Olive101

Starting to panic now.

Just spoke to a recruitment consultant who has put the willys up me (so to speak!). He has convinced me that I will be virtually unemployable as a UK accountant with no Aus experience.

We want to go to Adelaide but am now starting a panicky spiral of thought that has me swingly wildly to Sydney, Brisbane etc.

I appreciate I will have to slide back down the ladder carrerwise, but am I really totally unemployable with over 10 years' experience in audit and tax????

He seriously suggested Brisbane which we had ruled out because I thought it would be far too hot. Any experience on the weather there? I am a pasty Northerner not used to any heat!

I know no-one can answer any of these ramblings - just had to get it off my chest.

Thank you.

Vegemite Kids

is it possible to do a short conversion course to upgrade your UK qualifications with OZ qualifications ?

Peter

I have plenty of experience with Brisbane weather. I love it, but that's me. I can't say how you'd deal with it and neither could anybody else but you.

Re: being unemployable. I think that's a load of bollocks personally. With a bit of training on Australian tax law, I'm sure you could find employment.

Pollyana

If you are prepared to slide down the ladder a bit, you'll get work, even if you have to take any old job and hone your skills for the next one.
Maybe try looking at a site like the QLD govt jobs one and see what they require from their accountants? Those sites usually have pretty good job descriptions and will give you an idea what you are looking at. They go in to more detail than something like Seek.
www.jobs.qld.gov.au

sjn2003

What utter toss ! May I ask which recruitment agent you spoke to? I know plenty of UK accountants who have worked in both Melbourne and Sydney and had no problem finding work. Can't see why Adelaide will be any different.

Obviously some companies will want local experience and you may have to do some temp work to get it but its a fact that UK accountancy quals are highly regarded in Aus.

You could take conversion exams but that will not give you local experience.

Just remember recruitment agents come from under the same stone as estate agents - do not believe anything the lowlifes say

Olibeneli

What is it exactly that you do now and want to do in Oz ?

There are many strings to an accountants bow...........do you have a formal accountancy qualification like FCA, FCCA, CIMA, AAT, CIPFA.............Do you want to do Oz tax work ?..........if so you gonna need Oz qualifications............that's not a small thing to undertake........

I am an FCCA accountant but have nothing to do with tax and auditing now..................although I know how to audit and how to get up to date tax info...........

World of difference between a public accountant and one that works in industry.

Assuming you don't want to do Oz tax, if you had a formal qualification, I'd be more interested in your general experience than if you had specific Oz experience......and I have hired many accountants..............

There's really only one way to do bookkeeping the world over......the difference comes in local legal regulations......

good luck.....and yes B****cks to agencies.....

JAJ

Yes - you may well find it a challenge to get your first job in Australia. First decent job, anyhow.

And yes - many UK accountants have settled in Australia, so it's not an impossible task.

Points to consider:

- be flexible and prepared to take temporary work initially
- be prepared to do some further study, although what precisely you should do depends on your background and aspirations
- in Sydney and Melbourne, most recruitment consultants are familiar with UK qualifications and companies.
That gives UK people a certain advantage over other migrants.
- get in touch with the Australia office of your professional body, or associated professional body. They should be able to refer you to particular consultants.
- if you see a job advertised in regional Australia, the employer may struggle more to find an Australian: possibly an opportunity for you if you're willing to move there.
- keep control of your CV. Don't deal with any consultant who sends it to companies without telling you first.
- do some homework. Identify Australian companies in your existing industry or specialism and maybe make some direct approaches. Not too far ahead of arrival though, unless you see something specific on their website.

Jeremy