mdufton

Hi all

For anyone who is having trouble finding work:

We moved to Perth in April, on a 2 year 457 temporary visa, though have just been nominated for permanency- my wife is Theatre Sister.

When we got here, the plan was for me to just get any sort of work to bring in some extra cash, to supplement my wife's income.

I was prepared to do anything- manual work, office work, day shift, night shift, anything. I have got a degree, have not been unemployed for longer than a few months in my life.

I spent about 3 months applying for jobs, and I reckon I have applied for about 40 advertised jobs. For each of those, I would take a lot of care customing my CV, or Resume, and preparing a Skills Summary.

I was starting to wonder if my CVs were going straight in the bin. I'm not joking, I was getting to the stage where I though that it was impossible for anyone on a temporary visa to find anying other than bar work.

Out of those 40 applications, I got just 2 interviews, and fortunately I have been offered both jobs. They are both initially on a casual basis, but it is a start, and the work is full time.

I just wanted anyone out there looking for work, not to give up. There seems to be a shortage of 'unskilled/ semi skilled' work, but it's not impossible.

Good luck,

Mike

janeyray

Well done!!

tinaj

Congrats on getting the jobs.

Do you think it was harder because you are on a temporary visa or would you expect it to be much the same if you had a permanent one?

mdufton

Thanks for the well wishes.

After sending off about 30 applications and not getting an interview, I stopped stating that I was temporary on my CVs. I figured that maybe I could get a foot in the door, and then tell them at the interview.

At the interview I was asked if I had a working visa, I explained that I had about 20 months left on a temporary visa, which they were happy with.

Cheers,

Mike