Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
May 13th 2014, 2:12 am
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2
Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
I am not sure what to do.
I moved to Melbourne, Australia 6 years ago as a permament resident. I am a chartered accountant and an internal audit/risk expert. I was in an accounting firm and I quit my job last year due to extreme nastiness in the office and I had also burned out and needed some rest. I got my rest (3 months was enough for me) and started applying for roles. It has now been 8 months and after over 100 applications, I haven't had more than 3 interviews and in 2 cases I went to final interview and failed to get the job. 2 of those interviews were through my own network. It never occured to me that I would take more than two months to find a role. Apparently turning 40 last year seems to have been very detrimental to job hunting.
Recruiters have said I am overqualified for many jobs and for other mainstream finance jobs I am too specialised and don't have 'relevant' experience. One simply said I am perceived to be too expensive, despite me not demanding any particular salary. There are simply too many unemployed auditors at the moment so each job has over a hundred applicants. I have gone from a $150k a year job to nothing and I'd be happy to get $100k, but even the job agencies just say it is unrealistic as they know that as soon as I can get a higher salary I would be out the door.
I am now reduced to dire straits, I can't pay the mortgage now and have until July to get a job or I am forced to sell the house. I am on centerlink and I have applied for roles all over Victoria and even in Sydney.
Currently there are no more than 11 roles in australia (only 4 in Victoria) for my specialism versus more than 400 roles in the UK for my specialism.
I came to Oz to give the kids a better life, which we have enjoyed and now it's all fallen apart. I don't have any family in the UK other than distant cousins whom I hardly know - my parents and grandparents have passed and my parents were both only children! I don't know whether to hang on and hope I can find a job or just cut my losses and return to the UK right away to try and secure a job.
Any advice would be welcome...
I moved to Melbourne, Australia 6 years ago as a permament resident. I am a chartered accountant and an internal audit/risk expert. I was in an accounting firm and I quit my job last year due to extreme nastiness in the office and I had also burned out and needed some rest. I got my rest (3 months was enough for me) and started applying for roles. It has now been 8 months and after over 100 applications, I haven't had more than 3 interviews and in 2 cases I went to final interview and failed to get the job. 2 of those interviews were through my own network. It never occured to me that I would take more than two months to find a role. Apparently turning 40 last year seems to have been very detrimental to job hunting.
Recruiters have said I am overqualified for many jobs and for other mainstream finance jobs I am too specialised and don't have 'relevant' experience. One simply said I am perceived to be too expensive, despite me not demanding any particular salary. There are simply too many unemployed auditors at the moment so each job has over a hundred applicants. I have gone from a $150k a year job to nothing and I'd be happy to get $100k, but even the job agencies just say it is unrealistic as they know that as soon as I can get a higher salary I would be out the door.
I am now reduced to dire straits, I can't pay the mortgage now and have until July to get a job or I am forced to sell the house. I am on centerlink and I have applied for roles all over Victoria and even in Sydney.
Currently there are no more than 11 roles in australia (only 4 in Victoria) for my specialism versus more than 400 roles in the UK for my specialism.
I came to Oz to give the kids a better life, which we have enjoyed and now it's all fallen apart. I don't have any family in the UK other than distant cousins whom I hardly know - my parents and grandparents have passed and my parents were both only children! I don't know whether to hang on and hope I can find a job or just cut my losses and return to the UK right away to try and secure a job.
Any advice would be welcome...
May 13th 2014, 3:20 am
#2
Almost more Oz than Pom
Joined: Aug 2010
Location: Brisbane northern suburbs
Posts: 1,154
Re: Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
First of all, try applying for UK jobs while you are still here - unless you know for a fact that the UK jobs market for your age group and specialisation is healthier than the Oz one there seems little point in spending money on air fares just to end up in the same frying pan.
May 13th 2014, 3:55 am
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 255
Re: Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
Going by your figures, it would make sense to give returning serious consideration.
Can you get Citizenship here first though, in case you want to come back AFTER your RRV expires.. ?
Can you get Citizenship here first though, in case you want to come back AFTER your RRV expires.. ?
