Questions on Australia?

Chippy123

Considering leaving for Aus this year, simply because of the working situation over here. Have a few questions about Australia though and would appreciate any responses....

1. Do you sort out accomodation prior to leaving? What is the best option?

2. Best cities to balance work/social life?

I would probably do any sort of work tbh. Am qualified in engineering and have near 2 years experience but would work in any field so long as it was a 5 day a week type job. Also want to have a good experience so wonder which city is best?

3. Is it generally easy to find work?

Cheers for any replies.

unreggd

1. Do you sort out accomodation prior to leaving? What is the best option?
When you get there. The best bet is to stay in a hostel until you have your job. Most will say to only hostel it for 2 weeks, then find your own place regardless, but I wouldnt advise this. Also the longer your in the hostel, the more friends you'll make who may have similar plans as you

2. Best cities to balance work/social life?
Depends what you're into. Everywhere has plenty of bars. Brisbane has a very big gig scene, and a fake beach :P

I would probably do any sort of work tbh. Am qualified in engineering and have near 2 years experience but would work in any field so long as it was a 5 day a week type job. Also want to have a good experience so wonder which city is best?

3. Is it generally easy to find work?
No. You either need to be: Sh;t hot at your job, a blatant liar, or really lucky! My oz mates said there's a big crackdown now on short term jobs, as recruitment and training is costing lots of time and money. I was applyin for 50 jobs a day, all jobs I was overqualified for, but got nothing! I'm back home now because of this.
All my Irish mates who have jobs there lied about their visas.
Labour is an easy job to get, but theres not really that much of it.
Hospitality work is prob one of the hardest sectors. Nearly all jobs require an RSA, and the food and gambling equivalents, and 1/2 years experience
It's not a very Holiday Visa-friendly country anymore

I'm not tryin to discourage you from goin! It's just everyone paints this picture its heaven where your handed amazing things on a plate, but in reality, its not

Chippy123

Thanks for the response.

I envisaged the job scene being pretty difficult. The way this country is now though, I'd probably do anything over there. Apply for jobs related to my career aswell as other stuff.

Bugnug

Chippy123 wrote: »

Considering leaving for Aus this year, simply because of the working situation over here. Have a few questions about Australia though and would appreciate any responses....

1. Do you sort out accomodation prior to leaving? What is the best option?

I would just use hostels until you get a feel for where you are, work etc. Any amount of accomodation in Sydney and Melbourne

2. Best cities to balance work/social life?

I lived in Melbourne for 9 months great place, really cool, great arts scene, great transport. Its the city of culture in Australia. Didnt like Sydney all that much its just like any other cosmo city. Good gaa scene in Melbourne if you are stuck for work. A lot of the guys involved were assholes who just wanted home away from home. We stayed in ST Kilda good place to get started.

I would probably do any sort of work tbh. Am qualified in engineering and have near 2 years experience but would work in any field so long as it was a 5 day a week type job. Also want to have a good experience so wonder which city is best?

3. Is it generally easy to find work?

Cheers for any replies.

Good luck

Dr.Sanchez

I just returned home two weeks ago, I was working in a bar on the Barrier reef untill my contract was up... My advice is don't go near ANY of the big cities, thats a mistake everyone seems to make, you'll notice yourself when you go. Try smaller towns outside the cities or even the outback, you'll have a much better chance.

the dee

Last time I was looking for a job (about 6 months ago, Melbourne) there still seemed to be a good bit of temp admin work going, if you had a range of experience.* And of course, there's always sales, be it in a call centre or door to door, be warned, it's usually commission only but if you're any good at it you can make a decent living.

Good luck!

*I am not on a working holiday visa so I don't know how that would have affected things.

Mahatma coat

its good to see that people are askin Basic straightforward questions about Australia

You have asked the right questions OP

unfortunatley for you there are no right answers, but hopefully we can help guide you.

1. Do you sort out accomodation prior to leaving? What is the best option?

Yes, but I wouldnt book any more than a month in advance before you get here, you will find that once your here tyour plans will change, such is the nature of the beast.

2. Best cities to balance work/social life?

the first thing I will say is NOT SYDNEY
as someone else said, try the Outback, you will have a rewarding experience if you approach it with an open mind, if you must do Sydney leave it til last.

Brisbane is nice tho

3. Is it generally easy to find work?

Yes and No, depends on what you want to do, and what you can do.
it is now more difficult for backpackers to find work in the bigger cities ( theres only 2 of them) but if you do a little research you should be able to find something Rural fairly easily, Provided your not a TOOL, Ausies dont like that, they have enough of their own without the need for imports :D

ballooba

Mahatma coat wrote: »

the first thing I will say is NOT SYDNEY
as someone else said, try the Outback, you will have a rewarding experience if you approach it with an open mind, if you must do Sydney leave it til last.

Brisbane is nice tho

I've lived in three of the big cities and see no reason for this anti-Sydney bias I hear from Irish people. Even when I bring the girlfriend down from Brisbane she recognises how spectacular it is. That's quite something for a QLDer to say.

In terms of the other cities I didn't fall for Melbourne personally. I like Brisbane for obvious reasons. :-D

hussey

there is nothing wrong with sydney.
It is great, can be expensive but lots to do there

Chippy123

How would it work if you went for something in a more rural area.....

Initially what would you do? Would you live in the nearest city and travel out every day? Or is there chances to rent out in these rural places?

Ideally, I'd stay in one of the cities at some point but would have no problem doing something like this for a number of months at first.

Certainly an option I'd consider.

Zambia

Buy a swag, its January.

mandrake04

I agree with Hussey theres nothing wrong with Sydney....I am in New York for New Year and I rate Sydney 10 times better for atmosphere. Also there are still casual jobs out there. Far too much negativity on this board about lack of jobs .... my cousin arrived in Sydney at start of December and he just emailed to say he has a job Starting on 18th Jan. Its down to positive attitude.... if an employer likes what he see's in a C.V you will get an interview and possibility of getting the job ... if they don't like what they see they will just bin it.

Why try blame an entire country for not being visa friendly... there must be over 15,000 Irish WHV holders in Australia surely the majority of them must have work of some type.

horse7

has anyone got some web links for rural work in ozzi,like seasonal harvesting etc.

s3129

Chippy123 wrote: »

How would it work if you went for something in a more rural area.....

Initially what would you do? Would you live in the nearest city and travel out every day? Or is there chances to rent out in these rural places?

Ideally, I'd stay in one of the cities at some point but would have no problem doing something like this for a number of months at first.

Certainly an option I'd consider.

Friends of mine who are out there when they go working out on rural farms for a few months, they are put up by the farmer who has like a small basic house for them to live in. I don't know what every farm is like but this is what my friends are getting. So they can stay there and do their work, three friends have gone from Sydney to a farm there now last week and are spending three months on the farm.

ellaq

You will also find hostels just about everywhere in the outback too.

I also agree that staying in a hostel is a great experience, you meet so many people and get to share their experiences. Instant friends for those travelling alone.

horse7

horse7 wrote: »

has anyone got some web links for rural work in ozzi,like seasonal harvesting etc.

any links/sites please.

someday2010

Sydney has Bondi, Melbourne has St. Kilda is there an equivalent area in Perth where a lot of Irish live?