Find your dream job in Australia

Find your dream job in Australia

Bianca Luck: Thank you for watching. Welcome to our webinar where we talk all things about finding your dream job in Australia. Let me introduce the panel to you today. Today we have Shabnam Shaukat. She's a Temp Business Support Recruiter here in Sydney. We also are joined by Skye O'Malley. She's Temp Legal Support Recruiter and Aidan Bost, Team Leader for Temp Business Support Recruitment. The reason why all three of them are on the panel today is because they've all been in a very similar situation to yourselves and they've been working holidaymakers originally when they came to Australia. So today the agenda for the webinar is we're going to talk about the Australian market. So I'm going to do an update in relation to the Australian market. Shabs is going to talk about getting situated in Australia, then we're going to move into job search strategies and CV writing tips, then interview preparation and cultural adaptation, and an interactive Q&A session will be at the end where our team of recruitment experts will answer all of your questions.
So let's start off our Talent webinar by having a look at what's happening in the Australian market at the moment.
[Market Update]
On the onset of 2024, Australia encountered a significant job vacancy count of 54,000 indicative of a dynamic employment landscape. Job vacancies decreased by 0.7%, which was 2,900 vacancies in the three months to November 2023. This was seasonally adjusted. Despite this being the sixth consecutive quarterly decrease, the level of job vacancies heading into 2024 remained elevated. Job vacancies were 70.8% higher than they were in February 2020, prior to the start of the pandemic. This ongoing high level of vacancies reflected the continuing labor shortages in many industries.
So what does this mean for job seekers? The figure represented a plethora of opportunities across various sectors, offering a promising outlook for those in pursuit of employment. With such a substantial number of vacancies, individuals have a diverse array of options to explore, enabling them to align their skills and aspirations to suitable roles. This abundance of vacancies not only signifies a buoyant economy but also underscores the demand for skilled labor in the country.
The Australian Migration Strategy unveiled in December 2023 emphasized the necessity for long-term planning to support stable population growth and to facilitate better infrastructure, housing, and services for all Australian residents. The strategy introduced the Skills in Demand visa system. This new system replaced the subclass 482 TSS visa and includes three tiers catering to different income levels and occupants, ensuring a nuanced approach to meet Australians' evolving needs.
In 2023, Australia experienced record numbers of migrants reaching heights well above pre-COVID levels. This talent shortage persisted; sponsoring overseas workers can significantly alleviate the recruitment process for employers and the capability to do so, while also providing access to the broader talent pool. Temporary visa holders continue to represent a valuable source of skilled workers for temp work assignments, while providing employers with the option to sponsor if need be. A 4.1% unemployment rate in Australia heading into 2024 indicated a relatively low level of unemployment compared to historical averages. This means that the majority of people who are actively seeking employment were able to find jobs, suggesting a healthy labor market.
For job seekers in Australia, including those on working holiday visas coming into the country, a low unemployment rate generally implies several positive aspects. One would be an increase in opportunities. So with a lower unemployment rate, there are more job opportunities available across a variety of different industries and sectors. Job seekers may find it easier to secure employment as businesses are actively hiring to meet their staffing needs.
The second thing it could mean would be a competitive job market. While there are more job opportunities, the competition for desired positions may also increase. Job seekers may need to demonstrate their skills, qualifications, and experience effectively to stand out amongst other candidates.
It could also mean better job security. A low unemployment rate often translates to greater job security for those who are employed. So companies may be less inclined to downsize or make layoffs to the labor market while it's so strong. It could also mean potential or higher wages. So as businesses compete for skilled workers in a tight labor market, wages may increase to attract and retain talent, and job seekers may have negotiating power to secure better compensation packages.
The challenges for working holiday visa holders is while unemployment rates and benefits are at 4.1%, those working holiday visas may face unique challenges. So employers may prefer candidates who can commit to long-term employment, potentially making it more difficult for working holidaymakers to secure certain types of jobs. Additionally, visa restrictions or limitations on working hours may impact job opportunities for working holiday holders.
Overall, a 4.1% unemployment rate in Australia indicates a favorable job market environment for job seekers. It's important for individuals, including those on working holiday visas, to be proactive, flexible, and prepared to navigate in a competitive job market effectively. The top industries in 2023 that were hiring were manufacturing, mining, wholesale trade, transport, postal and warehousing, information media and technology, and real estate.

