Considering a new life and recruitment career in Australia?
There are still plenty of opportunities nationally across the Australian recruitment market but you need to be aware that the market has changed. It’s become more specialised and it’s become more competitive. 4 years ago as long as you matched immigration criteria to qualify for sponsorship and you had recruitment and/or sales experience, you were almost guaranteed your pick of the job offers in recruitment. Today, you need to think things through and bring your A game if you are going to compete with the local recruitment talent for the best opportunities.
Here are some things to take into consideration when planning your approach to finding the best recruitment opportunity in Australia:
Timing:
Time of year is a crucial one. Being someone who lives for the warm weather, I can completely understand the desire to enjoy one last summer at home before starting your campaign to move to Australia. However, is this necessarily the right time of year for you to find the best opportunities? As the reality of a UK winter starts to sink in, we become inundated with applicants from overseas. Do you want to be swallowed up with the masses or would applying at a different time of year ensure that you stand out?
You need to bear in mind that the Christmas holiday in Australia is much longer than what you will be used to. It is not only our Xmas holiday but our summer holiday rolled into one. Many of our clients disappear for the majority of January so hiring decisions are put on hold. Hiring continues right up until the end of December but actual start dates for new recruits stop by the end of November and don’t recommence until late Jan, so if you are hoping to come out at this time of year, you may be disappointed.
Research:
Do your research first. With clients raising their expectations and those offer letters harder to come by, our clients are looking for much more commitment from our overseas applicants. Who can demonstrate having truly researched Australia and the local market. How much time and effort have you put into your application? How serious are you about your move to Australia? Is this a whimsical decision or is this a well thought out career move? Do you understand the differences between the cultures of our major cities and the differences in lifestyle offering and costs of living?
The Process:
Yes it is possible to secure a position in Australia remotely through the use of technology. Yes it is possible to go multiple rounds of interviews via skype or VC but our advice has never changed. Wherever possible budget to fly out for final round interviews. This commitment to visiting Australia shows a potential employer that you are serious about the move and it shows that you are committed to getting the right job and not just any job. The culture and approaches of our clients vary greatly and your future career in Australia can hang in the balance of getting this culture fit right. Technology is great but nothing beats sitting in front of your potential new boss and looking him/her in the eye and having drinks with the team to enable you to know truly where you best fit in. A huge amount of our business comes from placing recruiters into their 2nd role in Australia within months of their arrival, because they accepted their first role remotely and got the culture fit wrong.
Don’t be swayed by relocation packages:
Not everyone offers relocation packages, in actual fact, the companies that do are few and far between. If you are planning to secure a job remotely and are considering taking a relocation package, only do so if you have the funds to pay it back should things go wrong. Before accepting anything, be aware that any contract of employment will have a pay back clause for any relocation costs should you leave within the first 12 -24 months. We are approached all the time by recruiters who have found themselves miserable, employed with the “wrong companies” but unable to move as they cannot afford to pay back their upfront costs.
Consider using a rec to rec:
This is not a blatant ploy to promote my services but certainly something to consider. A good rec to rec will be able to advise you not only on where the opportunities lie in Australia but which companies best match your culture requirements. If you can’t fly out for face to face interviews, it may help to have a 3rd party giving you advice and imparting local knowledge.
So in short: Think that cutting corners be sending a quick email application and a couple of early morning skype calls are going to deliver your dream job in Oz? Think again. Put in the work, get your resume up to scratch, do your research, choose your approach and/or your rec 2 rec, and prepare for the necessity of a flying visit. Get this right and your dream job and lifestyle awaits you.
Australia is a wonderful place to live offering fantastic lifestyle options but like the rest of the world, agency recruitment in Australia is facing new challenges and increasing competition. If you are serious about a move here you need to be aware that companies are currently looking for the best of the best.
