Lucyemma5

AAAAAAAAarrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhh! I must have applied for at least 20 jobs in the last month, through Seek and CarreerOne, but no one ever bothers to call me back. I am a very experienced PA with 10 years experience. I though by now I would have had at least a couple of interviews (with employers, not ruddy agencies) lined up, but not a sausage. Apparently the agencies here are very well known for that. Any pointers please. I am getting the Courrier Mail tomorrow and will start sending letters out on spec. I am totally bored and hacked off.

renth

Give us a clue, where are you "Cider country"?

Lucyemma5

I am living in Cleveland, but would like to work in Brissyvegas CBD.

renth

Your best bet is to start your job hunt once you are here. I know what Aussie employers are like, they'll usually ignore the CV if they know you are in the UK.

Plus, once you get here you have to do your homework. When you have applied for a job you have to hound them. Often this hounding is a sign to the employer that you are a dynamic go getter.

Networking is vital too, nepotism is big here.

Lucyemma5

I am in Cleveland, Australia (Bayside).

I don't know who to network with, I don't have a car yet and going into the city just to see an agent is a pain in the arse.

joho

As you are a pa do you have RSA qualifications. RSA stands for something else over here, so I have decided to tailor my RSA III Diploma to say 'Stage 3 Secretarial skills Diploma' or something along those line on my resume and explain my reasons if interviewed. Have only applied for 1 job so far using RSA and none my new way. I am not seriously looking as of yet, but can feel the home all day madness disease about to hit.

Jo

Lucyemma5

AHA! I didn't know that about RSA, I have typing, audio typing medical typing, WP, and book-keeping qualifications. Because I haven't worked for 4 months my typing speed has gone down to about 55 wpm, I used to be about 80. Some patronising bitch at an agency said that I sould copy out of the newspaper for an hour a day, my agument was to her that I can be back up to 80 within a week of starting a job, and if typing speed was what it was all about then I didn't want to know, as a PA for 10 years, very little of my job was actually typing.

Pollyana

Forget the agencies - apply for jobs direct from the Courier. Far more likely to hear back from them (though not guaranteed) and far more likely to get your kind of job that way.
Have you also looked at www.jobs.qld.gov.au

Billabong

You can sleep with me if you like but I'm not sure I can give you a job

Sorry, couldn't resist that!!

I found when I was in blighty that the agencies are not interested in any way so as others have said I would wait till you get here and start then.

Regards

Megalania

Figure out who is using your skills and contact them directly and ask if they know of any openings. Bit like getting a root really - lots of knock backs but if you don't ask you won't get.

Desperate House Flies

I found the pool man worked for me

Bree

Pollyana

Geordie George

Can't be too specific, as I'm in Sydney rather than Brisbane, but thought I'd share my job hunt experience.

The job search in earnest kicked off once Mr GG and I arrived in Sydney. I used seek.com.au in the main, but did also look at the Sydney Morning Herald and keep an eye on other sites such as career.com.au and specific agencies' websites. Think I applied for (on average) five jobs a day, Monday-Friday, for about two months. Had countless meetings with recruitment agencies, but 'real' interviews ... Perhaps about 10 (it takes me a long time to warm up to them; I hate interviews! ).

I too found that most people don't bother to call back. That's why I always made a point of calling the agency/company to follow up my application a couple of days after submitting it. I did get some success that way - it seems pushy, but I think it just shows you're keen and serious about the job.

Anyway, my point is that job-hunting is a demoralising, depressing thing to do. But you just have to stick with it and something will turn up. Try not to get too down about it.

Karma for good luck that something comes along soon.

GG

Just as an after thought ... have you asked any of the recruitment agenices to look over your CV and offer advice? I found that some Aussie feedback was useful in that regard.

Lucyemma5

Hi GG

The recruitment agencies here are about as much use as tits on a fish. I had a massive row with one asking why they never call back. I must have applied for about 30 jobs by now, and I only get some recruitment consultant who is so far up their own arse treat me like I am a 16 year old shool leaver.

I think that from others experience, cold calling is the answer.

Lucy

Geordie George

Agreed that the recruitment consultants are useless. They tend to approach things from the employer's, rather than the candidate's, perspective, so once you've been put forward for one role, you drop off their radar a bit.

Not much use to you, 'cause they don't have a Brisbane office, but for other people; a recuitment consultant that seemed to be the exception to prove the rule was greythorn.com.au.

I know how frustrating the process is and how fed up you get. Don't become introspective though and think it's any reflection on you! I really hope you get some progress soon.
Nichola