thinking of throwing in the towel in Australia

universe777

Anyone saying there are loads of jobs in Melbourne are smoking something? or have a job. It's VERY easy to say if you have a job, just rolls off the tongue.
I have been out of work for 6 months now, just got my PR recently, thought that would help but there just isn't the amount of work there was earlier in the year. Any contacts I made in recruitment companies are gone.
I am not talking about construction or anything of the sort, I know nothing about that industry.

My main experience is in admin type stuff which I don't enjoy doing long term. I do have an Engineering degree but zero experience. I am not restricting myself to admin type stuff but I will only work in the CBD.
As will all recruitment clowns the world over they haven't a clue about geography, Naas is in Dublin? Hawthorn is in the CBD? Frankston is 15 mins on the train? I have heard it all.
There are less and less job ads out there, less on Seek and all the other sites, that is fact, I can count.

daveyeh

kdevitt wrote: »

However such a high percentage of the Australian issued mortgages are covered by lenders mortgage insurance that the banks don't have anywhere near the same exposure as the Irish banks did.

Who issues this insurance? Another bank? :pac::pac::pac:

The aussies have done well to avoid the worst recessionary effects so far, is everyone really that confident they can keep it up?

hussey

Mod Right lads, back on track if you want to talk about recession in Australia please open a new thread.

The OP is looking for help, he can't find a job, never mind a house.

"this bubble is different, it won't happen here, if you don't believe this you should hang yourself"

This is a misquote from Bertie Ahern http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0704/economy.html - If you are going to quote something as offensive as this, at least make sure it is 1) correct 2) attributed.

last time back on track

danotroy

Mellor wrote: »

I think you are looking at this the totally wrong way.
First of all, I'm sure you course is very well regarded, but its a simply fact that you have no experience or study regarding Australian planning law.
For example, do you know what a DA is? Or a CC? Or a PCA? Or a CMP?
(afaik these are terms used in the Irish system, but maybe they are. Either way jsut examples)

Then there is also the issue that working with one oc the councils in Australia is essentially a government job and it might be restricted to non-residents.
On the other hand maybe you want to work with a developer or an Architectural firm.


Getting experience in my area of work was a massive bonus for me in australia, I had no chance of this at home. But had I been doing an unskilled job, I would of still be glad to have been here.

Reading this I actually find myself thinking i am looking at this the wrong way so i can understand your point of view. Let me explain firstly i am 24 and have recently graduated with a masters. every year in my undergraduate study i headed off to the states and worked in bars and restaurants not like your typical J1 trip i went to new york and philadelphia and worked my ass off, earned a good living and partied alot. I can do this again at the drop of a hat but i feel it would be a waste of my education thats why i said going to australia and not securing Planning (professional) work would be a waste .

I took a module on the Australia planning system in University in my first year as i knew i might end up calling on it. So i know what the abbreviations above, Principle Certifying Authority Development Application Development Application, are except for CMP is that not a milk from cork

As i said i have an unskilled job lined up for when i land which hopefully should keep me going for the few months whilst looking for a better job.

As you are in the architecture/planning field what other advice could you offer me in order to increase my employability? could you point me in the direction of essential reading?

lima

universe777 wrote: »

Anyone saying there are loads of jobs in Melbourne are smoking something? or have a job. It's VERY easy to say if you have a job, just rolls off the tongue.
I have been out of work for 6 months now, just got my PR recently, thought that would help but there just isn't the amount of work there was earlier in the year. Any contacts I made in recruitment companies are gone.
I am not talking about construction or anything of the sort, I know nothing about that industry.

My main experience is in admin type stuff which I don't enjoy doing long term. I do have an Engineering degree but zero experience. I am not restricting myself to admin type stuff but I will only work in the CBD.
As will all recruitment clowns the world over they haven't a clue about geography, Naas is in Dublin? Hawthorn is in the CBD? Frankston is 15 mins on the train? I have heard it all.
There are less and less job ads out there, less on Seek and all the other sites, that is fact, I can count.

this is very true, I have been in Melbourne 2.5 months now and I am still looking for a job. I have had a few interviews but nothing has come about, they always seem to either find someone more qualified, or they just keep saying 'next week' and then trail off and won't answer calls or emails.

btw I'm an engineer, in telecoms, and even though there are lots of telco jobs on seek etc., 90% of them say no to me cos I'm on the WHV.

