Employment

Employment Overview

Finding suitable employment in a new environment can be a nerve-wrecking experience !

Many rules and regulations exist which one is not always familiar with. The standards for writing a Resume and preparing selection criteria are unique to Australia and if not done adequately, could make the difference between getting the job or not.

Obtaining a skills-based visa does not necessarily entitle you to work in your nominated occupation. Before moving to Australia, you need to find out if there are any special requirements for your profession or occupation.

You may be required to register with a government authority and/or obtain a special licence for membership of a professional or industry association. Your skills and qualifications also need to be formally recognised by the appropriate Australian authority before you are allowed to work in some jobs.

The National Office of Overseas Skills recognition can provide you with information with regard to your educational qualifications.

For trades qualifications, you need to contact Trades Recognition Australia to obtain the relevant information.

Working Arrangements

A number of flexible working arrangements are available in Australia.
Some of these include:

• Full-time employment ( 8.5 hours a day, 5 days a week)
• Permanent-part time ( permanent employment on agreed upon reduced hours)
• Contract work ( working for an organisation for a period of time as an independent contractor). Contract work has become very popular in Australia and it is anticipated that this form of employment will continue to grow in the future.
• Casual work ( irregular employment as and when the organisation requires additional staff)

Applying for a job

Most jobs in Australia are advertised through recruitment agencies. Getting a face-to face interview with a recruitment agency can be tricky as they generally represent the employer and not the individual looking for employment.

When you find a job vacancy that is suitable, you will usually have to write a job application for that position. In your application you should include:

• a description of the skills, experience, and qualifications you have that could help you do the job
• responses to specific selection criteria
• copies of references from previous employers
• copies of educational and trade certificates relevant to the job

The recruitment agency will usually receive a number of other applications to assess before deciding which applicants to interview. To improve your chances of being selected for interview, you should send a comprehensive application together with documents that support your claim to the job.