How to Find a Job in Australia

Thinking about moving to the Land Down Under and wondering how to find a job in Australia? Then you are not alone! Australia is known for having an enviable environment, with its long stretches of beaches and sunny cities. So it’s no wonder that around 2 million permanent migrants have moved here since 2000. A recent report identified that, in the financial year 2016-2017, most of the migrants came from Asia, India, China, and the UK. Australia is listed 13^th in the world’s largest economies, with an unemployment rate of only 5%, so, as well as the sunny weather, there will be an abundance of job opportunities for you to snap up. Send My Bag is here to offer guidance on finding a job in Australia, to help make the process fast and easy so that you will soon be jetting off to enjoy the Aussie way of life.

Job Sectors with the Most Opportunities

Australia has a list of skilled occupations that are in high demand and specific visas are available to individuals who are qualified to work or train in these occupations. These are listed on the official skilled occupations website from the Australian Government. Various sectors are represented, from jobs like electricians, carpenters, plumbing and bricklaying, to business and office-based jobs like accountancy, actuary and legal professions.

Agriculture is another large field, but the employment economy is dominated by the services sector, especially engineering, utilities and medical services. Industry and tourism are also booming in the employment economy. Sub-divisions of the services sector include both business and consumer-related services, and so, if you aren’t a 9-5 office person, you can choose from service fields like hospitality and retail. Hospitality is said to account for one in twenty jobs in Australia. These are even better options if you are only moving to Australia temporarily, when you could snap up a job in a bar, restaurant, or hotel on a beach, and benefit from the more casual and flexible hours.

Australian Work Culture

Australia is known for being a relaxed culture. The image most likely to pop into your mind when thinking of an Australian is of them relaxing on a beach, having a cold beer, or cooking up a barbie. The chilled environment they live in is likely a factor contributing to their casual and laid-back attitude. It is also said to stem from the egalitarianism rooted in Australian history, which represents a way of diminishing formal class systems. Australians tend to see everyone as their equal, their ‘mate’, and on an informal level.

This is evident in the working environment, too, with offices in Australia being known for having fewer hierarchies and more informal settings than in, say, the UK or the US. They even have some slang terminology for work, such as ‘hard yakka’ (hard work), or ‘bludger’ for someone who does barely any work. Australians are usually direct and straightforward, which can be an advantage in a working environment, as it is usually better when things are put simply and honestly.

Australians get less paid holiday leave than workers in the UK, but they still get 20 days a year, plus public holidays. On top of this, you have fantastic warm weather right at your door step, so you don’t need to venture far for a sunny holiday.

Job Sources

Nowadays, everything is moving online, and this includes the recruitment sector. Australian employers post jobs on recruitment websites like Seek, Career One and Adzuna, and there is also an Australian version of the leading recruitment site Indeed.

We recommend that you get yourself on LinkedIn and join the 12.6 million people and companies from Australia using it. The Business Insider reported in 2018 that there are over 10 million active job listings on the network, and the key to getting one of these jobs is to actively participate and engage with the network. You should like, comment on, and share LinkedIn items, update your profile with skills and career interests, and continuously connect with people. It has been identified that employee referrals on LinkedIn make it four times more likely for a recruiter to contact you, so connecting with employees from the companies you are interested in and asking for referrals is a useful step in your job search.

Getting in touch with recruitment agencies is also useful, either through LinkedIn, Facebook, or their websites. They are very convenient as all you usually need to do is send them your CV, and they will then do the job searching for you. Even better, there are ones in Australia specialising in recruiting migrants, who will also guide you through the visa and settlement process, which include Konnecting, Austmigrate, and Australianskilledmigration, amongst others.

Top Companies to Work for in Australia Based on LinkedIn

Based on feedback from Australian LinkedIn users on areas like company interest, employee engagement and retention, and job demand, a list of the top ten companies to work for in Australia was drawn up in 2018. Even though it is the big professional services and banks that are on the list, the feedback suggests that it’s not all about the big names and salaries. Instead, employees are placing a lot of value on their workplace benefits and culture.

1. PWC Australia: Employees have travel opportunities and flexible parental leave.
2. Commonwealth Bank: A leading company in gender equality with 44% of women at manager level, or above.
3. Deloitte Australia: Another leading company in flexibility and gender equality with benefits like shared paid parental leave.
4. KMPG Australia: A core pillar of this professional service company is employees’ well-being.
5. Westpac Group: The oldest bank in Australia, but one that does not hold out-dated views. They are instead known to be a very forward-progressive company.
6. CIMIC Group: Employees have many opportunities to work on overseas projects.
7. Macquarie Group: Employees are encouraged to take part in many social classes.
8. Lendlease: Employees get an annual well-being leave day.
9. National Australia Bank: Staff are encouraged to take part in volunteering and well-being programmes.
10. EY: Staff have access to perks like discounts and initiatives, and the company has a range of distinctive job titles like Robot Warriors and Ninja Warriors.

Part-time and Temporary Work 

Your move to Australia may be temporary, so you might be looking for a more casual job just to keep you going rather than setting up a full-time professional career. There are also many part-time jobs to opt for, and especially in the hospitality and tourism industry, where you can develop useful skills but without the pressure that a job in the professional field might bring. You will also have more time to experience the Aussie lifestyle as part-time work means that you won’t be limited to just the 9-5 working hours. You could make use of international programmes offered by work-abroad companies like Go Abroad, BUNAC and Go Overseas.

Job hunting can be mundane and frustrating, especially when it’s for work in another country that you’re not as familiar with, and when you need to sort things like a visa, accommodation, healthcare and finances. Check out our blog on moving to Australia where you will be guided through these things. Our relocation shipping service can help you send all your removal boxes, from wherever you currently call home, right to your new front door in Australia.