As for temp jobs, I dont even get a call back from any agencies. It seems you have to know someone in an agency to get anything.

I'm strongly thinking of moving to Sydney cos there is nothing in Melbourne.

danotroy

lima wrote: »

this is very true, I have been in Melbourne 2.5 months now and I am still looking for a job. I have had a few interviews but nothing has come about, they always seem to either find someone more qualified, or they just keep saying 'next week' and then trail off and won't answer calls or emails.

btw I'm an engineer, in telecoms, and even though there are lots of telco jobs on seek etc., 90% of them say no to me cos I'm on the WHV.

As for temp jobs, I dont even get a call back from any agencies. It seems you have to know someone in an agency to get anything.

I'm strongly thinking of moving to Sydney cos there is nothing in Melbourne.

This does seem to be the case in my job hunt aswell. I get the standard reply that the position advertised was able to generate the interest of more skilled persons that have experience in the field. However on some of the applications it says that no experience is required. This could possibly be a sign that those who have experience are taking jobs that are below them due to a lack of work.

Or it could mean that im not skilled enough.

zweton

didnt realise melbourne was so bad,any of ye trying to get i.t roles?

danotroy

zweton wrote: »

didnt realise melbourne was so bad,any of ye trying to get i.t roles?

I havent tried anything bar planning and urban design jobs. When i get to Oz i will be widening my job search and will be looking for all types of professional jobs but for the moment i am sticking to my primary degree.

where are you based?

stone roses

my wife and i lived in austrailia for a good few years! perth and nsw but in the end we just had to come home!! its not all its cracked up to be, they make it sound sooooo great, i was a metal fabricator / welder or boilermaker buy trade, i spent many hard days and years working in 40 + degrees of heat 12hr days, 2 weeks on one week off , no real friends, no family around us, when i was off only more hot sun and very lonely days and xmas was a killer!! i was on good money but no one only my dear wife to share it with Lols (she was happy) :-) , yes we met good people but they were not our real friends, only people we know and met from all over the place, in hard times there was no one to turn to!!! we missed ireland very very much everything about it, we are home now a good few years and all is well thank god, the way i see it " life is to short to be away form the ones you love and who love you end off ", if you got a job in ireland and have close family and friends thats all you need in life really!! its only when you leave it all behind do you understand what you had

all the best in what ever road you take cheers

cheers

Theresalwaysone

Honestly, my experience of the job scene has been so different to those saying they've been unemployed for 2 months. Vastly different.

I arrived here in November, planned on farting about until Jan, started properly looking for a job in late Jan and was hired by Feb 5th. Stayed there until May, then asked my agent for a change and was put in another place until August. Left there in August and spent 3 weeks half arsed looking for another job as I had my tax back to keep me going and was hired again by Aug22nd.

Maybe Ive been lucky. I do know that Ive been pretty proactive. Instead of just sending in a CV to a place, Id follow it up. Ring them, tell them you've sent it in and are actively looking for a job. Suggest to meet with Agents. Bug them. If they dont call you back the next day ring again. Squeaky wheel and all that.

mandrake04

danotroy wrote: »

This does seem to be the case in my job hunt aswell. I get the standard reply that the position advertised was able to generate the interest of more skilled persons that have experience in the field. However on some of the applications it says that no experience is required. This could possibly be a sign that those who have experience are taking jobs that are below them due to a lack of work.

Or it could mean that im not skilled enough.

I think you are reading too much into it. Try these scenarios.

a) Position has already been given to someone else and the employer has to legally advertise anyway.

b) You don't have 'Local' or 'Australian' experience. (That's an old favourite even for fresh of the boat PR)

c) Going by your CV they probably figured out you are Irish and likely to be on a WHV or looking sponsored and not worth the hassle.

or like you say

d) You are just not skilled enough.

Zambia

stone roses wrote: »

they make it sound sooooo great

There is lot of stuff in your post I think is spot on.

