General Oz advice

hardybuck

Howdy folks,

Currently in the closing stages of my masters degree, and job prospects are still rubbish here. I reckon I should make use of my time and head down under, if I don't do it now I never will! Looking for advice on the following:

1. Does it matter what time of year I head over? Considering going over early Jan so I'll get Christmas at home in and keep the mother happy! Will this impact on my ability to get a job, the craic etc?

2. The age old question of what city? My instincts tell me Melbourne or Sydney, but I hear the economy in the latter is struggling. I've heard people talking about less well known areas such as Darwin offering lots of employment.

3. Has anyone played sport down there? I've played gaelic football and soccer to a high level before, and could this open some doors for me? I've done so before in U.S.A and found it very beneficial.

I realise there is a lot there but I'd love to hear from anyone who can provide advice on the following, or any general feedback that they picked up from their own trips.

Thanks a million!

mandrake04

hardybuck wrote: »

3. Has anyone played sport down there? I've played gaelic football and soccer to a high level before, and could this open some doors for me? I've done so before in U.S.A and found it very beneficial.

If you can play decent Gaelic football you will get a construction job in Sydney within 2 days of arriving.

Bacchus

Hard to answer your questions without knowing what you want.

1. If you're looking for bar/cafe/shop etc type of work, those jobs all go in Spring/early Summer which is around October here. From Oct to March those kind of jobs are more difficult to find because of all the WHV tourists and the Uni students get Summer jobs. I don't know about fruitpicking or construction jobs.
As for the craic, Summer months obviously have more going for them. I can only speak for Melbourne but there is never a dull day over the Summer here. There's always something going on.

2. I've only been to Sydney as a tourist and TBH I reckon it's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there. I know people who have lived in both Melbourne and Sydney and they say the same. I'm sure people will have glowing reviews from living in Sydney but that's my 2c. Melbourne is a fantastic city. Great culture, great beaches, great city life, amazing food and markets. Love it.

Can't help you with Q.3. Best of luck.

hardybuck

Thanks for the info so far lads. I've a degree and am about to recieve a master degree from a business background, so I'd take temp office work if I could get my hands on it. I've worked on the sites in America, and worked in bars and shops before as a student so I'd take any of those either.

Probably best to take whatever work I can get at the beginning and then get myself settled?

Bacchus

Not sure what advise to give you on that one. A problem with my line of work was that the WHV only lets me work a 6 month contract. That was a major obstacle in finding a "proper" job. So just bear that in mind in case it might affect you. You have a business background though so I think you should find work here.

As for the other kinds of work. You have experience so that should make things easier. If you're going for bar work, you'll need to get a cert (I think it's called RSA - Responsible Service of Alcohol) to work anywhere that serves alcohol. It's easy to get and not too expensive I hear.

Diddler82

Currently living in Sydney so here a my two cents

1. You will pick up work alright, but a lot of the time I have found people with construction backgrounds will end up working with labour hire at the start and been thrown around all over Sydney...you might be lucky enough to get taken on full time then by a guy from the employer, usually behind the back of the LH crowd also but it will work out better for you. That said, be prepared to be getting up anytime around the hour of 5am and getting home anytime between 4pm and 8pm (usually range I hear from lads in contruction). As for bar work etc, Im not too sure, not sure it pays too well and Australian people are terrible for tipping apparently.

2. I have only been to Sydney so I cant comment on Melbourne so here goes...rent can be extortionate. I was lucky enough but I hear some ridiculous stories of overpriced accommodation. That said, I live by the beach and would not have it any other way...commute is 45mins door to door, infrastructure is excellent. If you want to come over and meet a lot of Irish people on the lash and just having a good time Eastern Suburbs is the place for you...Randwick, Coogee, Bondi whatever. Probably get caned for this but if you wanna meet Irish people who like drinking in Irish bars, listening to Irish music and getting drunk then this is the place for you. There is nothing wrong with it but some people think it is a disgrace, I personally have no problems with Irish bars, despite hating Irish rebel music and even further hating jersey wearing numptys, I mix with my friends in these places not these clowns and usually stay far away from the music! They can be good fun though.

3. Currently playing in the Eastern Suburbs Premier League with a team, league just about to start, pretty decent standard maybe to top Junior Level in the Leinster Senior League, some solid physical sides. A lot of teams are a mixture of ex-pats, english, scottish and aussies, good fun but dont expect to get a few quid or anything out of it...you will make friends but thats about it! There is the State League and I trained with one team for 2 weeks but realised you play on a Sunday every week and could be travelling the length of NSW for a game and could be gone from 6am to 6pm for a typical away game. As for the GAA, there is 5 GAA teams in Sydney, standard is probably a mix between intermediate/senior but again, I have never heard of anyone getting a few quid from it but you would get contacts a lot easier for construction work I reckon as it is probably Irish lads most of them are working for. I am not in that loop so much and only know lads off 2 of the teams so maybe it goes on in other teams.

Thats about it mate...bottom line though. Get out of Ireland if you can for a while. Just make that your first and most important decision!

hardybuck

Good advice so far folks. Whats the attitude towards the Irish over there these days? I know a lot of people in the U.S were getting sick of their attitude towards immigrants and the love towards the Irish is in serious decline. Still as good as ever over there?

FreeAnd..

hardybuck wrote: »

Good advice so far folks. Whats the attitude towards the Irish over there these days? I know a lot of people in the U.S were getting sick of their attitude towards immigrants and the love towards the Irish is in serious decline. Still as good as ever over there?

when was it ever good in Australia?

Diddler82

hardybuck wrote: »

Good advice so far folks. Whats the attitude towards the Irish over there these days? I know a lot of people in the U.S were getting sick of their attitude towards immigrants and the love towards the Irish is in serious decline. Still as good as ever over there?

My experiences to date have been largely positive, in respect to work, sport and even socialising in the City. You will find that people are no more or no less so far up there own ars3 as the vast majority of people you will find back up walking up and down Harcourt Street on a Saturday night.

Mainly find there is a bit of banter between the Australian people I have met and us, granted they think we are a shower of p*ssheads so they love coming out despite being absolute lightweights.

You will find around Bondi Junction and Bondi Road where Irish people have completely saturated the place, opinions would not be so good. Similar to the Irish mentality when Polish people came over, maybe a bit better, but not as bad as the time when the Asylum Seekers darkened our shores.

I have yet to meet an Australian person yet who had any real resent towards Irish people...that said I am not here that long so that may change.

mandrake04

Have to agree with Diddler82 have only experienced positive attitude from Aussies and I been here 5 years, there is always a banter of Irish people being p!ssheads but thats pretty acceptable because its mainly true.

Although in places like Bondi seems to attract a higher population of Pr!cks that could give Irish people in general a bad name.