Shabnam Shaukat: Hi. So first and foremost, let's tackle the crucial aspect of visa and legal requirements Australia offers. Australia offers a popular working holiday visa program, allowing young adults aged 18 to 30, in some cases, 35 from eligible countries to work and travel in Australia for up to one year. However, it's vital to understand the visa conditions before making any plans. So you must be between the ages of 18 to 30 years old at the time of application. In some cases, individuals up to 35 years old from specific countries may be eligible, depending on bilateral agreements between Australia and those countries. You must hold a passport from an eligible country that has a reciprocal working holiday arrangement with Australia. Eligible countries often include the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, and many others. The list may vary, so it's essential to check the current eligibility criteria.
Health and character. So you must meet certain health and character requirements. This typically involves undergoing a medical examination and obtaining a police clearance certificate to demonstrate that you do not pose a health or security risk to the Australian community. You need to have sufficient funds to support yourself initially upon arrival in Australia. While specific financial requirements may vary, it's generally recommended to have access to around 5,000 Australian dollars to cover living expenses until you find employment. As mentioned, you must have working rights secured before your move. This means that you cannot rely on sponsorship from employers like People2People. Instead, you'll need to apply for the working holiday visa independently and ensure that you're legally permitted to work in Australia.
So setting up bank accounts. Upon arrival, one of your first tasks should be setting up a bank account. Having an Australian bank account streamlines your financial transactions and makes it easier to manage your finances while you're here. Research different banks and their offerings to find one that suits your needs best. Be sure to bring along the necessary identification, such as your passport and proof of address, to expedite the account setup process. Sorting out your tax code. So tax matters may not be the most glamorous aspect of your Australian adventure, but they are essential to address. As a working holiday maker, you're subject to Australian taxation laws to ensure your tax correctly. You'll need to apply for a tax file number, TFN. This unique identifier is crucial for employers to deduct the correct amount of tax from your wages. You can apply for a TFN online once you've arrived in Australia, but it's advisable to do so sooner rather than later to avoid any delays in your employment.
Getting a phone number and why it's important. In today's connected world, having a reliable means of communication is indispensable. Getting an Australian phone number not only allows you to stay in touch with friends and family back home but also facilitates job hunting, arranging accommodation, and accessing essential services. Consider opting for a prepaid SIM card upon arrival, which offers flexibility without tying you into a long-term contract. You'll find various mobile providers offering competitive plans to suit different budgets and usage requirements. One of the big reasons you should get set up with a phone number is to be able to connect with recruiters during your job hunt. So forgotten tips of what to prepare before coming to Australia versus what to do once here. Before coming to Australia, research your destination. Familiarize yourself with Australia's geography, culture, and job market to set realistic expectations. Secure accommodation beyond the initial period. While booking accommodation for your first few nights is essential, consider securing something more permanent housing for the duration of your stay. Research rental listings, shared accommodations, and temporary housing options in your desired city or region to ensure a smooth transition upon arrival. Budgeting. Estimate your expenses and create a budget to ensure you can comfortably support yourself during your stay. Research job opportunities. While the working holiday visa allows you to work in various industries, it's helpful to research job opportunities in your field of interest before arrival. Look into job websites, recruitment agencies, and networking platforms to get a sense of employment landscape and potential job openings. Prepare your resume and cover letter. Update your resume and tailor it to the Australian job market. Stay tuned for some more tips on that during this webinar. And once you're here, familiarize yourself with the public transport. Get acquainted with the public transport system in your area, including train, bus, and tram routes. Invest in a transport card or a pass convenient for your cost-effective travel around the city and surrounding areas. Networking. Build connections with fellow travelers, locals, and potential employers to expand your opportunities. And finally, explore your surroundings. Take the time to explore your new home, immerse yourself in the local culture, and embrace new experiences.

Bianca Luck: So if you've got any questions about getting situated in Australia for Shabnam, please leave them in the comments, and we'll do our best to answer them live at the end of our Q&A session.
We're going to continue along the journey today, career journey, and we're going to be joined by Skye O'Malley, who's going to talk about job search strategies and CV writing tips.