However who is they? In your case who built up Oz

ellaq

stone roses wrote: »

my wife and i lived in austrailia for a good few years! perth and nsw but in the end we just had to come home!! its not all its cracked up to be, they make it sound sooooo great, i was a metal fabricator / welder or boilermaker buy trade, i spent many hard days and years working in 40 + degrees of heat 12hr days, 2 weeks on one week off , no real friends, no family around us, when i was off only more hot sun and very lonely days and xmas was a killer!! i was on good money but no one only my dear wife to share it with Lols (she was happy) :-) , yes we met good people but they were not our real friends, only people we know and met from all over the place, in hard times there was no one to turn to!!! we missed ireland very very much everything about it, we are home now a good few years and all is well thank god, the way i see it " life is to short to be away form the ones you love and who love you end off ", if you got a job in ireland and have close family and friends thats all you need in life really!! its only when you leave it all behind do you understand what you had

all the best in what ever road you take cheers

cheers

As a family we are the complete opposite to this. We also do a 2/1 and love life here. We have been here 12 years this month and we would never return to live in Ireland. It just goes to show that Australia is not for everyone and different people having similar experiences can have different outcomes.

I am a bit disappointed with a link to Westjobs on another thread but the thread is closed. I just wanted to say any job agency that states that unskilled and inexperienced people can get a job in the mining industry would be very irresponsible. The whole article is just a front for offering expensive training courses.

mandrake04

ellaq wrote: »

As a family we are the complete opposite to this. We also do a 2/1 and love life here. We have been here 12 years this month and we would never return to live in Ireland. It just goes to show that Australia is not for everyone and different people having similar experiences can have different outcomes.

I am a bit disappointed with a link to Westjobs on another thread but the thread is closed. I just wanted to say any job agency that states that unskilled and inexperienced people can get a job in the mining industry would be very irresponsible. The whole article is just a front for offering expensive training courses.

Ah well someone has to replace the toilet roll in the portaloo's and sort out the miners's dirty underwear in the laundry, doenst take much experience or skill for that .....but the cost of site inductions & safety courses to even work on a mining site do outweigh the value of your average clown with a WHV.

But I get your point, just because filling your mammys coal bucket back in Ireland seems to not require much skill I would say the chances of youre average unskilled Paddy walking into a $150K per year mining job slightly remote.

ellaq

Miners have to do launder their own dirty underwear:D

mandrake04

ellaq wrote: »

Miners have to do launder their own dirty underwear:D

Ok

The old myth of $400,000 per year for doing laundry is busted then?

Zambia

No that miner is paid 400,000 to do his own undies ....and some other incidental rock drilling tasks

mandrake04

Zambia wrote: »

No that miner is paid 400,000 to do his own undies ....and some other incidental rock drilling tasks

LOL

Had me in fits Zambia

Mellor

danotroy wrote: »

I took a module on the Australia planning system in University in my first year as i knew i might end up calling on it. So i know what the abbreviations above, Principle Certifying Authority Development Application Development Application, are except for CMP is that not a milk from cork

That will defo hlep, i'd highlight that on your CV.
CMP is Conservation Management Plan, the council around sydney and other major citys in NSW are big into conservation at the minute. I imagine the melbourne/victoria, etc is the same.

As you are in the architecture/planning field what other advice could you offer me in order to increase my employability? could you point me in the direction of essential reading?

If it was me I'd go for it. There will be suitable jobs here, a certain amount of luck and right place at the right time is needed but the worst case scenerio isn't that bad. If you get one 3 month contract job you have local experience sorted and can include that for the next job etc.

THere's nothing wrong with an unskilled job for 2 years. If you must.

I was 23 when I came. For pretty much the sme reasons as you've said. I've got some pretty good experience. once I had one job secured, ther jobs were easier, local experience etc

dave3004

universe777 wrote: »

Anyone saying there are loads of jobs in Melbourne are smoking something? or have a job. It's VERY easy to say if you have a job, just rolls off the tongue.
I have been out of work for 6 months now, just got my PR recently, thought that would help but there just isn't the amount of work there was earlier in the year. Any contacts I made in recruitment companies are gone.
I am not talking about construction or anything of the sort, I know nothing about that industry.

