Finding an employer willing to sponsor your visa is not an easy thing to do even for those that are highly qualified.
The truth is, most people go about getting job sponsorship the wrong way then wonder why they are unsuccessful.
Nadine Myers, a recruiter that specifically helps people find sponsored jobs in Australia, has kindly offered to list out the most common mistakes people make when applying for a job in Australia with visa sponsorship.
The Most Common Mistakes Made When Applying for Job Sponsorship in Australia
Not realising that resumes are different in Australia from the US and UK.
Have you heard that saying about first impressions? Well, that’s also true for your resume.
When a recruiter or HR hiring manager first sees your resume, they are looking for specific details such as layout. If a recruiter comes across a resume that is not presented in the Australian format they will most like dismiss it and move on to the next.
Your resume is your one chance to make the most of that first impression.
Not knowing where to look for jobs that offer sponsorship.
Once you have decided that you want to get a job that offers visa sponsorship, you need to know where to look. Many make the mistake of applying for any and all positions that they find on major job search sites like seek.com.au.
This is a huge mistake. You could be the perfect candidate for a job but if the company does not offer visa sponsorship it doesn’t matter. Your resume will the promptly dismissed.
Another reason why this is a mistake is because the jobs advertised on the major job search sites are often placed by recruiters that need to fill positions quickly and are not interested in waiting around for your visa application to be approved.
In Australia, there is a hidden job market where about 90% of sponsored jobs can be found.
Nadine Myers covers more on accessing this hidden job market in her course at SponsoredJobsinAustralia.com and gives you exclusive access to her list of recruiters that specialise in finding overseas candidates for sponsorship in Australia.
Resumes are not optimised, or specific, for each position applying for.
Once again, it’s all about first impressions. A hiring manager or recruiter will only spend about 5 seconds looking at your resume before they decide to either discount it or keep it for a second more in depth look. In that quick glance, they need to see specific details. If those specific details are not on your resume at first glance then it will end up in the rejection pile.
Part of optimising your resume should include being as specific as possible for the position you are applying for.
Not applying to the company directly.
As I mentioned before, many job ads on the larger job search sites are placed by recruiting agencies and not by the companies that are actually doing the hiring. This means that your resume is going through a middleman instead of directly to the source.
Not developing a relationship with hiring managers or recruiting agencies within industry.
Recruiting agents and hiring managers often keep resumes on file or scanned and entered into a company database.
Once you got your optimised resume sorted and start sending it out, you want to be sure that if you don’t get the position you applied for originally that you are at least included in that database.
What would be even better, would be for you to be the first person they think of when another position comes available.
The only way to do this is to have a relationship with the hiring manager.
But how?
You can simply start off by emailing them to express you interest and thank them for their time considering you for the job. You can also connect with them through LinkedIn.
If another position comes up with that same recruiting agency, then reach out again the that same recruiter and remind them of who you are and ask for more details.
Don’t over do it. You don’t want them to be annoyed and not want to talk to you ever again.
Not being ready to relocate quickly.
Recruiters are paid by the number of positions they fill. Obviously, the more positions filled the more they get paid.
If you are applying for a position but unable to pack up and move quickly, the recruiter will most likely opt for someone who is.
Not willing to travel to Australia to search for jobs in person.
Hey, I like Skype too but it’s not the same as meeting someone face to face. By going to Australia, you don’t only have this opportunity but you are also showing how committed you are to moving to Australia.
A trip to Australia would even better once you have established a relationship with a few recruiters in your field.
Not taking advantage of LinkedIn and their job network.
So many people make the mistake of ignoring their LinkedIn profile. They don’t realise that, after a recruiter gives their resume a second glance, the next thing a recruiter does is look them up on LinkedIn to see what connections they have and for recommendations give by present or previous employers and co-workers.
Having an optimised LinkedIn profile not only scores you major points with recruiters but is also where you can make contact with recruiting agencies located in Australia directly.
One way to do this is to join the recruiting agencies group on LinkedIn. For example, Nadine Myers has a group on LinkedIn for her job sponsorship candidates here.
Not realising that the larger job search sites, such as seek.com.au, have an initial screening process.
One question asked is your current location. If you are overseas applying for jobs, then this process will automatically filter you out of the running.
Giving up.
Many start applying for every job available under the sun in Australia without having a well thought out strategy. Then, after months of applying and not getting a single interview, they simply give up.
I’m not going to lie to you. Getting visa sponsorship in Australia is not going to be easy or a quick process. In fact, most say it not possible at all. True, the odds are stacked against you.
This is why you need to have all your ducks in a row with your resume and LinkedIn profiles at the best they can possibly be.
What Are You Taking to Sydney When You Move? Do You Know Yet?
The truth is you don’t need to know right now, for sure, what’s going with you.
But you do have to get a shipping quote ASAP, especially now.
Why? Because international moving companies need to schedule your move to Australia far in advance, some ask for 6 months in advance. Yes, COVID has changed everything, including international shipping.
When filling out the form below…
- You don’t need a street address for where you’re moving to, only the city and country. What they really want to know is the main shipping port.
- Moving date is an estimate. You don’t need exact dates right now. Go with your best guess.
- Estimate volume is an estimate. Don’t bother with calculating your volume. Use one of the estimates below for your estimated volume.
- Studio or 1 Bedroom —> 20 m3
- 2 Bedroom —> 25 m3
- 3 Bedroom —> 30 m3
- 4 Bedroom or 3 Bedroom + Car —> 50 m3
- Use your “real” contact details for BOTH phone and email. Yes, the form is secure. If you don’t use your real contact details, then they can’t get in touch with you for your quote. Makes sense, right?