May 13th 2014, 4:16 am
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,253
Re: Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
Turning 40 isn't the issue it was when job hunting these days, turning 50 seems to be that mark now I find. Especially with people staying in to higher education sometimes will in to their early 30's doing various PG qualifications. New graduates in their early 20's and over 50's are the main strugglers. Not sure blaming turning 40 is an excuse unless you were going up against graduate position jobs.
Always a risk jumping off the merry go round. What do you say when the interviewer asks you 'why did you leave your last position'? and 'What have you done with your time since leaving that position'?
If you mention that there was conflict in your last position, even if not your fault, they might not want to touch you. I assume even though there was nastiness that you have a good reference from your old work place? Steer clear of anything negative at all in interviews, but I am sure you already know that.
8 months is not that long a time to be looking for a well qualified job these days. When I first came to Australia in 2002 it took me 7 months to get a job and then I started at the bottom as a fixed term casual. Took another 2 years and further interviews to become a permanent member of staff!
I find that there is no shortage of fixed term contracts out there in the majority of fields. Perhaps you need to consider 6 - 12 month contracts to tide you over. It is permanent work that is the bugger to find these days in Australia and the UK. Also if you move straight back to the UK it could be same shite different country, no saying it will be any easier there.
Always a risk jumping off the merry go round. What do you say when the interviewer asks you 'why did you leave your last position'? and 'What have you done with your time since leaving that position'?
If you mention that there was conflict in your last position, even if not your fault, they might not want to touch you. I assume even though there was nastiness that you have a good reference from your old work place? Steer clear of anything negative at all in interviews, but I am sure you already know that.
8 months is not that long a time to be looking for a well qualified job these days. When I first came to Australia in 2002 it took me 7 months to get a job and then I started at the bottom as a fixed term casual. Took another 2 years and further interviews to become a permanent member of staff!
I find that there is no shortage of fixed term contracts out there in the majority of fields. Perhaps you need to consider 6 - 12 month contracts to tide you over. It is permanent work that is the bugger to find these days in Australia and the UK. Also if you move straight back to the UK it could be same shite different country, no saying it will be any easier there.
Last edited by Jon77; May 13th 2014 at 4:20 am.
May 13th 2014, 4:23 am
#5
.
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Posts: 2,744
Re: Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
I live in NZ and can relate to all that.
I'm 46 by the way !
I've just started a five month temporary work contract after over a year of no income. On the rare occasion I got an interview I inevitably got turned down. Most recent interview I was one of a handful of candidates from the 130 applications they received. They haven't even had the courtesy to give me the, 'thanks but no thanks' letter. So, I guess that's a no, then.
No real reason for turning me down on the other occasions I was interviewed for other jobs, just, 'not successful on this occasion'. I ended up doing voluntary work just so I didn't go bananas.
Easy for me you might think, my husband is in permanent employment. We were living off one income. Sweet
(If that's living the dream you can keep it !) You can't eat scenery no matter where you live. Claim unemployment benefit ? Don't go there - just don't. The NZ government that I paid income tax to seems to think it's ok to take household income into account when it comes to me claiming unemployment benefit. Nuff said.
I'm 46 by the way !
I've just started a five month temporary work contract after over a year of no income. On the rare occasion I got an interview I inevitably got turned down. Most recent interview I was one of a handful of candidates from the 130 applications they received. They haven't even had the courtesy to give me the, 'thanks but no thanks' letter. So, I guess that's a no, then.
No real reason for turning me down on the other occasions I was interviewed for other jobs, just, 'not successful on this occasion'. I ended up doing voluntary work just so I didn't go bananas.
Easy for me you might think, my husband is in permanent employment. We were living off one income. Sweet
(If that's living the dream you can keep it !) You can't eat scenery no matter where you live. Claim unemployment benefit ? Don't go there - just don't. The NZ government that I paid income tax to seems to think it's ok to take household income into account when it comes to me claiming unemployment benefit. Nuff said.
Last edited by Snap Shot; May 13th 2014 at 4:28 am. Reason: nuff said
May 13th 2014, 4:42 am
#6
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Re: Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
I am not sure what to do.
