Why Looking for a Job in Australia Is Different.
I know that this is mostly not the first time you've looked for work and that you probably have a resume drafted and ready to be sent out. Before you start applying for job openings, take some time to go over your resume (or CV, as it's often called in Australia) and make it more Australian. It can be the difference between getting a call for an interview and not.
Below I'm going to share with you what worked for me and how I was getting calls for interviews months before we even left for Australia.
Is your resume international?
By this I mean simple things like take a look at any acronyms used in your resume, are these internationally understood acronyms? If you're not sure then it's best to spell it out.
Switch your spelling from American English to Australian English or UK English.
You can actually change your spelling settings in MS Word to make this easier for you. Granted, this is not a huge deal as they will obviously realise you're from the States, but it's that extra effort that adds a nice touch.
State in the objective or purpose of your CV your visa status, if you have one.
After I applied for a few jobs in Sydney I realised that I needed to make it very clear that I was on my husband's temporary work visa and therefore didn't need a visa to work in Sydney or sponsorship.
It wasn't until I stated it clearly at the top of my resume, that I got any calls for interviews starting a month before we were due to leave for Australia.
Australian resumes are not as short and concise as American resumes.
They tend to include all experiences from the beginning of their working careers, not just the highlights. Instead of keeping it brief with bullet points, expand a little bit more, adding more details. Don't go crazy just fill in a few more details.
For school experience, in Australia a BS or BA degree is not a four-year degree, but a three-year degree.
A BS or BA with honours is equal to a four year degree in the States. It is not graduating with honours, or advanced placement, or whatever you might call it. When you are looking for a job they are not asking for you to have graduated in the top of your class, though I'm sure they wouldn't mind.
Got Your CV Done? Time to Start Searching for a Job.
Australian job search websites are:
Check out Working in Australia and be sure to “Like” their Facebook page too. They post new job postings and job expos from around the world regularly on their Facebook page.
What if You Don't Have a Visa Yet, but Want to Move to Sydney?
LinkedIn is your answer.
Search for “Recruiter Sydney” under people and you'll get a list of recruiters in Sydney. Scroll through and find someone who is a recruiter for either an agency or an internal recruiter for a company in your field.
From there send them a quick note through LinkedIn and attach your CV.
Seek has a complete list of recruiters in Sydney.
Other Australian Recruiting Sites:
- Design & Build Recruitment
- Ashdown Consulting
- Oracle iRecruitment
- AustCorp Executive Recruitment
- Randstad Australia Pty Ltd
- Hays Recruitment
By going through a recruiter you are more likely to find a better fitting position and an employer actively looking who willing to help you obtain a working visa and even help out with your move to Sydney.
Another option is trying the Skillselect online service that matches up experienced workers with Australian employers.
If you have a 482 Temporary Business Visa or another temp business visa and you want to change jobs, you can. Your new employer will need to take over your visa which is fairly simple. If you leave your job while on a Temporary Business Visa, you have 60 days to find a new sponsor before your visa is not longer valid.
Good luck with the job search!
