cfcfree

Hi, first time poster here just looking for some info.

I've been down under (sydney) for around 2.5 years now and have loved it but contract ended with last employer in November and have since been looking for work in Sydney in my field, accounting, but it has been super tough even getting to interview,never mind securing a role.

I half wondered if it might be an idea to spend the northern hemisphere summer in europe, either London,Edinburgh Amsterdam etc, but the thought of going there without much emergency cash is daunting. All the interweb news reports from Blighty indicate how tough it is, Ireland also seems really in a bad state, dunno about Netherlands etc...but I can't see how it can be worse than Sydney right now where put simply there are virtually no jobs in my sector but a glut of candidates and this could easily last for the rest of 2009.

Any thoughts? I'm CPA and CIMA qual.

CFCfree

jmh

To be honest I think it is tough everywhere right now. There is not much advertised in London as people are sticking to their jobs right now. I am inclined to think you should make your decision based on other things. Where would you get the better benefits and security should you not get a job? Where do you have family to fall back on?

It is possible that being a foreigner might be a disadvantage in Oz as well, as employers give preference to Australians. Very hard to say. How does your heart feel? Where do you really WANT to live?

cfcfree

Yes i agree it's probably difficult anywhere.
I suppose the advantages of UK would be close to family and it might even be fun for a little spell but Australia is really where I want to be. There's one or two family events happening in the Spring that I would like to do so perhaps that is as you indicate more important than economic issues. i'd just like to get a feel if targetting contract work is utter no chance or probably no chance etc. Massive difference etc.

Joannec2014

I've been looking for jobs in Risk Management and there appear to be a lot that require Accountancy skills (that I don't have) there also appears to be loads of Accountancy jobs up here in BrisVegas sorry Brisbane!

jmh

A friend of mine looking for IT work in London says that there is more contract work because employers are not recruiting. Maybe it is a similar situation in your field of accounting. In which case it probably doesn't matter where you look, although I guess London would offer sheer numbers.

Sherpa

Hey before you decide to leave take a trip around the country as there is a different world out there you wont regret it and by the time youve seen it all this slowdown might be over

NikiL

From what I can gather from UK based CIMA members, its pretty damned tough in the UK - wages freezes are the norm, and generally if you've got a job count yourself bloody lucky. I'd be more tempted to think about looking elsewhere within Aus if you wanted to relocate.