I moved to Melbourne, Australia 6 years ago as a permament resident. I am a chartered accountant and an internal audit/risk expert. I was in an accounting firm and I quit my job last year due to extreme nastiness in the office and I had also burned out and needed some rest. I got my rest (3 months was enough for me) and started applying for roles. It has now been 8 months and after over 100 applications, I haven't had more than 3 interviews and in 2 cases I went to final interview and failed to get the job. 2 of those interviews were through my own network. It never occured to me that I would take more than two months to find a role. Apparently turning 40 last year seems to have been very detrimental to job hunting.
Recruiters have said I am overqualified for many jobs and for other mainstream finance jobs I am too specialised and don't have 'relevant' experience. One simply said I am perceived to be too expensive, despite me not demanding any particular salary. There are simply too many unemployed auditors at the moment so each job has over a hundred applicants. I have gone from a $150k a year job to nothing and I'd be happy to get $100k, but even the job agencies just say it is unrealistic as they know that as soon as I can get a higher salary I would be out the door.
I am now reduced to dire straits, I can't pay the mortgage now and have until July to get a job or I am forced to sell the house. I am on centerlink and I have applied for roles all over Victoria and even in Sydney.
Currently there are no more than 11 roles in australia (only 4 in Victoria) for my specialism versus more than 400 roles in the UK for my specialism.
I came to Oz to give the kids a better life, which we have enjoyed and now it's all fallen apart. I don't have any family in the UK other than distant cousins whom I hardly know - my parents and grandparents have passed and my parents were both only children! I don't know whether to hang on and hope I can find a job or just cut my losses and return to the UK right away to try and secure a job.
Any advice would be welcome...
I moved to Melbourne, Australia 6 years ago as a permament resident. I am a chartered accountant and an internal audit/risk expert. I was in an accounting firm and I quit my job last year due to extreme nastiness in the office and I had also burned out and needed some rest. I got my rest (3 months was enough for me) and started applying for roles. It has now been 8 months and after over 100 applications, I haven't had more than 3 interviews and in 2 cases I went to final interview and failed to get the job. 2 of those interviews were through my own network. It never occured to me that I would take more than two months to find a role. Apparently turning 40 last year seems to have been very detrimental to job hunting.
Recruiters have said I am overqualified for many jobs and for other mainstream finance jobs I am too specialised and don't have 'relevant' experience. One simply said I am perceived to be too expensive, despite me not demanding any particular salary. There are simply too many unemployed auditors at the moment so each job has over a hundred applicants. I have gone from a $150k a year job to nothing and I'd be happy to get $100k, but even the job agencies just say it is unrealistic as they know that as soon as I can get a higher salary I would be out the door.
I am now reduced to dire straits, I can't pay the mortgage now and have until July to get a job or I am forced to sell the house. I am on centerlink and I have applied for roles all over Victoria and even in Sydney.
Currently there are no more than 11 roles in australia (only 4 in Victoria) for my specialism versus more than 400 roles in the UK for my specialism.
I came to Oz to give the kids a better life, which we have enjoyed and now it's all fallen apart. I don't have any family in the UK other than distant cousins whom I hardly know - my parents and grandparents have passed and my parents were both only children! I don't know whether to hang on and hope I can find a job or just cut my losses and return to the UK right away to try and secure a job.
Any advice would be welcome...
I hate CVs as they are bollocks, but maybe adjust yours to suit the job. Tone it down for positions that require less experience (yes, I'm telling you to lie - or at least not tell the whole truth)
Good luck
Last edited by Amazulu; May 13th 2014 at 5:08 am.
May 13th 2014, 4:45 am
#7
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Re: Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
Turning 40 isn't the issue it was when job hunting these days, turning 50 seems to be that mark now I find. Especially with people staying in to higher education sometimes will in to their early 30's doing various PG qualifications. New graduates in their early 20's and over 50's are the main strugglers. Not sure blaming turning 40 is an excuse unless you were going up against graduate position jobs.
Experience is king
Even 60 is not the mark - last year I was working with 70 year olds
May 13th 2014, 4:51 am
#8
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Canberra
Posts: 8,378
Re: Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
Apply for jobs in UK and see what happens! If you get one then you win. If you have time and haven't done so already, get citizenship before you may leave though, if you can.
