theguitardoctor

Hi there,

Despite the best research and intentions, some things can be out of your control...the feelings of being away from family are one of them. Oh it's only 24 hours on a plane is a bloody long time if you have to do it regularly....something elderly family cannot undertake. 8 years ago it was probably a lot easier to emigrate to Oz, certainly to remain there with employment. These guys managed it, but things didn't work out...as I've said before the reality is harsher than the dream..you are lucky in that Sydney worked out for you. Despite our best efforts NZ isn't working for us and we called and researched job opportunities extensively before we left the UK...even had a job offer...though a sudden change in immigration policy shafted us and the job offer was withdrawn. Add to that sketchy guidelines from NZIS and we have to return to the UK against our wishes as the whole law change has changed employers attitudes. This couple may have been under the impression that the market for their skills was bouyant, but as lots of people find out over the world....jobs can be here today, gone tomorrow. Add to that a bad start, and it can make you resent a place no matter what. A house full of whitetails biting your first born may have given you a different view of Sydney if that's how you'd started life down under.

Give them a little credit in the fact that they have turned the situation around and have an opportunity in the USA.

I say good luck to em....

Rich.

podgypossum

janeyray

Good luck and do whatever you feel is right. I wish you all the luck in the world. No one says you can't go back to the UK, if thats what you want and the US doesn't work out just go home, I am.

hevs

appychappy, wolfen does not need a new wife! had you met the lovely mrs wolfen, you'd know that isn't the case. It simply didn't work out the way they had hoped and rather than going home and giving every thing up, they are trying something else (it wouldn't be my choice either, but fair play if its for them) who knows if it will work out, but lets face it none of us knows for sure what it will feel like until you face the move for ourselves.
Mich, will call ya tomorrow, see you at the party on sat, lots of love H xxxxx

ahappychappy

UMMMMM......Not sure why you felt you need to come to their aid? However you may be a little over dramatic in your remarks. First born being bitten by white tails! I think not. Appears to me from your reply that you know little about OZ my friend. As for 8 years ago, well no it was not any easier points and settlement wise, in fact I had to retrain for another career for two years and lived in a one bed unit (this was my contingency plan). But hey if thats what it takes then so be it. Keeping in touch with family was harder as email and the web was not common place, and flights and call costs were higher than now. As for jumping on planes regulary for a 24 hr flight. Well why would you? (how long have you been in NZ and how many times have you made the flight?) well I guess if Family is going to be such an over riding issue then best not to make the move in the first place.

Sounds as though you could have done with a contingency plan in NZ yourself.

noodle

Hi Michelle

Hope you're okay! I'm sorry things haven't worked out for you lot. People seem to think that you didn't do any research into jobs before you went, and what you said above is my big worry. The fact that all these jobs advertised aren't actually real. My husband has seen loads, but it might not be the case when we get there. I guess we'll just have to find out from people who are already there. In-laws have just spent a month in Brisbane and they brought back newspapers and there are virtually no IT jobs in them.

Anyway, good luck in US. There was a thread on here not long ago about helping your kids sleep on the plane which might be worth a read. Maybe you can blag 1st class seats!! Hope it all works out for you, keep us informed.

Love Noodle.x

ahappychappy

G' day Noodle,

Not sure what field you and your husband are in career wise but you may be better off to check a few web sites out for employment. IT jobs do not tend to be advertised in news papers (thats not using the technology) but more so on web sites. I have lived in OZ for 8 years and I can only speak from experience that the Sydney employment market is pretty boyant at the mo. Think most agencies (including UK based ones) from time to time advertise a few fakes to top up their canditate data base.

Anyway have a look at these:

www.mycareer.com.au

www.jobnet.com.au

www.seek.com.au

www.jobserve.com.au

Set yourself up with a profile for auto e-mailing of available positions.


Good luck.

owieb

This has been said in so many posts over the past few months, by myself and many others. There is a serious lack of jobs especially IT, and this should be more apparent by the fact that IT has now been totally removed from the MODL.

People need to plan on it being many months before they find work.

Some posters are being criticised for saying that the Wolfens should have done a bit more research or given it a bit more time, but IMHO that is exactly what they should have done. If they thought they would find work within a couple of weeks then I think they did fail to do enough research.

However, Mrs Wolfens most recent post was very honest and all credit to her for being able to tell it like it is. It's not nice to hear about peoples dreams just falling apart, but hopefully it will help many others to think about the whole process and what's involved.

And to the Wolfens, I really hope you find what you are looking for and eventually get the chance to experience everything Australia has to offer.

ahappychappy

Not sure if you work in IT but it is not a realistic expectation to come to another country and think one is going to find a good position in a few weeks. One has to factor in several months if not more. IT has been over supplied in the last few years here and is only now recovering. Also Melbourne is not the best place to try and establish ones self in IT. Like it or not Sydney is the hub for IT.

