Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

So I am doing lots of interviews at the minute and not having much luck some of the funny things I have had said are :

"oh no not another bloody pom" that was a CIO at a big corporation

from a different interview I got :

"your english are you?, we have quite a lot of them working here at the moment and I dont think thats a good thing"

I didnt get either of those.
Another job I was called back for 5 interviews and also a psych test, then a half day working in the office to test my practical skills (unpaid). I did brilliantly at all of them even getting to know everyone in the department quite well as I had been back so many times, and they decided to offer the job to none of the four candidates being considered. A month of chasing it and they just cancel it.

Today I hear that I got rejected for another role (that was paying very low but I was happy to go for just to get back to work), they said they found someone who had more experience. Now bear in mind I have 15 years experience and was earning far more in my previous job, I was vastly overqualified. Perhaps it was just an excuse.

So out of desperation after months of trying I am now going for anything I can. I went to an interview today for a temp 6 week position and I have another entry level interview tomorrow at docklands.

I have gone from earning quite well in a mid level position in perth to having to scramble for and count myself lucky to be considered for an entry level job in Melbourne on 30k less than perth, is this normal?

Yes its a bad time of year now but I started looking towards the end of July

Have other people also had much trouble finding work in Melbourne?

Re: Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

Indeed a funny old game with the result (unfortunately), not always going to the best candidate!

Re: Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

It's a long while since I applied for jobs, but your story sounds very familiar, dave99. There have been lots of jobs where I felt fairly confident that I had all the skills and experience required, then never got an interview. I was often told that I lacked 'local experience', which was true at the time, because I did lack the experience of being totally bored all day, pretending I was busy or producing lower quality work with lots of grammar and spelling errors:sneaky:. When I turned up at one short contract job, they wanted me to have an interview, when I had already been through a whole testing and interview rigmarole at the agency I was using.

I did feel that at times there was some discrimination going on - based on nationality, skills, accent, who knows what - or they already had someone lined up for the job. The whole process can dent your confidence if you let it. Just had another thought, it might not fit your line of work, but sometimes volunteering for related work can help form links in the community. Also meeting others through something like www.meetup.com, where you can join walking groups or whatever interest group you like, you never know who you might meet who knows someone who's looking for a new employee.

Re: Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

Sorry to hear you've been having a tough time. When I was over in Australia my first job (I'm a qualified accountant) was in Adelaide and I found myself being questioned about how I would find working in Australia and also if I would just "leave" once I'd earned some travel money. However my second role in Melbourne I didn't have any of that but maybe I was just lucky!

Out of interest what do you do for a living?

Re: Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

Dave ..... Leave! Cut your losses and move on! It sounds like you can't win a trick at the mo!

Re: Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

My thoughts exactly. Didn't like Perth, doesn't like Melbourne.....

BB

Re: Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

I found casual racism against Poms quite funny initially. Now it's just tiresome. I've had similar anti-pommy sentiments at work but don't think I've been turned down for jobs because I'm British - it's just that with a shortage of jobs and oversupply of candidates in Brisbane invarariably they've got some mate lined up for the role. The important thing to understand is that in most cases recruiters would never let their need to deliver something get in the way of doing their mates a favour. This leads to a certain amount of indignation when you're passed over for less experienced candidates but it is just the way it is here. I've found some traction working thru consultancies - the relationships have been established, they need people who can do the job or they'll lose work.

Re: Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

Yeah this is becoming a very real option, the old cash reserves are running low. I might let christmas get out of the way first then head back if nothing turns up before then

Re: Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

The hardest time to find work in Australia is between mid-November and end January. The best option in this time is seasonal work eg sorting post, christmas shop/restaurant work etc.

BB

Re: Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

I am a big fan of meetup as well, I went to a lot in perth and a few in melbourne. I have kind of been holding off a bit in melb while focusing solely on the job search for now. Hopefully if I find something I can start getting to the meetups, they are a lot of fun and the majority of people in melb are really friendly and welcoming.

I do feel theres some discrimination at interviews, some people are fine when they hear an accent but others seem almost annoyed by it and make snide comments.

Well I will keep trying, for as long as my money lasts!. I have another one in a few hours.

Re: Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

They are very parochial in Australia in general - valuing 'local knowledge' over wider, worldwide, skills. They are also often looking to access your personal network in support of their business (since so much has parochial basis, 'who you know' has real value). As such anyone from 'outside' is immediately considered less valuable, both because the interviewers don't recognise where they are behind (and don't want to hear it), and because you aren't considered to bring that network with you.

You can help address these conceptions by:And in the end you just have to accept that, particularly in the south east, the level of nepotism is so extreme that underqualified cousins of potential customers will get selected over you - one of those behaviours that died in the business world outside of australia years ago.

Re: Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

:goodpost:Spot on, GarryP. Nepotism not just in the south east, though.

Re: Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

I would have thought that if nationality is brought up at an interview, then there's a scent of racial discrimination in the air, bearing in mind that racial discrimination does happen against people from an Anglo-Celtic background.

I have also found that consultancies/agencies have been the most important way for me to find work.

Re: Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

I think Australia is a wonderful country that can offer fantastic opportunities for some people (my hubby for instance has a job he loves here). I will always like a lot of Australia, but at the end of the day there are limited work opportunities for me so it's not practical for us to stay, and will be heading home.

It's very hard to know if you like a country when you're broke, struggling and unable to take advantage of everything it has to offer.

Re: Melbourne Interviews, its a funny old game
 

:goodpost:

I had the same experience in New Zealand.

BB