My main experience is in admin type stuff which I don't enjoy doing long term. I do have an Engineering degree but zero experience. I am not restricting myself to admin type stuff but I will only work in the CBD.
As will all recruitment clowns the world over they haven't a clue about geography, Naas is in Dublin? Hawthorn is in the CBD? Frankston is 15 mins on the train? I have heard it all.
There are less and less job ads out there, less on Seek and all the other sites, that is fact, I can count.

In an ideal situation, after you graduate you should get some experience in working in your field, or already have some when you've graduated.
No offence but admin stuff aint really experience. And as you said you have zero experience in Engineering. So you are not that employable.

Regarding the geography, Melbourne is the city which has the largest tram system in the world and really good rail system in place also, so you can easily live in a suburb and commute to work in 15/20 mins on public transport.

Good Luck on your job hunts anyway guys

dave3004

http://nowhiring.com.au/393188.aspx

http://www.michaelpage.com.au/job-detail/title/Graduate-Town-Planner/ref/A107224454.html

http://www.michaelpage.com.au/job-detail/title/Junior-Urban-Designer/ref/A107222900.html

http://www.michaelpage.com.au/job-detail/title/Town-Planner/ref/A107220161.html

universe777

dave3004 wrote: »

In an ideal situation, after you graduate you should get some experience in working in your field, or already have some when you've graduated.
No offence but admin stuff aint really experience. And as you said you have zero experience in Engineering. So you are not that employable.

Regarding the geography, Melbourne is the city which has the largest tram system in the world and really good rail system in place also, so you can easily live in a suburb and commute to work in 15/20 mins on public transport.

Good Luck on your job hunts anyway guys

I'll let you in on a little secret... We don't live in an ideal world. At the time I graduated there were zero graduate jobs for anyone except construction graduates.
No offence but admin stuff is experience, it's admin experience! duh!
I never said I was looking for work related to my degree, I need work full stop.
When you have witnessed people (yes, happened twice), urinating on the tram, one in the evening time, one in the day time on trams you don't exactly want to get another tram. They are filthy, filthiest I have ever experienced, ever.
The trains are the same, was on one a while back and it was infested with ants.
Public transport here is expensive too.
Trains are a joke, always late, always tracks closed (jumpers) and always overcrowded.
I live in the city, it's a big city, cbd is approx 1.8 x 1 km, I have no need for public transport.

Poker Engineer

universe777 wrote: »

I'll let you in on a little secret... We don't live in an ideal world. At the time I graduated there were zero graduate jobs for anyone except construction graduates.
No offence but admin stuff is experience, it's admin experience! duh!
I never said I was looking for work related to my degree, I need work full stop.
When you have witnessed people (yes, happened twice), urinating on the tram, one in the evening time, one in the day time on trams you don't exactly want to get another tram. They are filthy, filthiest I have ever experienced, ever.
The trains are the same, was on one a while back and it was infested with ants.
Public transport here is expensive too.
Trains are a joke, always late, always tracks closed (jumpers) and always overcrowded.
I live in the city, it's a big city, cbd is approx 1.8 x 1 km, I have no need for public transport.

How is the public transport here expensive at all? 30 bucks for a 5 non consecutive day ticket which entitles you to use the trams, trains and buses (all of which i need to get to work in the god damn morning) thats basically 20 euro for a working weeks worth of public transport, no way you are getting that at home and they are ally pretty clean as far as i can see, wouldnt go licking them or anything but not filthy man.
I graduated as a mech engineer last year ie: 2010 and spent 8 months looking for grad work while working a ****ty door to door sales job to pay the bills.
When i got to Melbourne i spent about a month looking for work and ended up getting an admin job in a shipping company. Wasnt the best but they allowed me to go on interviews whenever i got them. Finally got an engineering job like 2 weeks ago and im hoping it will lead to sponsorship. I guess what im getting at is its a numbers game you gotta keep applying to everything that comes across your path, keep chasing the recruitment guys who you have contacts for and most of all keep positive, if you get into a negative outlook you apply less and then get more negative and the cycle continues.
I know its all well and good coming from me now i have a job but it was only 3 weeks ago i didnt have anything and i had my depressed days too so trust me it will happen.

