British Graduate Moving to Australia (Big Fish in Small Pond)?
Sep 15th 2014, 4:46 am
#61
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,375
Re: British Graduate Moving to Australia (Big Fish in Small Pond)?
Hello all,
I am graduating from the University of Manchester this academic year with a degree in economics and I'm aiming for graudate roles in the financial sector.
Given that my university is on par in terms of prestige with the best universities in Australia (Melbourne and ANU), does this mean that I will have an easier time landing a graduate role in Australia as opposed to landing one in England, where people from better universities than mine (Oxbridge, Warwick, LSE, UCL etc) will be competing with me? For those who don't know, graduate schemes in the big financial firms usually attach greater importance not to the content of the degree itself, but to the reputation of the university (quite snobbish if you ask me, but it is what it is).
Of course I understand that landing a graduate role also comes down to personal character etc.
It seems there are two options:
Option A) Stay in England and compete with graduates from universities a lot better than mine for graduate roles.
Option B) Move to Australia where their top university is on par with mine in terms of prestige from employers' perspectives in the financial sector and apply for graduate roles.
It seems that taking option A would deem me a small fish in a big pond, and option B would deem me a big fish in a small pond and logic tells me that I would find it easier to land interviews in Australia and therefore easier to kickstart my career and get my foot in the door.
If anyone with any knowledge on this subject could give me honest and blunt advice, I would be highly grateful.
Thanks
Edit: Also as I understand, most people in Australia graduate without Honours unless they do a one year top-up degree, whereas I will graduate with honours - maybe this also puts me at an advantage?
I am graduating from the University of Manchester this academic year with a degree in economics and I'm aiming for graudate roles in the financial sector.
Given that my university is on par in terms of prestige with the best universities in Australia (Melbourne and ANU), does this mean that I will have an easier time landing a graduate role in Australia as opposed to landing one in England, where people from better universities than mine (Oxbridge, Warwick, LSE, UCL etc) will be competing with me? For those who don't know, graduate schemes in the big financial firms usually attach greater importance not to the content of the degree itself, but to the reputation of the university (quite snobbish if you ask me, but it is what it is).
Of course I understand that landing a graduate role also comes down to personal character etc.
It seems there are two options:
Option A) Stay in England and compete with graduates from universities a lot better than mine for graduate roles.
Option B) Move to Australia where their top university is on par with mine in terms of prestige from employers' perspectives in the financial sector and apply for graduate roles.
It seems that taking option A would deem me a small fish in a big pond, and option B would deem me a big fish in a small pond and logic tells me that I would find it easier to land interviews in Australia and therefore easier to kickstart my career and get my foot in the door.
If anyone with any knowledge on this subject could give me honest and blunt advice, I would be highly grateful.
Thanks
Edit: Also as I understand, most people in Australia graduate without Honours unless they do a one year top-up degree, whereas I will graduate with honours - maybe this also puts me at an advantage?
To be quite honest the biggest factor in who gets the job is who you know.
Same anywhere really.
But as others have said you wont get any status for a UK university. Even if something is utter crap in Australia, Aussies will claim its 'world class' and the best anywhere.
One other thing that ranks highly is "Australian Experience", many a migrant has found even if its 5 years behind in that field, Australian experience is held in the highest regard.
I would imagine saying your UNI was better than a Australian one, would probably end the interview rather swiftly.
Sep 15th 2014, 4:59 am
#62
Just Joined
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 1
Re: British Graduate Moving to Australia (Big Fish in Small Pond)?
If you emigrate before you've obtained a solid professional background, you'll be competing for jobs with other inexperienced graduates. If you emigrate with a solid, professional background, you'll be competing for jobs with other people with solid, professional backgrounds.
Sep 15th 2014, 6:37 am
#63
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Re: British Graduate Moving to Australia (Big Fish in Small Pond)?
In most western countries, only about 25% of jobs are advertised
Sep 15th 2014, 6:58 am
#64
Officially Bewildered
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
Posts: 5,523
Re: British Graduate Moving to Australia (Big Fish in Small Pond)?
I'd like to answer your query but I do need further clarification.
Do you want to work with dolphins?
Do you want to work with dolphins?
Sep 15th 2014, 7:24 am
#65
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: British Graduate Moving to Australia (Big Fish in Small Pond)?
Threads merged. Don't see the need for two threads dealing with Man Uni.
