When travellers come over to Australia on a Working Holiday, the main areas they try to find a job in are hospitality, retail or a trade.
This is because generally speaking, these roles can be easier to find and secure with less formal qualifications and are more available to those on working visas.
Because of this, professionals on a Working Holiday Visa can sometimes be put off pursuing a role in their field of experience because they think they need to jump through hoops to get a job that’s not a typical “backpacker job” (but who even knows what that means).
With that being said, we’re all about giving you guys information that’s useful and relatable. So read on for two first-hand accounts from Nicole and Vicki on what their experiences were like trying to find a job in their field and how they went about it.
Nicole Sleaford - Marketing
What is your profession? Marketing
What is your home country? England
How long have you worked in this profession? 5 years!
Did you need to get any qualifications updated or translated or changed to Australian qualifications standard?
Nope! Although I imagine some companies will have specific requirements in terms of degree(s) and qualifications. The organisation I worked for just wanted me to show I had good relevant experience. The good thing about marketing is generally, all skills and qualifications are transferable in different countries!
Did you have to pass any new tests/exams? Nope!
How easy did you find getting work in your profession, in Australia? I was pretty dedicated to asking around and seeing where job vacancies were open. For example, I collated a list of possible employers and sent my CV across with a bit about my areas of specialism (social media). It’s much easier to focus your attention on temporary roles or short-term contracts (the type of role I found) as they won’t be looking for anything long term and therefore it doesn’t make things complicated with your visa which only allows you to work 6 months for one company!
Who was it that you worked for? I was the Social Media Coordinator for the Alcohol and Drug Foundation in Melbourne!
How does the standard wage compare from your profession in your home country? There was a huge difference in wage! Considering I was from a town in Lincolnshire, the wage was £10k+ more than what I was getting at home! Still over £5k more than jobs I’ve found relevant for me in cities in the UK.
What advice would you give to someone looking to work in your profession, in Australia? Definitely invest your energy into looking for short term roles and temporary contracts. I would imagine there’s a lot of marketing agencies and companies that are looking to hire locals who are able to stay with them for a long time etc, which means your application will be a no go once they realise you’re there on a holiday working visa. By applying for the short term roles, those companies are more likely to consider someone from a different country – they see it as an opportunity to bring in new ideas and see your point of view within your role. Even if it’s a 2 or 3 month contract, you are likely to earn a little more this way too, while having a chance to apply for more roles before it ends or see if the company is interested in extending your contract to the full 6 months you can work.
Profession Checklist: Are you able to give us a step-by-step checklist for finding work?
– Update CV so that is shows your latest experience (maybe even have a portfolio ready) and relevant contact details now you’re in Australia.
– Have documents ready such as a passport photo and driving licence photo. They may need this sending over to do some checks.
– Reach out to some Recruitment Agencies in the location you are looking to apply in. Some examples of these include Sharp and Carter and Hays. You may need to chase these emails up or phone the agents back!
– Use the likes of Indeed or LinkedIn to find marketing roles available within your location.
– Apply apply apply!
Vicki Renwick - Project Manager/Event Specialist
What is your profession? Project Manager / Event Specialist.
What is your home country? Scotland
How long have you worked in this profession? 5-6 years in events, overall 8 years in project & client management.
Did you need to get any qualifications updated or translated or changed to Australian qualifications standard? No, however if you are looking to work in event specifics like bump in projects then you may need to get your forklift driver certifications authenticated and whitecard in Victoria.
Did you have to pass any new tests/exams?
I would 100% ensure you have a RSA working in events in Victoria, even if not handling alcohol its something organisations check for. A lot of staff after planning has been completed on an event will be put into positions on the event itself so having this allows you the opportunity to be put forward to other areas.
How easy did you find getting work in your profession, in Australia?
Melbourne is the sport event capital of Australia so you will definitely find work if sports are your interest; but overall it just depends on the type of events you are looking for.
Short term roles = delivery of the event itself. So this could be in the form of marshalling, bar/hospitality on events, ticket sales or assisting.
*Some people don’t think this is worth doing but it will get your foot in the door if you make a good impression.
On a WHV the maximum is 6 months with a company so securing long term work really depends on you and your attitude, make a good impression in month 3 and you may be set for a sponsorship, company depending.
Who was it that you worked for? Moonee Valley Racing Club, Tennis Australia, Hotelstaff, Presidents Cup
How does the standard wage compare from your profession in your home country? You do average out to earn more in Australia than you do in the UK however you do need to work hard for it. A lot of people say they want to get into events but don’t want to work long hours or weekends but that’s really when events take place.
What advice would you give to someone looking to work in your profession, in Australia? I would say know what you want to do. I knew my passion is sport so I chased those types of contracts. If you are looking to do short term contracts then be prepared to work some unsociable hours – but if it’s your passion you’ll love it. The term ‘casual workers’ is frequently used in Australia so it could be hospitality roles or operation roles. They pay well but the work is normally over a weekend.
A lot of organisations over in Australia look for experience so if you are chasing your dream role, get some experience in Aus first. That could be volunteering or doing some short term event work. It will look good on your CV.
Profession Checklist: Are you able to give us a step-by-step checklist for finding work?
– Have your CV up-to-date with your Australian number & address.
– Register with the likes of: Event Workforce Group (https://www.eventworkforcegroup.com/) and Miles per Hour (https://www.milesperhour.com.au/)
SEEK is also decent at advertising short term admin related roles in events.
– Get your RSA or/and whitecard completed (whitecard applies for if you are working on an event on bump in stage)
– Have your personal documents scanned into your email (passport, visa confirmation, TFN, bank details) all for ease when sending onto new employer
– Keep an eye out on SEEK for recruitment days at the major racecourses and stadiums in Melbourne, come September they advertise ahead of spring carnival (that’s potential work for the month of October/November)
– Do your research of each state and what events they host so you can plan your travels around potential short term casual work, it keeps the money coming in but allows you the freedom of seeing what Australia has to offer, although Melbourne is where it’s at!
