Moving to a new country is hard. Moving to a new country without job security is even harder.
At Miller Leith, we regularly meet candidates from all over the world who have just moved to Australia. Whether on skilled visas, working holiday visas, graduate visas, partner visas or permanent residency visas, at some point during our discussions with these candidates, the conversation inevitably turns to the age-old question…
“How can I break into the Australian market?”
This is an incredibly tough question to answer. However, we can help you with some of these simple steps to help guide you towards your ideal opportunity:
Look for contracting and temporary opportunities
- This allows you the chance to put proven experience within Australia on your CV going forward.
- This gives you the much-needed insight into the Australian workplace culture, which is one of the key criteria for hiring in Australia.
- It will give you the opportunity to advance your skills in new systems, processes and industries.
- Additionally, some contract roles have a strong temporary to permanent possibility providing the working relationship is going well; this may also open up sponsorship as an option.
Make your resume stand out
- Include your current Australian suburb and if you are open to relocation.
- Make note of what your working rights and visa status is.
- Detail transferrable technical skills such as systems usage, worldwide principles and degree qualifications.
- Be clear and concise (bullet points) in your accountabilities and achievements.
- We suggest your CV be between 2-4 pages in length. This should allow you to present relevant information without under or over doing it.
How to make an impact at interview
- Be presentable, as first impressions always count no matter the situation. Dress sharp, be well groomed, always smile, shake hands and make eye contact.
- Answer the question you are asked but don’t overdo it. It is important to carefully listen to the question you are asked and respond accordingly.
- Research the company you are interviewing with thoroughly. It can also be highly beneficial to research your interviewer on LinkedIn.
- Use the STAR methodology to explain examples:
SITUATION – Describe the situation you were in or the task that you needed to accomplish
TASK – Explain the task you had, or the goal you were working towards
ACTION – Describe the specific actions you took
RESULT – Close with the result of your efforts and the overall outcome
Lastly, however most important, is to be personable. The Australian job market is built largely on cultural fit. So, it is critical that you show your personality at an interview: be friendly, ask how the interviewers week is going and talk about the positive aspects of your personal life if the opportunity arises.
There you have it, while these steps cannot guarantee you the chance to walk straight into a position, they should help you to at least get started on the right foot.
Across the Miller Leith network, which includes our Melbourne, Sydney and Contracting divisions, our consultants are always willing to work with a variety of candidates relevant to the specific industries and professions we recruit for.
Be sure to keep an eye on our website – www.millerleith.com.au and our LinkedIn page – www.linkedin.com/company/miller-leith/ for any upcoming job opportunities.
Good luck breaking into the Australian market!