Sep 15th 2014, 7:29 am
#66
Officially Bewildered
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
Posts: 5,523
Sep 15th 2014, 7:32 am
#68
Officially Bewildered
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Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
Posts: 5,523
Sep 15th 2014, 9:02 am
#69
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 78
Re: British Graduate Moving to Australia (Big Fish in Small Pond)?
Your UK degree won't give you any advantage in Australia. If you emigrate before you've obtained a solid professional background, you'll be competing for jobs with other inexperienced graduates. If you emigrate with a solid, professional background, you'll be competing for jobs with other people with solid, professional backgrounds.
Either way, you'll be a little fishy amongst all the other little fishies.
Either way, you'll be a little fishy amongst all the other little fishies.
I think most people here are just biased and have no clue about the recent grauduate job market due to being older - obviously the wrong place to ask such a question - my mistake
Sep 15th 2014, 9:20 am
#71
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2013
Location: .
Posts: 235
Re: British Graduate Moving to Australia (Big Fish in Small Pond)?
I cannot understand why you would want to come to Australia when you have London 2 hours away (train) and New York 3 hours (flight).
Australia is not that good.
Best of anyhoo!
Australia is not that good.
Best of anyhoo!
Sep 15th 2014, 9:21 am
#72
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: British Graduate Moving to Australia (Big Fish in Small Pond)?
Well either way I'll be a "little fishy" amongst other little fishies. Anyway, after consulting younger, more up-to-date graduates on an Australian student forum, they seem to agree that I will have relatively less competition in Australia - whoever said Manchester isn't recognised as a pretigious insitituion is clearly uninformed or willfuly ignorant.
I think most people here are just biased and have no clue about the recent grauduate job market due to being older - obviously the wrong place to ask such a question - my mistake
I think most people here are just biased and have no clue about the recent grauduate job market due to being older - obviously the wrong place to ask such a question - my mistake
I wish to god I was young and knew everything again. It's a bastard being old and dumb.
Sep 15th 2014, 9:22 am
#73
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 14,284
Re: British Graduate Moving to Australia (Big Fish in Small Pond)?
Well either way I'll be a "little fishy" amongst other little fishies. Anyway, after consulting younger, more up-to-date graduates on an Australian student forum, they seem to agree that I will have relatively less competition in Australia - whoever said Manchester isn't recognised as a pretigious insitituion is clearly uninformed or willfuly ignorant.
I think most people here are just biased and have no clue about the recent grauduate job market due to being older - obviously the wrong place to ask such a question - my mistake
I think most people here are just biased and have no clue about the recent grauduate job market due to being older - obviously the wrong place to ask such a question - my mistake
I expect the student forums you are on are full of people as lacking in knowledge and experience as you are. You have had replies on here from people that are knowledgeable in education, financial services, current job market and trends. But you have just resorted to insults because we are not agreeing that you will be the Big Fish you seem to think will be.
I am going to stick to my initial advice on this thread. That I think you would be at a disadvantage here versus an Australian graduate and that you are disadvantaging yourself by coming here as a new graduate versus staying in the UK. Not only is there going to be a preference for local candidates but also job markets are stronger in the UK at the moment. Several years of work experience in London financial services would strengthen most CVs, I recommend that.
Sep 15th 2014, 9:45 am
#74
Concierge
Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 21,139
Re: British Graduate Moving to Australia (Big Fish in Small Pond)?
Well either way I'll be a "little fishy" amongst other little fishies. Anyway, after consulting younger, more up-to-date graduates on an Australian student forum, they seem to agree that I will have relatively less competition in Australia - whoever said Manchester isn't recognised as a pretigious insitituion is clearly uninformed or willfuly ignorant.
I think most people here are just biased and have no clue about the recent grauduate job market due to being older - obviously the wrong place to ask such a question - my mistake
I think most people here are just biased and have no clue about the recent grauduate job market due to being older - obviously the wrong place to ask such a question - my mistake
Come over any time. Bring your prestigious degree from your prestigious university, along with the chip on your shoulder and your distain for the knowledge and experience of people who have succeeded where you are yet to begin. Very marketable qualities.
But do spell check your job applications, or ask a better educated person to check them for basic spelling errors.
Sep 15th 2014, 10:09 am
#75
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 78
Re: British Graduate Moving to Australia (Big Fish in Small Pond)?
Highly doubtful. Especially if they went to a well known British or American university. Just because you don't recognise anything outside of Oxbridge and Harvard doesn't mean graudate employers and HR departments don't - for financial firms, they are very in the know about worldwide target universities.