grubelice

Having read recent posts I am seriously starting to have cauliwobbles about finding work in Adelaide or thereabouts in SA. Typically buoyed along by family and friends over there saying - yeah you will be all right Sheila, naw problem girl - I have handed my notice in now and I guess I am feeling nervous about being able to earn my crust down under. It is a bit Catch 22 as you can't seriously look until you get there. I know work is the most important factor when going somewhere new as once you have work everything else seems to fall into place.

Anyone out there feeling the same or anyone down under already able to offer advice - not criticism. By the way I am presently a teacher/lecturer in Business/IT/Admin and have experience in past lives of working as administrator/PA etc in Investments, Oil Industry and NHS. Obviously have all my certs including 2 degrees etc. Am willing to have a go at anything legal.

Elaine (Adelaide bound)

Nicstids

Haven't really got any advice
but do sympathise. We can't decide whether to go to Perth or Adelaide and I think the difficulty with finding work in Adelaide may well swing it to Perth. When we visited Adelaide last month I spoke to a couple of legal recruitment agencies(I'm a solicitor) and they stressed that Adelaide law firms (probably in common with other employers I guess) have a very parochial conservative attitude. They don't even like candidates from other states let alone "foreigners".

I s'pose the best thing to do is to get a foothold, however small, onto the job market so as to say that you have Aussie experience. For example, I'm wondering whether it would be worth doing a secretarial course before we go so I could do some temping as a legal secretary - they're always in demand. My hubbie reckons I'd be no good at that though -I'd be telling the boss that they were doing it all wrong!!

Nicola

Atticus

Nicola

Have you considered para legal work? Its different over in Aus - well to some degree - it might be worth checking out so you dont have to do a secretarial course (or maybe that will be an added bonus!)

How was Adelaide did you stay long?

Regards

Rizalan

grubelice

Thanks Nicola for that supportive reply. Do you really think that Perth will have more to offer? I have been over there and weighing up the situation it seemed to be worse than Adelaide for work in my line. I guess it depends on your line of work. It's isolation seemed to play a part in that. I was really impressed with Perth - well Fremantle really and thought it more like Continental European. Also great feeling being so close to the sea. I agree that Adelaide is very parochial but for me that's where its charm lies. Reminds me of how England was when I was growing up in Somerset. From what I have read Adelaide seems to be growing in business terms, but no doubt this will take a while. I think it is deffo going to be hard to get a foot in the door and you must attack this task with professionalism. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Elaine

Nicstids

Elaine,

I've found something in my folders full of bumpf about the Migrant Employment Consultancy Service which is part of the Interlink program run at the Adelaide Institute of TAFE.

http://www.els.sa.edu.au/services/mecs.php

May be worth bearing in mind.

Nicola

Nicstids

Hi Rizalan,

Yes I spoke to the agents about paralegal work and they seemed to think I'd get paid peanuts! Still, if it's a way in and it would probably be better paid than secretarial ??

We really liked Adelaide. Mark's always been keen to go there since he was over before on his WHV. We were only there for 5 days but went up into the Barossa which was beautiful. It has more history than Perth...

Our trip to Aus was to help us to decide where to go but we came back no closer to a decision than before we went!! We're still torn between Adelaide and Perth. We didn't think Brisbane was for us. Very busy - more traffic than we'd seen anywhere else and quite Americanised in feel really.

Nicola

Atticus

When I was in Oz in 94 as a legal secretary I was getting approx $16-18 per hour this was for a large firm - I know its not much but Im imagining its obviously gone up since then but once you stop converting pounds and dollars it all depends on what you can comfortably live on from what you earn in Oz and I would have thought that paralegas would get paid more - at least I was under the impression that they did.

On doing a salary check for solicitors in corporate sector at least in perth between $72-98k 98 being about £30k so if I ever get in, although nothing to get excited about over here over in Oz thats not too bad especially when its part of two incomes.

If I find anything re paralegals will let you know.

All the best

Nicstids

Have found my notes from talking to the Perth recruitment consultant. As my field is PI I obviously won't get paid as much as a commercial lawyer - he reckoned $60k before doing exams and up to $100k once I've passed those. They work on you having to achieve 3 times your salary in costs (same as here - don't know about you in Scotland?) Mind you it would be nice to earn a 1/3 of my target here - I've got the highest individual target in the firm (about 80 feeearners)


Nicola

Atticus

Hey Nicola

Im must be having a dizzy/dopey moment!! have sent a reply to you but as a new topic entitled "hello" - I did wonder why I was asked for a new title when I was only replying to your email - sorry!!

kentcoast

Hi,

No-ones's saying that getting work is going to be easy (stranger in a strange land and all that) but providing you're will to be flexible and not expect to walk into a dream job then I don't think that it's going to be too bad.

If it will help settle the nerves feel free to drop me a PM with a postal address (work or something - bad practice to give out a home address) I'll happily send you the job section from my last Adelaide Advertiser, it has far more jobs that get put online (44 pages of the things in fact).

Cheers

Perry

pockygoes

We are much the same - cannot decide between Adelaide or Perth - Hubbie seems to think that there will be more work for him in Perth than Adelaide - he is a Air Con Project Manager - commercial stuff only. we have discounted Sydney, Brisbane & melbourne for one reason or another. Hubby is swayed to Perth & I am swayed to Adelaide. Mind you don't really care as long as we get there.

As you say - work is the major factor & always fills you will doubts as you need to earn to start to enjoy your new life.

Good luck

Cheers

Pockygoes

mr mover

look here,WWW.EVERYTHINGADELAIDE.COM.AU ..........mm

kerstinschuetz

Hi there,

Interlink is definitely a great resource for migrants in Adelaide. They really put in a lot of effort into helping you find a job from resumes to interview practice and helping you find al kinds of resources. this can eb really important because liek someone mentioned, people in Adelaide generally are quite conservative in hiring-so you will want to make sure that your application is in the correct format etc. this often varies between countries.

Nothing is impossible, but I have to say that from past experience, it can be really difficult to find work and you may have to consider some other options also. I would work out how long you can afford to stay in Adelaide without a job, and while you're there also apply in other states as a backup. Something that is often recommended is to do some work experinece in a company. this often leads to a job. it is usually not paid, but I have had many friends who have had to do this to find a job, even though they had degrees etc. This is especially important when you are a migrant. Something to maybe consider at least. Networking and conncetions are almost more importnat in Adelaide than anything else.Good luck!!!

mashiraz

Thanks kerstin, are you in Adelaide?
what's your story?

Mash

Teresa

Think everyone going has major job worries, check out
http://www.aussiemove.com/

gives you employment agencies all over Oz, will give you a feel for jobs, think you have to be flexible, my hubbie has a trade and hopes to work in that but can turn his hand to anything if need be and I have a lot of experience in finance but again will give anything ago albeit part time as we have a two year old, eventually you will get there, you just have to believe that you will - we are Perth bound..having travelled round Oz


Teresa