Sheff_Sparky

works as well!

Sleeping Beauty

.........sounds familiar it took me 7 months to get a job, i applied for everything and anything, most well under my capabilites. i was lucky if i got an interview. i did think the same as you, as did my aussie neighbours, as well as my O/H (this is not in IT). i too did not have a problem getting employment in the UK, was never out of work etc. i really do not know what to suggest, except you have to keep trying. i took a crappy job (casual) which lasted 3 months and then they decided to change the timings of the shifts. i am now in another crappy job, but at least it is isnt casual. i look at some poists in sydney area, and dream of what i could do 'down there'. but we are semi-rural and so have to take what we can to pay the bills. i did get very down about it, and so can fully understand your frustrations. good luck.

dave99

I would like to say thank you for all the great posts wishing good luck and words of encouragement, I really appreciate it.

Its great to know I am not the only one whos had this problem of finding employment taking a long time over here. I will keep at it, fingers crossed something will turn up before my money runs out !

NKSK version 2

I think this is true. Although there can be two ways of looking at things –as ever.

My salary in 2 and a half years has increased from $62k to $90K – which sounds pretty impressive – a 45% increase in two and a half years BUT I’m just about back (although not quite) to where I was in the UK - settling for a less than ideal first job helped but it was still quite expensive!

Vim Fuego

Not as expensive as sitting at home watching Deal Or No Deal waiting in vain for another do-nothing agency to ring you though

I'd recommend the contract route to anyone, as previously indicated by other posters.

It gets the worker valuable Aussie experience and it gives the employer peace of mind that they are not investing time and money in someone that will decide to up-sticks in 9 months because Tim Tams are just the wrong shape for their tastes.

northernbird

Right shape, wrong taste. Give me a penguin any day

themerlin

Yep started a 2 week contract 6 years ago, and still here today lol

It's common for employers to give you a contract then they will take you on full time if they like you.

dave99

Just to add an update, I have finally been offered a position after months of looking
Actually I have been offered two !
I must have done about 40 interviews in the last few months and going back to the thread title the two I have been offered both have a large amount of forign workers, with the bosses being english and south african.

It seems from my experience that companies that have foerign employees are the only ones interested in employing immigrants, and more australian companies just arent willing to have an open mind, maybe something worth thinking about for other people who are looking for work

Sleeping Beauty

congratulations dave. which one are you going for?

Glasgowlass

When I first got here I applied for a job didn't get it first time..but lucky for me I was still unemployed when they rang me to offer me the job
Anyway I asked why I didn't get it the first time and the Manager flat out told me she'd rather hire an Aussie first.

emelems

Congrats on getting the job!

I think you have done fabulously and kept going until you get what you want.. I will try and remember this as I usually get the 1st job I go for an interview for.. I think I would have been quite demotivated, so I am going to bear this thread in mind when I go for my possible zillion interviews!

Em x

Vim Fuego

So, the first question to ask before even applying is 'How many non-Australians do you employ and will my boss be a non-Aussie?'.

In fact, it's probably better to avoid the Australians completely in your day to day life.

Good luck with that people.

Barbitana

Yes I DID!!!
But I am not English. Please do not forget that :

1-AGENTS LIE ; as a very general rule. They just want to "keep" you so they have to lie and keep you hopeful.

2-Sometime you may see FAKE advertisements (just to save their faces! hey you know we've got 10000 jobs advertised today!) - for many other reasons including collecting CVs, and also some organisations HAVE to advertise for some positions that they've already got the right man (some time ago we did so!!!)

3-Sometimes employers deploy more than 2-3 agents so even if you do the best job at the interview it is not going to guarantee you are the best guy PRESENTED for that position.

Hence,
*** If a successful interview with the employer could be though of as 50% of your way towards getting that job, a successful interview with one of the agencies could not be more than 10-15%.

*** If you REALLY "pass" an interview, at the end of it, more than likely, you will not leave there while said "will ring you soon!", they will start some serious discussions specially about salary, benefits and YOUR expectations...(that's what we do)

Dorothy

The amount of time and energy put into screening applicants for jobs doesn't make it financially feasable for agencies to have candidates on their books who are not working. It only makes financial sense to an agency to have as many candidates in roles as possible. If you work for an employment agency that lies, places fake job advertisements and doesn't have contracts with your clients with you as exclusive agent, then I would suggest you work for the wrong agency. What I saw when I worked for the agency in Adelaide were consultants who got as many people into work as possible.

Barbitana

Hi Doro,
Unfortunately (or fortunately) you are living in the heaven !!!

1- They want to keep you because as time goes by you have to lower your expectations and they would be able to fill low-salary positions (which are much more than high ones) - I know at least 5 migrant network adminsitrator who after 4-5 months seeking HAD to accept a desktop support or even helpdesk jobs. Moreover do not forget that the size of your database of CVs must be really BIG(!) when it comes to the presentation meetings with employers.

2-1- That's indeed legal. Even in the governement! just imagine a boss with a trusted deputy, he is going to choose a project leader and wants to delegate the task to that guy - They have to advertise (at least internally - THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL LEGAL) but his choice is obvious! even they waste some time to interview some poor old guys, but even the contract of the project leader with the deputy's name has been ready to get signed even before advertisement. Could it be thought of as lying ?!

2-2- Who's the best? forget the DECENT. Even the BEST ever, agency does know that it has to deal with competitors for the same positions. You have not be a professional to figure it out, just use SEEK, you must find many similar job descriptions from different agencies. When I was looking for a job in 2006, I was told exactly the same thing more than 4 times by different agencies.

3- What do you think about LYING ? is that bad or good or sometimes bad some other times good? is taht necessary for running a successful business? what do you think about liers? are they bad people or just intelligent ones ? I say you all agencies (at least all in melbourne I had to deal with) LIE (perhaps small ones!) , if you think of it as a good thing at least to run a DECENT business; that's fine, but if you're gonna reject lying as a means to run a business, please be advised that unfortunately lying is a part of evey DECENT jobfinding business! (at least in Melbourne); do you think small lies (e.g. will call you back in 2 minutes and then bye forever) is not THAT bad ?!
Good for you, because in that heaven you never ever experience such things but EVERYBODY I know has experienced such terrible lies at some stage.