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How To Find Work In Australia: Top Tips You Need To Know

top tips on How To Find Work In Australia

Are you wondering how to find work in Australia?

Australia is often seen as a great place to work and live in, with a generally robust economy and a high standard of living. If you are someone who is living outside Australia and looking for employment, you may be wondering how to get started.

In this blog post, I’ll share some tips and tricks on how to find work in Australia, including resume writing tips, cover letter tips, and top tips from Australian recruiters.

Additionally, I’ll discuss some of the challenges of finding employment if you don’t already live in Australia, and provide a list of the five biggest recruitment agencies in Australia, as well as the five best websites to look for vacancies to get you started on your job hunt down under!

Tips For How To Find Work In Australia

Resume Writing Tips

Your resume (known in other countries as a CV) is the first impression a potential employer will have of you, so it is essential that it is well-written and well-presented. Some key tips to keep in mind when writing your resume include:

  • Keep it concise and relevant – recruiters often receive a high volume of resumes, so it’s important to keep yours to two pages or less and only include relevant information. No-one needs to know you waited tables when you were 16 if you’re applying for a senior engineering role.
  • Use bullet points to highlight your achievements – this will make your resume more readable and help your achievements stand out.
  • Tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for – use the job description to guide the content and wording of your resume to ensure that it aligns with the job requirements.

Cover Letter Tips

Your cover letter should accompany your resume and provide more context to your application. It should be tailored to the job you’re applying for and showcase your skills and experience.

Some key tips to keep in mind when writing your cover letter include:

  • Keep it short and sweet – aim for one page or less.
  • Address it to the specific person who will be reading it – if possible, research who will be reviewing your application and address the letter to them personally.
  • Highlight your skills and experience that make you a good fit for the job – use specific examples to back up your claims and use words mentioned in the job description to help get through automatic scanning technology used to filter applications.

Top Tips from Recruiters How To Find Work In Australia

Here are five top tips often heard from recruiters for people looking for a job in Australia:

  • Tailor your resume and cover letter to the job and the company: Recruiters in Australia emphasize the importance of customizing your application materials for each job you apply for. This means highlighting the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the job, and demonstrating an understanding of the company’s mission and values.
  • Use LinkedIn: LinkedIn is widely used in Australia for professional networking and job searching. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and complete, and use the platform to connect with recruiters and other professionals in your industry.
  • Be open to contract and temporary work: Contract and temporary work is common in Australia, and can often lead to permanent positions. Consider taking on short-term roles to gain experience and build your network.
  • Be prepared for behavioural interviews: Behavioural interviews are increasingly popular in Australia, and involve answering questions about your past experiences and how you handled certain situations. Prepare examples of your achievements and how you have demonstrated the skills required for the job.
  • Network: In Australia, networking is important for finding job opportunities. Attend industry events and join professional organizations to meet others in your field and make valuable connections.

Bonus tip for people trying to find work when you don’t already live in Australia:

  • Aim to get a work visa before arriving in Australia: If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you will need a visa to work in Australia. Consider researching and applying for a visa before you arrive in the country to increase your chances of finding work. Yes it’s a more expensive and time consuming route to take but arriving with full working rights and potentially permanent residence can help you feel safer to make the move in the first place – sponsored visas can be a very stressful way to live not knowing if you will be allowed to permanently settle in Australia.

Challenges of Finding Employment if You Don’t Already Live in Australia

One of the biggest challenges of finding employment in Australia if you don’t already live there is obtaining a visa. However, there are several visa options available, including the skilled worker visa, the working holiday visa (not available to South Africans sadly), and the employer-sponsored visa. If you’re considering moving to Australia for work, it’s important to research the different visa options and requirements to ensure that you are eligible.

Top 5 Recruitment Agencies in Australia

If you’re looking for help finding employment in Australia, these five recruitment agencies are a great place to start:

  • Hays Hays is one of the largest recruitment agencies in Australia, with offices in all major cities.
  • Michael Page Michael Page specializes in professional recruitment and has a strong presence in Australia.
  • Robert Walters – Robert Walters is a global recruitment agency with offices in Australia and a focus on executive-level roles.
  • Adecco – Adecco is a large staffing agency with offices across Australia.
  • Randstad – Randstad is a global recruitment agency with a strong presence in Australia.

Top 5 Websites to Look for Work in Australia

If you’re looking for job postings, these five websites are a great place to start:

  1. Seek: Seek is often thought of as Australia’s leading job search website with a wide range of job opportunities across different industries. The site offers job listings, job alerts, and career advice to help job seekers find their ideal job.
  2. Indeed: Indeed is a global job search engine that lists job opportunities from various sources, including company career pages, job boards, and recruitment agencies. The site has a user-friendly interface and offers job seekers the ability to create customised job alerts.
  3. CareerOne: CareerOne is another popular job search website in Australia that offers job listings and career advice to job seekers. The site has a user-friendly interface and allows job seekers to upload their resumes and apply for jobs directly.
  4. LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a social networking site for professionals that offers job listings and allows users to connect with potential employers and colleagues. The site also offers career advice and job search tools to help job seekers find their ideal job.
  5. Jora: Jora is a job search website that aggregates job listings from various sources, including company career pages and job boards. The site offers job seekers the ability to search for jobs by location, industry, and job type, as well as create customised job alerts.

Hopefully you’ve found this post helpful and it gets you started on finding work in Australia, whether you live here, South Africa or anywhere else around the world.

Have you found work in a different way? Share your tips and advice in the comments below to help others find work in Australia.

And don’t forget I have a job board on my website too so keep an eye on vacancies there too!

About Author

Helping you move to, settle in, and explore your new home in Australia. Avid reader, beach lover, and horse addict. As someone who has emigrated, not once, not twice, but three times, I know exactly what you’re going through. The ups and downs of emigration are faster than a rollercoaster and I’ve been there – three times!

2 Comments

  • Jaco Klopper
    25th April 2023 at 3:47 pm

    Hi,

    I am the owner of The Coffee Club in Karrinyup and will be glad to consider any South African looking for some work, especially scholars that are looking for typical hospitality work. They are more than welcome to drop a CV at the store in karrinyup Centre or speak to my Manager or myself.

    Reply

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