Graphic Designers enquiring on work in Australia
 

Hi to you all,
This is only my 2nd post so apologies if I bang on a little!

I've posted a thread today enquiring on Graphic Design vacancies in New Zealand, BUT would consider working in Australia (to be honest, the hubby would prefer Oz, even though we've never been to either places!!) Both me and the hubby are both designers with over 15 years experience in print and web design work. Hubby John currently works in public sector and I work in-house. After a life changing experience (I won't bore you all with the details), and after giving it some serious thought, we've made the decision to leave the UK and GET A LIFE!!! We have a good life in the UK, but feel it's time to take our lives a step further.

We would really appreciate anyone who could give us some feed-back on the graphic design industry in Australia. Having Googled some of the design agencies in Oz, we are still unsure as to the levels or standards of these agencies. We're not sure if these agencies are the best Australia has to offer or whether they are small companies or freelance designers, as non of the websites give us any ideas on staff numbers, client profiles, annual turnover etc.

Because of the line of work we are in, we are considering going through an agency. A friend of ours is heading out to NZ next month, but she is trying to talk us out of going through an agency, and we have found the fees are silly amounts of money! One agency wanted to charge us £7k.

Having considered NZ, we're both thinking would there be better opportunity for us in Australia of getting graphic design work?? Do Australia have a recruitment agency for people in the creative industry?

If anyone or fellow graphic designers can help, it would be much appreciated.
Thanks, Di xXx

Re: Graphic Designers enquiring on work in Australia
 

Try these I'm sure when i was over there most of the jobs in the creative design industries in Sydney all seemed to be marketed through the same agency think it might have been this lot:

http://www.timerecruitment.com.au/Ab...cruitment.html

From when i was there (i work in IT) I'd say if you want to work in design and earn decent money you'd need to live in Sydney or Melbourne.

Re: Graphic Designers enquiring on work in Australia
 

Or was it this lot cant remember:

http://www.digitaltransfer.com.au/

Hope that helps.

Re: Graphic Designers enquiring on work in Australia
 

Thank You Captain Merton!, will give these links a try x

Re: Graphic Designers enquiring on work in Australia
 

Hi there, these sites have been very helpful to me while researching the graphic design market in Sydney and Melbourne...

http://www.seek.com.au/
http://www.creativepeople.com.au/
http://www.australianinfront.com.au/
http://www.agda.com.au/

There are far, far more opportunities in Australia than in NZ it would seem; and a number of studio's producing superb work - as well as many more producing bog-standard stuff. Not unlike the UK in that respect! The AGDA site should point you in the direction of some of the better ones...

The plan is to move there next summer with my wife, after working in London as a designer for the last 7 years I fancy a change of scenery!
By the way I would strongly concur with your friend and suggest that using an agent is unecessary and a huge waste of money :)

Steve

Re: Graphic Designers enquiring on work in Australia
 

Hi Steve!

Thanks so much for these links, I'll check them out.

Yeah, both me and the hubby fancy a change, both of us are graphic designers who are desperate for a change of scenery. We have a good life here in the UK but are ready to take the plunge.

You are lucky to be in London - something we should have done years ago, but just weren't brave enough to do it, plus hubby does have a good design job. I work in-house as a designer, but the recession is hitting the business big time and I've a feeling it's only a matter of time before the marketing dept is next in line for redundancies.

Thanks again for these links, fingers crossed you're settled in Oz for by next summer :thumbsup:

Re: Graphic Designers enquiring on work in Australia
 

Yeah, will be keeping our fingers crossed to get out there next summer! We think we should be fine, my wife is a secondary school teacher - so we are very lucky to be on the Critical Skills List...maybe this will help speed the process, I don't know.

I hope you find those links to be of some use, here is another one which you may enjoy...I think this is the best design studio in the world, never mind australia!

http://www.frostdesign.com.au/

Steve :)

Re: Graphic Designers enquiring on work in Australia
 

Frost Design....fabulous! - saw a recent link for them on QBN website :thumbsup:

Re: Graphic Designers enquiring on work in Australia
 

Wondering if anybody in this group has actually had much luck in the graphic design industry in AUS? I only have less than 3 years experience but I have a 4 year bachelor of design degree from a great internation Uni here in Toronto.

Anyhow was looking to move to Brisbane, and from the general number of studios search there seems to be a good amount of design studios in the area. Wondering if anybody knows what its like to work as a designer in AUS, frequency of jobs, average pay rate, etc? I know a lot of info but looking for anyone who knows the ins and out.