have to swallow your pride, keep your mouth shut and just get through that first year or so, in other words  "hou jou bek en doen jou werk".  If you cannot use that job as a reference it will be a huge stain on your employment history and you will struggle to ever get around that.  1 bad reference out of 5 isn't that bad but 1 out of 1 is probably terminal.  In some cases, unfortunately, nothing you do will please this boss and no amount of sucking up or good work will help, sounds like this was one of those cases.

 

On another note, has anybody heard from @SmellyN , I see they haven't been on the forum for over a year now.

[SimpleSimon]

Yep @ChrisH I have worked for bad bosses.

 

In South Africa I could go into my boss' office and say "I don't like you, you don't like me, but we're here to get a job done so I'll do it". My boss would stare at me, shrug his shoulders and go back to his work.

 

In Australia in my early days, we had a team building exercise all of us senior managers. We had to draw our work experience. I drew myself and colleagues in a 1st world war trench with our boss as the officer pointing his pistol at us and telling us to charge. I saw my boss looking at my drawing for a long time.

 

Then he had a habit of sh*tting on me and my colleagues together in his office. I took to wearing my bicycle helmet in when summoned. Weirdly, he didn't seem to have a sense of humour especially when my colleagues pissed themselves laughing. However he did then spend his time plotting to get me out the company so I learned to tone it down a bit.

 

The story had a happy ending though. I was interviewed at another company where bad boss worked before. They asked me what I thought of him and I was honest. Turned out my interview hadn't been going well until that point. I got the job.

Edited September 19, 2017 by SimpleSimon

[RedPanda]

@TamTam if you want to read a similar story, but a different outcome, go look for the journal thread by @Eyebrow She also had a very bad first employer and difficult personal circumstances, and she managed to get a second sponsor with a huge improvement in their family lives.

Edited September 19, 2017 by RedPanda

[TamTam]

10 hours ago, RedPanda said:

@TamTam if you want to read a similar story, but a different outcome, go look for the journal thread by @Eyebrow She also had a very bad first employer and difficult personal circumstances, and she managed to get a second sponsor with a huge improvement in their family lives.

Thanks @RedPanda I am fortunate to be on a 189 visa sp sponsorship isn't a concern for us. However the story struck a chord with me. It takes so much effort and bravery to leave your home country and to hear stories where it backfires so badly just seems wrong. That said, I think it may be the exception.