Please help - network

[Sabrin]

We arrived a week ago and am feeling quite overwhelmed. Yes, I know it's been only a week but am terrified that the very reason we came here  - better job opportunities - will be the reason we fail. Our priority has been getting my husband a job first while I settle our 7yr old. He has been on Seek constantly but only 1 interview call - the rest either don't get back to you our it's a thanks but no thanks. He has managed a Distell DC for 15+ years and was hoping to get into a Coles / Kmart /Woolies. He's done his RSA certification today too. 

 

How do you get your foot in the door / build your network contacts? Is Indeed worth it?

 

He's got a stellar cv - just needs a face-to-face!

 

Sorry - stressed to the hilt!

[ChrisH]

Get a LinkedIn premium profile! 

 

People here don't get back to you if you don't have local experience, he'll have to apply for any and all jobs that he would be able to do. 

 

Once the first job lands and he puts that on his LinkedIn he'll start getting calls from companies. 

[monsta]

Recruiters here are terrible. It's a numbers game for them. A company puts out a job description. They find a few keywords in it and start searching seek, linkedin and their own internal CV database. They try to beat all the other recruitment companies and respond first with candidate's 

 

What you need to do is to read job adverts, look at the keywords and adjust your CV. For example, you may have been a waitress and worked a credit card machine. But your CV says "used several POS systems". But recruiter Bob has a job description asking for someobe who can use a credit card machine. First up he is probably searching for "credit card machine" and not "POS system" in his CV database. Even if he comes accross your CV he would put it to the bottom of the pile as he thinks someone with a CV that closely matches the Job Description will have more luck. 

 

So, what do you do? Go on seek and find a few jobs you could do. Look for common requirements. Then adjust your CV so you mention you can do all those things.. but use the wording on the adverts. If they mostly want a polite waitress, dont only describe yourself as friendly. If they want someone who always comes to work in their uniform, don't think "obviously I do that, I can't put that on my CV".

 

Oh and I have been the "hiring manager" on 4 highly skilled jobs this year alone 😎. I am I interviewing someone on Monday morning.

[Sabrin]

3 hours ago, monsta said:

Recruiters here are terrible. It's a numbers game for them. A company puts out a job description. They find a few keywords in it and start searching seek, linkedin and their own internal CV database. They try to beat all the other recruitment companies and respond first with candidate's 

 

What you need to do is to read job adverts, look at the keywords and adjust your CV. For example, you may have been a waitress and worked a credit card machine. But your CV says "used several POS systems". But recruiter Bob has a job description asking for someobe who can use a credit card machine. First up he is probably searching for "credit card machine" and not "POS system" in his CV database. Even if he comes accross your CV he would put it to the bottom of the pile as he thinks someone with a CV that closely matches the Job Description will have more luck. 

 

So, what do you do? Go on seek and find a few jobs you could do. Look for common requirements. Then adjust your CV so you mention you can do all those things.. but use the wording on the adverts. If they mostly want a polite waitress, dont only describe yourself as friendly. If they want someone who always comes to work in their uniform, don't think "obviously I do that, I can't put that on my CV".

 

Oh and I have been the "hiring manager" on 4 highly skilled jobs this year alone 😎. I am I interviewing someone on Monday morning.

Thanks tor this. Does anyone have advice on Ayssie formatting for cv?

[FromDurbs]

Maybe he should identify the places he wants to work and try and call the people and meet them.  They might not have a job, but what can he loose?  
Is there some industry association he can join?  

[ottg]

On 8/10/2018 at 9:04 PM, Sabrin said:

He has been on Seek constantly

This is the easiest but most unsuccessful way

Divide your time between 10 different strategies

On 8/10/2018 at 9:04 PM, Sabrin said:

just needs a face-to-face!

Go and cold call prospective employers. They are mostly part of the hidden job market

There are many tips on this forum how to go about finding those hidden jobs - just search for those threads eg

http://www.saaustralia.org/topic/47909-things-i-wish-i-knew-about-finding-a-job-in-australia-when-i-arrived/

http://www.saaustralia.org/topic/47313-is-everybody-going-over-without-a-job/?do=findComment&comment=433660

 

 

[Riekie]

Go onto the websites of the companies he potentially wants to work for (a good idea of which companies this would be is to see which ones advertise for those roles on Seek).  Find the link to their vacancies section and apply directly.  They don't make it easy for you - it is sometimes hidden under contact us<our team<careers<vacancies or it is way down the bottom of the home page in the "fine print" 

 

Adjust your resume to address the requirements for each role and attach a cover letter doing the same.

 

I wrote a lengthy post sometime ago on how to maximise your chances of landing the job. Can't remember what it was called but search under my posts if all else fails and you should find it.

 

Drop your standards and do whatever it takes - even if not in the desired field or role - income is income. It's also a good opportunity to network and make connections.  Many jobs are person to person referrals. 

 

Don't get disheartened - It's still early days.  Your situation is not unique - everything will be OK in the end.

 

 

 

[Tntaglia]

Take a step back and breathe. You've barely arrived, if you already had success at getting a job it would be an unbelievable achievement! Make sure you're doing the right things to set yourself up for success (and the advice others have given here is a good step in the right direction), and then work out exactly what your timeframe is. In other words your family can survive 3 months living royally with no job, 6 months if you're careful, 9 months at a stretch but then you'll have to only buy food on special and rarely eat meat, for example. And plan accordingly. He should also figure out what kind of networking opportunities there are - talk to people in person, even if it's asking to speak to a manager at a local Coles and asking how things work. If he continues to put himself out there, the right opportunity will come along.

[Sabrin]

Thank you all. He'had 2 interviews and 1 Skype interview lined up with Aldi Monday, so feeling a bit more optimistic

[CornelvanGreunen]

Hi guys,

 

Any solicitors in Sydney / Brisbane area?

 

We are travelling to Aus next week 23 Aug - 1 Sept and would love to meet with some South Africans who made the move and who practices in law.  We just want to get an idea of what the transition was like, what other's perception was of your past experience etc.  My husband and I are both lawyers and he has had his own law firm for the past 16 years

  

Thank you.