Looking for work

You have made the decision to make the move. Now you need to start looking for work. You have the option to apply for permanent residency (PR). This process takes a little bit longer, I do not want to go into the details. All the information is available on the Australian immigration website. I will only hi lite some advantages of getting PR rather than any other options. When you receive a PR you will be able to move to Australia and you only need to start looking for work when you are settled. You also qualify for certain benefits including medical, education and certain subsidies. ( I will discuss this at a later stage).

The second option that is very popular is looking for work and getting a sponsored visa from an employer in Australia. Again the detail can be researched on the Australian immigration website. what I want to do is tell you where you can look for work. When you receive a sponsored visa you will be able to move to Australia, work and after two years apply for permanent residency. This option is also cheaper than the PR and in almost all cases your future employer would carry the costs.

But where do you star looking? The main recruitment search engines are seek.com.au and careerone.com.au and both gives you the option to upload your curriculum vitae (In Australia it is called your "Resume", so remember to change the name.) Have a look online to see the different templates for Australian resumes. The recruitment websites gives you the opportunity to look for work and set up email alerts for jobs that you would be interested in. When reading the job specs have look at the specifications regarding your ability to work. Most of the positions are limited to the fact that you must have the right to live and work in Australia. (if you have a PR, you have the advantage to apply).

There is a few ways to get around this obstacle. When you search for jobs add the following. If you are a Sales Manager and you would like to look for similar jobs. Use the key search words "sales manager sponsored", or "457 sponsored sales manager" jobs. It filters the results. You can use any occupation with sponsored jobs. Remember that Australia is used to look for employees internationally. If you still do not find what you are looking for. Make a note of recruitment consultants that work with sponsored jobs. Their email addresses are normally obtainable from their websites. Compile your resume and send it to them directly. It is advisable to make a few searches on the websites so that you can get a feel for what sort of jobs the Australian market is looking for.

It is very important to have your Linkedin account set up. For those people that do not know the website, Google it. For those that know it and already makes use of the Linkedin networks, keep it up to date and professional. Recruitment companies use Linkedin and sometimes Facebook to do the initial selection. I can not tell you how important Linkedin is to recruitment in Australia.

Remember when you apply, all applications need to include a cover letter. Google the way Australians want it to be written and do not be humble, advertise yourselves. This process is easy because of the internet, it can be tedious but keep doing it.

Staying with Linkedin, search the job boards and networks regarding jobs in Australia. These networks are administered by recruitment specialist and can give you the edge. If you are in recruitment yourself, have a look at the array of options you have. The recruitment industry specialise in obtaining good recruits worldwide. It is a very big industry in Australia and is always looking for more people.

Gumtree and industry specified websites can also be of help. If you are a hairdresser, go to the Australian hair organisation's websites and search for jobs and links for jobs.

Then there is Google itself. You can search all kind of jobs using "sponsored", or "457 sponsored" jobs when you search.

Most of the Australian newspapers do have employment searches online, it is sometimes difficult to filter them but remember the more you send your resume the better your chances.