Don't be seduced by the "better life" thingy - doesn't sound like it is "better" at the mo. One first world country is very much like any other.
Don't be seduced by the "better life" thingy - doesn't sound like it is "better" at the mo. One first world country is very much like any other.
May 13th 2014, 5:37 am
#9
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,040
Re: Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
Do you think an auditors role is a dying art in Australia?
Was it like this 6 years ago when you arrived?
Are they sending those roles to India?
If there's only a handful of jobs and hundreds of applicants where are the jobs going?
Do you see the situation improving?
Can you re-adjust to a different type of role that may be in demand?
Ease of offshoring and high salaries seems to be putting the sword to many jobs in Oz. If fear that sometime soon I will have to move back to the UK for this very reason.
Was it like this 6 years ago when you arrived?
Are they sending those roles to India?
If there's only a handful of jobs and hundreds of applicants where are the jobs going?
Do you see the situation improving?
Can you re-adjust to a different type of role that may be in demand?
Ease of offshoring and high salaries seems to be putting the sword to many jobs in Oz. If fear that sometime soon I will have to move back to the UK for this very reason.
May 13th 2014, 6:15 am
#10
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 365
Re: Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
Well it would be better to apply for jobs in the UK and keep looking for a job in OZ too.
Think about your kids !
Of course, money doesn't buy happiness but being broke is worse than everything (apart from serious health problems) IMO !
Think about your kids !
Of course, money doesn't buy happiness but being broke is worse than everything (apart from serious health problems) IMO !
Last edited by babyposer; May 13th 2014 at 6:18 am.
May 13th 2014, 7:29 am
#11
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
One thing you can be sure of - the day you leave for the UK, you will receive a job offer from one of those Australian interviews, and it will be the one you really wanted!
BB
BB
May 13th 2014, 8:05 am
#12
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2
Re: Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
Thanks for the messages.
I should have added that I have applied for jobs in the UK (and Middle East and Asia and Western Europe) and recruiters have told me that employers will not consider applications from abroad anymore. You have to be in the UK. Gone are the days of a couple of web interviews and you get a job.
Auditing isn't something you can offshore, its just that its bottlenecked with too many people and companies are getting by with the bare minimum. 6-10 years ago there was a lot of demand. I had interviews for US, Canada, New Zealand, and Shanghai but chose Australia.
The profession has changed in that managers aren't even managing anymore, they are doing the work that staff used to do. Workloads have doubled. So employers are getting more out of less people, the staff that were there five years ago are now managers, so there are even more people going for manager level jobs. As I see it, I am up against people with 5-8 years less experience, single with no family who are $20-40k cheaper than my so called market rate (even if I am happy to take $20k less) Experience = expensive.
Or perhaps I am turning into a bitter old fart at age 40 shaking my fist at these 'young folk'! :-)
I should have added that I have applied for jobs in the UK (and Middle East and Asia and Western Europe) and recruiters have told me that employers will not consider applications from abroad anymore. You have to be in the UK. Gone are the days of a couple of web interviews and you get a job.
Auditing isn't something you can offshore, its just that its bottlenecked with too many people and companies are getting by with the bare minimum. 6-10 years ago there was a lot of demand. I had interviews for US, Canada, New Zealand, and Shanghai but chose Australia.
The profession has changed in that managers aren't even managing anymore, they are doing the work that staff used to do. Workloads have doubled. So employers are getting more out of less people, the staff that were there five years ago are now managers, so there are even more people going for manager level jobs. As I see it, I am up against people with 5-8 years less experience, single with no family who are $20-40k cheaper than my so called market rate (even if I am happy to take $20k less) Experience = expensive.
Or perhaps I am turning into a bitter old fart at age 40 shaking my fist at these 'young folk'! :-)
May 13th 2014, 11:25 am
#13
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 33
Re: Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
Out of interest are you looking at industry type roles or professional services?
May 13th 2014, 12:59 pm
#14
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,253
Re: Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
Thanks for the messages.
I should have added that I have applied for jobs in the UK (and Middle East and Asia and Western Europe) and recruiters have told me that employers will not consider applications from abroad anymore. You have to be in the UK. Gone are the days of a couple of web interviews and you get a job.
