The job search can be a real pain in the ass, in Australia as well as in Germany. Especially if you don’t know exactly how to apply and where to find potential employers. The slowly but steadily decreasing bank balance certainly does not help to make the situation more bearable, because you don’t want to have to fly back home because of financial problems. To help you out, here are a few tips for finding a job in Australia.
1) Job agencies
In Australia, there are countless job agencies that can find jobs in a wide variety of fields. From cleaning positions to jobs in the mine, they offer everything here and look for suitable applicants.
So if you are using Gumtree& Co have no success, then google jobagencies in your area and inquire about current job openings. Many of these agencies are free for applicants, so you have no disadvantages at all and with a little luck you can start your new job soon. If an application fee is required, I would advise you not to use job agencies in most cases, as they are often only out to make money.
2) Yellow Pages& Co
Where are many companies again including phone number and address? Right, in the Yellow Pages. In Australia this is called yellowpages.com.au, but also localsearch.com.au is worth a look. Enter city and industry, click on search and “TADAAAA!”Countless potential employers. The next step is either a quick phone call to inquire about job openings, or write down the addresses and apply in person right away.
small tip: also useful when looking for farm work, to find out the typical areas where all the farms are located. Where there is one, there are usually many others!
3) Doorknocking
In this digital age, many people forget the classic way of applying for a job and to simply check out potential employers. Say hello in a friendly manner, inquire about open positions and hand in your application documents. This is not only the best and easiest way to apply, but also the one with the greatest chance of success. Whether you work in a restaurant, a hotel, on a farm or even on a construction site, you make a first impression and the employer can be sure that you are already there and can start immediately. Sure, it’s not enough to just knock on one company’s door, but you should spend the time as well as money on resumes and transportation if you really want to find something.
In Australia, a second visit (if you haven’t heard from the employer yet) is not considered annoying or annoying, but shows real interest in the job. So after a few days just drop by again and ask how it looks like.
4) Connections
In Australia, connections can make the job search a lot easier. This does not mean connections to high positions in a company, but simply knowing a few people. As a backpacker you meet new people all the time, so you can build up these connections relatively quickly. Whether it’s the Aussie you met at the pub on Friday or the French backpacker who arrived at the hostel yesterday. Let everyone know that you are looking for a job and you will be surprised how many people will try to help you and let you know as soon as they hear about a job opening.
Almost every other backpacker has also worked somewhere in Australia before and may be able to give you contact details of their old company or have general advice on job hunting in certain industries .
5) Do not be picky
Your next job doesn’t have to be anything spectacular, it just has to pay enough to finance the next leg of your trip. If you don’t find anything in your desired profession, then expand your search to other industries and try out other professions. This may take some effort, as you are entering a completely new work environment, but in this case it is the best solution. You have to keep in mind that with the Working Holiday Visa you only have a limited stay of 12 months. Every day you waste looking for a job is wasted time. Wouldn’t it be much better to just work and save money for your travel plans instead of spending another 2 weeks looking for a job until you finally find something in your dream job??
By this I don’t mean taking an underpaid job, but simply including several professional fields in your search. Australia has a high wage level and this also applies to backpackers. I generally advise against jobs below 20$ gross per hour, but that’s up to you to decide.
6) Take advantage of the seasons
90% of all backpackers go up north in winter, as it gets quite chilly in the south. If you do the same and then start looking for a job in Cairns for example, it will be quite hard to find a good paying job. However, if you apply somewhere in southern New South Wales at this time, your chances are much better.
You can take advantage of the seasons and increase your chances of finding a job. If you want to work somewhere in tourism this is probably not the best idea, but in most other industries the chances of finding a job increase tremendously.
7) Avoid big cities
In big cities like Sydney or Brisbane it is often much harder to get a job than elsewhere. The simple reason for this is that there is much more competition and jobs in cities are in high demand. Not only other backpackers want to work here, but also the Australians themselves have to earn a living here. The best chance of finding a job is to look outside of these cities.
If you still want to work in a city, apply for jobs in cafes, restaurants and hotels that are not in the city center but in other districts. In Sydney you should not limit your search to the CBD and Bondi Beach, but also apply elsewhere.