Skye O’Malley: So when crafting your CV for the Australian job market, there's a couple of focus points you can highlight. What we would recommend would be transferable skills. So emphasize transferable skills that are relevant to the position you're applying for. Highlight skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability, showcasing how they contribute to the role. Also, work experience. Showcase relevant work experiences, even if it's from your home country or previous non-professional roles. Highlight achievements, responsibilities, outcomes to demonstrate your capabilities and achievements. Education and qualifications. Include details of your education, certifications, and qualifications relevant to the job you're applying for.
Highlight any additional training or courses you've completed to enhance your skills and knowledge. Language proficiency. If English is not your native language, highlight your language proficiency level, including any language certifications or qualifications you may have obtained. Overcoming the struggle of not having local experience. Lack of local experience can definitely be a common challenge for working holidaymakers seeking employment in Australia. But there's a couple of ways you can overcome it. So skill enhancement. Take advantage of training programs, workshops, or online courses to enhance your skills and knowledge in areas relevant to your desired job roles. Continuous learning showcases proactive approach to professional development. Networking as well, build relationships with professionals in your industry through networking events, industry associations, and online communities. Networking provides opportunities to learn from experienced professionals gain insights into the job market and potentially secure referrals and recommendations as well. And definitely don't be afraid to seek feedback and guidance. So don't hesitate to reach out to industry professionals or career advisors for feedback on your CV, interview techniques and job search strategies. Constructive feedback can help you identify areas for improvement and tailor your approach to suit local expectations.
So you can also showcase cultural awareness and adaptability. Highlight your cross-cultural communication skills, adaptability, and cultural awareness on your CV and during interviews. Employers value candidates who can thrive in diverse working environments and understand the nuances of working with people from different backgrounds. and then for showcasing local cvs what does it look like so to draft a cv tailor to the australian market consider some of the following tips so clean and concise formatting use a clean professional layout with clear headings and bullet points to enhance reliability Keep your CV concise, focusing on relevant information that aligns with the job requirements. Customize for each application. So tailor your CV for each job application by highlighting the most relevant skills, experiences, and achievements. Customize your resumes to showcase your background and how it aligns with specific requirements of the role. Include contact information. So ensure you're including your up-to-date contact information, including your name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile, if applicable.
Make it easy for employers to be able to reach out for further discussions. and definitely be proofreading for errors so thoroughly proofread your cv to eliminate any grammatical errors typos or formatting inconsistencies attention to detail demonstrates your professionalism and attention to quality as well and keep it concise and relevant aim for a cv link cv length of one to two pages focusing on the most relevant information that showcases your qualifications and suitability for the job so avoid um including any irrelevant details or information that does not directly contribute to your application. And then where do I begin my job search? Arriving in Australia on a working holiday visa can be very exhilarating, yet definitely a challenging experience, especially when it comes to finding employment in a new country.
However, partnering with a reputable recruitment agency such as People2People can significantly ease the transition and enhance your job search journey. So with recruitment agencies, they have in-depth knowledge of the local market and industry trends. People2People can provide invaluable guidance and support tailored to your individual skills and preferences. Our team of consultants have established networks and employers across various sectors, enabling us to match you with suitable job opportunities that align with your qualifications and career aspirations. So one of the most significant advantages of working with a recruitment company is their ability to help you adapt to the Australian job market. so they can offer insights into cultural norms, workplace expectations and industry-specific requirements, helping you navigate the nuances of the local employment landscape with confidence. Moreover, our recruitment consultants can provide personalized advice on CV writing, interview preparation and job search strategies, empowering you to present yourself effectively to potential employers and secure rewarding employment opportunities as well.

Bianca Luck: Thanks, Skye. If you have any questions about job search strategies and CV writing tips, please leave a comment, and we'll do our best to answer them at the end of our live Q&A sessions. Lastly, we're joined today by Aidan Bose to discuss interview preparation and cultural adaptation.