danotroy

dave3004 wrote: »

http://nowhiring.com.au/393188.aspx

http://www.michaelpage.com.au/job-detail/title/Graduate-Town-Planner/ref/A107224454.html

http://www.michaelpage.com.au/job-detail/title/Junior-Urban-Designer/ref/A107222900.html

http://www.michaelpage.com.au/job-detail/title/Town-Planner/ref/A107220161.html

thanks for the links but the HR guy there is called nick broadley ive applied for many jobs with him and get a standardized reply straight away saying thanks for applying for the job etc with many grammatical errors and then a few hours later i get a standardized reply saying i wasn't qualified for the role, which also has many spelling mistakes. guys a jerk

Caoimhin Ho

Has anyone tried setting up work or even interviews before take off?

Im flying out next month, wondering is there any steps I can take that might give me a headstart in my job hunt.

Currently qualified and working as a journalist but have previous experience in call centres as an insurance claims associate, labouring, pubs etc.

Any particular agencies or websites that people would recommend or avoid?

danotroy

Caoimhin Ho wrote: »

Has anyone tried setting up work or even interviews before take off?

Im flying out next month, wondering is there any steps I can take that might give me a headstart in my job hunt.

Currently qualified and working as a journalist but have previous experience in call centres as an insurance claims associate, labouring, pubs etc.

Any particular agencies or websites that people would recommend or avoid?

i havent left for oz yet but for the past 3 weeks i have been applying for jobs and whilst i havent got any interviews i have got a much clearer picture of what to expect when i get out there. I have got 2 recruiters who seem decent enough as they have been corresponding with me via email and telling me to drop into them when i arrive to discuss my CV and options. I have gotten some great advice on here about my qualifications and experience so i would say that this coupled with my job hunting has furnished me with a much greater understanding of the jobs market. so i would say start applying for jobs so you get a feel for the market and try to find a decent recruiter who understands your irish on a WHV and looking for a job.

Theimprover

I just read through this thread, well read the 1st 4 pages and flicked through the rest:).

I dont know what to make of it all tbh, i am planning on heading to oz early next year, i am in construction and have 18yrs experience but no qualifications, my main trade is interior works, drylining(partition and ceiling fixing), known as fibrous plasterer in oz, i have had my own business. I have a good c.v and references, experience is not a problem for me tbh.

My plan was to head to Brisbane as i have a friend there and he has told me that it is booming there, but reading this thread i have my doubts. The job roll i would like to go for is as a supervisor/foreman but i am not going to be fussy, i have no problem in putting on the tools, i'm out of work here with nearly 2 1/2 years.

I am a bit worried now about going after reading this thread, so can people tell me is it booming in Brisbane or where would be the best place to go for the work that i am involved with, my plan is to head out there on my own at first and bring out my wife and 3 kids once i get thing set up, thats if i can.

Hope i'm not hijacking the thread but think it would be relevant info to op as well as myself.;)

zweton

dave3004 wrote: »

http://nowhiring.com.au/393188.aspx

http://www.michaelpage.com.au/job-detail/title/Graduate-Town-Planner/ref/A107224454.html

http://www.michaelpage.com.au/job-detail/title/Junior-Urban-Designer/ref/A107222900.html

http://www.michaelpage.com.au/job-detail/title/Town-Planner/ref/A107220161.html

PR will win hands down over WHV applicants id imagine, I could be wrong but if I was the recruiter I know I would be hiring the person with PR.
Im in a similar position and at this stage I think I will just go down the road of 175/176 visa I dont think leaving a full time job here to go on a WHV would be a wise choice in my case.

danotroy

zweton wrote: »

PR will win hands down over WHV applicants id imagine, I could be wrong but if I was the recruiter I know I would be hiring the person with PR.
Im in a similar position and at this stage I think I will just go down the road of 175/176 visa I dont think leaving a full time job here to go on a WHV would be a wise choice in my case.

Excuse my ignorance whats PR?

zweton

Sorry, permanent residency.