Auditing isn't something you can offshore, its just that its bottlenecked with too many people and companies are getting by with the bare minimum. 6-10 years ago there was a lot of demand. I had interviews for US, Canada, New Zealand, and Shanghai but chose Australia.
The profession has changed in that managers aren't even managing anymore, they are doing the work that staff used to do. Workloads have doubled. So employers are getting more out of less people, the staff that were there five years ago are now managers, so there are even more people going for manager level jobs. As I see it, I am up against people with 5-8 years less experience, single with no family who are $20-40k cheaper than my so called market rate (even if I am happy to take $20k less) Experience = expensive.
Or perhaps I am turning into a bitter old fart at age 40 shaking my fist at these 'young folk'! :-)
I should have added that I have applied for jobs in the UK (and Middle East and Asia and Western Europe) and recruiters have told me that employers will not consider applications from abroad anymore. You have to be in the UK. Gone are the days of a couple of web interviews and you get a job.
Auditing isn't something you can offshore, its just that its bottlenecked with too many people and companies are getting by with the bare minimum. 6-10 years ago there was a lot of demand. I had interviews for US, Canada, New Zealand, and Shanghai but chose Australia.
The profession has changed in that managers aren't even managing anymore, they are doing the work that staff used to do. Workloads have doubled. So employers are getting more out of less people, the staff that were there five years ago are now managers, so there are even more people going for manager level jobs. As I see it, I am up against people with 5-8 years less experience, single with no family who are $20-40k cheaper than my so called market rate (even if I am happy to take $20k less) Experience = expensive.
Or perhaps I am turning into a bitter old fart at age 40 shaking my fist at these 'young folk'! :-)
Chin up and get out there. It is hard and I know there are dark days when you wonder if anything will change......but it does.
Or you can go and get your cardy and slippers and sit yourself in front of day time TV for 25 years.
Last edited by Jon77; May 13th 2014 at 1:04 pm.
May 13th 2014, 2:12 pm
#15
Concierge
Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 21,139
Re: Unemployed for over a year... should I go back to the UK?
Thanks for the messages.
I should have added that I have applied for jobs in the UK (and Middle East and Asia and Western Europe) and recruiters have told me that employers will not consider applications from abroad anymore. You have to be in the UK. Gone are the days of a couple of web interviews and you get a job.
Auditing isn't something you can offshore, its just that its bottlenecked with too many people and companies are getting by with the bare minimum. 6-10 years ago there was a lot of demand. I had interviews for US, Canada, New Zealand, and Shanghai but chose Australia.
The profession has changed in that managers aren't even managing anymore, they are doing the work that staff used to do. Workloads have doubled. So employers are getting more out of less people, the staff that were there five years ago are now managers, so there are even more people going for manager level jobs. As I see it, I am up against people with 5-8 years less experience, single with no family who are $20-40k cheaper than my so called market rate (even if I am happy to take $20k less) Experience = expensive.
Or perhaps I am turning into a bitter old fart at age 40 shaking my fist at these 'young folk'! :-)
I should have added that I have applied for jobs in the UK (and Middle East and Asia and Western Europe) and recruiters have told me that employers will not consider applications from abroad anymore. You have to be in the UK. Gone are the days of a couple of web interviews and you get a job.
Auditing isn't something you can offshore, its just that its bottlenecked with too many people and companies are getting by with the bare minimum. 6-10 years ago there was a lot of demand. I had interviews for US, Canada, New Zealand, and Shanghai but chose Australia.
The profession has changed in that managers aren't even managing anymore, they are doing the work that staff used to do. Workloads have doubled. So employers are getting more out of less people, the staff that were there five years ago are now managers, so there are even more people going for manager level jobs. As I see it, I am up against people with 5-8 years less experience, single with no family who are $20-40k cheaper than my so called market rate (even if I am happy to take $20k less) Experience = expensive.
Or perhaps I am turning into a bitter old fart at age 40 shaking my fist at these 'young folk'! :-)
I feel for you, it's bloody hard to go from a well paying job to income support. Have you explored all alternatives in your field? Are there other types of jobs that your chartered accountant qualification equips you to do?