Aiden Boast: Thanks, Bianca, and thanks Guy and Shabnam for your great insights. There's some really good pointers and takeaways to take from them. I wanted to talk a little bit more about your techniques for preparing for job interviews and also things to bear in mind when you're interviewing as well. So we'll cover a couple of areas. I can see some questions coming through already, but we'll try and answer as many as we possibly can. So techniques for preparing for a job interview. I actually internally do interview training as well and we um actually train our staff on how to um prepare our candidates for interviews and I also have a few pages I have youtube linkedin and tick tock as well with lots of job interview tips and techniques so if you want some techniques after this as well check out my pages we'll be sharing them on there as well but we'll jump into it so preparing for any job interview what do you need to do what are the bases and there's so many different things which we can talk about I wanted to cover over some areas and touch points. So the first one would be research your company with so many times people don't do the basics here. So we're going to cover some of them, but researching the company, thoroughly research the company, but really understand what their mission is. What are their values? What are the products and services they offer? And what recent achievements they've done? You can find that information on their LinkedIn pages. You can Google and just go on news articles and see if there's any recent updates within that organization when you're going into the interview as well if they ask you what do you know about them don't lecture them just give them two three points in terms of what you know just to show that you've used initiative because they know about the company they know who they work for they just want to know how to use your initiative but if they bringing up things like the mission, the values will be really valuable, really, really valuable for your interview. So yeah, next point is practice common interview questions. We ask this when we interview and register our candidates. And the reason why is because it gets asked all the time. Things like tell me about yourself and you've got to be able to articulate yourself really well in that interview. Why are you interested in this current role and company which we've touched over? What are your strengths and weaknesses? It's a common one. Everyone asks it. I know it's frustrating, but practice it. Try not to just have the general perfectionist and that's what I need to work on. Come back with something which you can work on in terms of your weakness. So a good little tip for strengths and weaknesses. Practice responding with your skills and experience in terms of what you have and really selling yourself in because it's not natural for you to interview. So make sure that you're practicing and that you're able to explain yourself very well. The other area, STAR method and SAO methods. You may have heard of this. It's a very common way to answer questions. STAR, if you get asked an example or a competency question in the interview, how do you answer it? It's situation, task, action, and result. One thing I do want to point out with that though, is you don't want to be doing star method answers for every single question that you are asked. Look out for pointers like, give me an example of, tell me of a time when, then questions you want to be answering your star. And again, it's generic, I know, but a lot of interviewers ask these questions. But make sure that you're well prepared because a lot of people do ask them questions. Questions to ask the company. So make sure that you have some questions. There's quite a few and I've got some good tips and techniques if you do want them. um with specific ones as well but make sure that you're just curious you're engaging and you have a real interest in the role so aim your questions around your curiosity and your interests and if they come back you know with certain skills or certain things which they're looking for reflect back and say I have that and really demonstrate and show yourself off and showcase yourself Ask about the company culture, the team dynamics, growth opportunities. There's lots of different ones. So yeah, again, I can give you more insights on my socials. Mock interviews. So have you practiced interviewing? I know it sounds funny. I've seen lots of videos online where people will be interviewed by their moms and dads, and there's always lots of bloopers there, but do it. Put yourself in an uncomfortable position. and answer questions from people who you know. The reason why is it's not natural to interview and it's okay for you to be nervous, but the more you practice, the better you're gonna be. Corporate attire and dressing appropriately. So this is something I've actually been asked quite a few times. But dress to impress. I've always said this, dress to impress. It doesn't matter if you are doing a Zoom interview, Skype interview, Teams interview, dress to impress. Make sure that you look professional. The reason why is it really sets the tone for the interview and it also puts you in the right frame of mind for that interview. So make sure that you are dressing appropriately. Also, make sure that you're wearing comfortable clothes as well because I've seen people wearing tops but then wearing pajamas at the bottom and I've seen it on Zoom. So make sure you're dressing appropriately. And the last one would be just be confident and be yourself. I know it's really hard, but you've got to be confident. Employers and interviewers want to see who you are. They want to see your personality and they want to see you come out of your shell and really articulate yourself and show them why you are the perfect candidate for the role. So they're the top tips and techniques for preparing for an interview.

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Join Group Managing Director Mark Smith for the latest insights into the employment and job seeker markets. Explore our hot jobs across Australia and some exciting opportunities abroad in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

This week, Mark is joined by Temporary Specialist Recruitment Consultant Shabnam Shaukat to discuss how to register for our upcoming Working Holiday Webinar, Finding a job in Australia, and how working holiday makers can overcome common challenges when getting ready to settle down to find their dream job.

Shabnam joined people2people in June 2023, coming on board our Sydney team as a Temporary Specialist Recruitment Consultant. Born in Ireland, Shabnam moved to London where she spent over 3 years working as an estate agent before transitioning into the recruitment industry focusing on business support in the temporary sector. Eventually, Shabnam jumped the pond to Australia to continue building her career in recruitment, and is excited to grow with people2people.