Admin would have to be the most sought after job and unfortunately for you there are lots of Aussies looking for this type of work and in the present climate they may succeed better than you. Uni students often take admin jobs as well.

Hi

This is my experience. I have attended cole's super market interview for various Casual positions. Initially there was group interview then we were called for one to one interview. I saw many people specially admin and accounting people from uk, malaysia ,and india were jobless for last several months. They were frustrated and murmured that they got PR and came here with lot of hopes but their job search ended in vain and some of them felt that it would be better to get 20 hours casual work in cole's so that they would get 300 to 400 $ for a day to day expenditure.Situation is really pathetic in brisbane as i start attending many casual jobs interviews and happened to see many with out job.My suggestion is for admin and other general skilled jobs Please analyse the situation deeply and bring sufficient funds while coming and please think twice before you immigrate to brisbane.if i am wrong correct me.

Thanks and Regards

I worked for a bit in Recruitment over here, we couldn't put anyone forward for a job unless they were in the country, this was for all job types, jobs need to be filled quickly so need to be interviewed straight away. Our office also did voluntary work experience where girls/guys would come in and do 2-3 days a week doing unpaid admin work, we would help them out with there cv, give them a reference and help them get work, we had a good record of finding work for them, they heard about jobs before we advertised. As mentioned earlier, having a great cv helps out here, you need to Australianise it, A cv in the UK is no more than 2 pages, over here it doesn't matter how long, include everything you have done, google Australian cv examples, it helped me to get a job. You need to apply for all jobs, buy the local papers Courier mail, Gold Coast Bulletin, both have job sections on Wednesday's and Saturdays, Check Seek and Careerone, Mycareer, and Byron Employment hourly for updates, When I was unemployed jobs changed hourly not daily, sometimes the first in gets the job. Go through the Yellow/White Pages, try everything basically, A lot of Australian companies I have had contact with dont advertise positions, they recruit word of mouth... Also there are many sales positions advertised weekly that are basically call centre work, there in every week so must have jobs going...

Good Luck

Sorry if this sounds blunt but its important that you realise that you don't stand any chance at all of getting an admin job before arriving in Australia.

Thought I'd throw in my experience...

Applied for loads of admin jobs, loads of flat refusals (which I suspect, from talking to others in the same boat, were based on having no Australian experience), got an interview for a fixed term govt job (I believe you can apply for govt jobs as long as the contract isn't longer than the period of your visa). Didn't get it. Lucked out on an IT company that happened to employ a lot of foreigners, and so were prepared to take a chance on a non-Australian.

I think that's your two avenues - government jobs that can't discriminate and have to employ the best person for the job, or places where they already employ foreigners. Not sure that menial jobs are the best way forward - a friend who is a qualified gas fitter was turned down for a meat packing job, which he suspects was due to his UK accent.

Good luck and keep at it.

Not likely to be eligible for any government jobs on a temp visa though so that takes away one avenue.

A couple of months ago my OH needed a temp admin person (in a NSW govt department).

Ad went up on Seek via one of their usual agencies. It had to be pulled the next day as the agent had received over 240 applications. As usual, most applicants were highly qualified and experienced, with at least one degree.

Don't fancy anyone's chances of getting an admin job full stop. Let alone before they arrive.

My experience is depressingly similar as far as getting admin work. When I first arrived I applied for anything and everything without a sniff of an interview.
I ended up getting a 2 week posting in a qld government dept through an agency in April 2007, and I am still there and still a temp! Basically, you can't secure a permanent job with govt whilst on the temp visa, but my temp contract was extended and extended and I have been in lots of different roles in the same dept. My permanent residency came through this year and I have since been trying to get a permanent position in the same dept as I enjoy the work. Unfortunately, nothing has come available since I got my residency - and with the last election several govt departments changed - the one I work for (housing) ended up as part of Dept of Communtities and they are currently re-arranging all the staffing. The result is that most temps are being given the elbow, so I am only holding on by the skin of my teeth. My job search is back in full swing now and I find myself applying for anything again.
Earlier posters are right when saying your chances of getting work from the UK are slim to zero. I hope 2.5 years of oz experience is enough to get me into an interview at least, but advise you to try every avenue once you arrive back in the country.
Good Luck

Sounds like the position I was in. I did three years in one govt temp position after another, even after I got PR it took another year to get the elusive perm position. I really feel for you as things are even worse now with all the displaced staff since the departments were re-organised. Fingers crossed you manage to hang in there and get a perm one in the end

Thanks for the Polly - it wont be through lack of trying!