I cannot over play the RESEARCH factor for all pending migrants....

Florida_03

Some of you may know (or may not) that I am an ozzie who recently moved to the US from Australia. I have allowed myself 9 months to find a job here. We have been here nearly 3 months now and my first interview is next Tuesday. I was not disheartened as I knew it would take time to get networking and to start seeing the results. When I tell my yank mate that we have burned a bit of cash he just said "think of it as an investment". He's right of course.

As for telecoms in Australia. I took a redundancy from Telstra in 1991 and the industry there has been in solid decline since then.

noodle

Hiya happy chappy

I'll be at home with the kids, hubby's a CCIE and has loads of other qualifications.

Thanks alot for the jobsites, but we've tried them all. There are plenty of well paid jobs on these sites, but it's knowing whether they are real or not. I've heard loads of scarey stories! We weren't going to rely on the papers. My husband even sent his CV to tonnes of IT companies and IT recruitment companies, although we have heard nothing back, we realise that we'll have a lot better chance when we're over there. My husband's a clever man, he'll sort us out!

Thanks anyway.

Noodle

ahappychappy

Brisbane is not the IT hub of OZ so expectations may have to be lowered opportunity wise. That said I am sure you will enjoy this fine country.

jandjuk

yes I do think people expect to pick up jobs far too quickly. I would think 3 months would be a minimum...

I mean you think about it - first week, you'll settling in and very very busy organising your new life - it'll be at least week2/week3 before you have time to start job hunting. Things in a new country always take you twice as long because you don't know where things are and how things work.

Then you have to find jobs to apply for - which can take weeks. Then the closing date will be another few weeks away, then they won't interview for another month after that - then they'll think about it, and if you're lucky, they'll offer you the job - then another week at least will pass before you can start.

And of course, you might have to go through this process 10 times before you get a job - and if there just aren't jobs in your field in your chosen area, then even longer.

When I return to NZ, I will be very very happy if I get a job within 3 months. BUt I'm not banking on it...

wolfens_wife

ahappychappy - christ you are an arsehole. What gives you the right to judge me? "get a new wife" what a knob guys!!!!

There are some real tossers on this forum

most of them blokes ive got to say.

theguitardoctor

Hello again...I am simply putting my point of view across, it's a forum for people to post their emigration experiences, positive or negative, though you seem to think it's some kind of platform for you to announce your almighty cures for everyone's problems. If you are so wise, please aid us towards world peace.....maybe you know a URL which will lead the way??

Also it seems you have not read the thread clearly, as Wolfen posted that his little one had been bitten by a white tail...this could have been more had he not stayed up most of the night to kill the bulk of them..at least it was only one bite. This would come as a shock to any new parent....though as you are obviously devoid of heart, I don't expect you to appreciate this. I also dont profess to knowing much about Oz, however, it is fact that every country's immigration policies have tightened over the last few years and certainly since 9-11 no matter your country of origin, so I have trouble believing that things were as difficult 8 years ago - we certainly cannot stay in NZ or go to Oz and retrain in careers - our visas would not allow it these days. As I said, if you made Oz work for you then great - you were a single guy that could live in a one bed unit and re-train; pat yourself on the back...it's not so easy with a young family.

Also, Agencies do advertise fake jobs (I should know my wife used to be in recruitment), and they do it to build a candidate list, so that should a job turn up in the future, they have access to people that may be able to fill it. They'll tell you enormous lies on the phone just to get you into their offices and onto their list, certainly those lies are ten fold when they know you are on the other side of the world. Newspapers do the same...they are called trawler ads and they simply do the same thing, build a prospective candidate base...some employers have to advertise by law, though the position is always prospectively filled before the ad is placed. I'm not saying it's impossible to get a job, but in reality in this day and age, it can seem rosy from 12,000 miles away, but then you arrive and its all a facade...

Also, in some people's cases the reality of homesickness is greater than expected...I can't say I have experienced this as my family is pretty spread out, but I can appreciate it. And people do leave thinking, oh it's only 24 hours...but it's a long time to travel & sit in one place..and family members that say they'll be on the next flight over, rarely end up doing that. You obviously have few family ties, so don't need to do this...well done you.

Also, it seems you know little of NZ my friend as you have no idea of their current immigration policies and the attitude of employers. The LTBV business application was our contingency plan, but when both avenues are becoming more and more difficult to take, then you have to say "enough" at some point and cut your losses. You may have thought Sydney the greatest place on earth, or you ran away from something in the UK, hence your determination no matter what, but some of us don't want to start out again in bedsits, why would we when we are skilled workers with degrees and money behind us?

I'm glad you have such a simple solution to everything...please endow me with your wisdom on my own situation in NZ, I'm sure you cant resist, and I'll be elated when my problems disappear.

Rich.