Job Hunting Advice

Brndn

Hi guys, I'm in Perth at the minute and flat out looking for a job. I am a civil engineer with 4 years experience, never been not working in Ireland. I must have applied for 30 jobs here through various websites and not heard a squeak back! All around I hear stories of people getting jobs within a few days of landing here, am I doing something wrong?? Feel like I'm hitting a brick wall!! :mad:

mandrake04

Brndn wrote: »

Hi guys, I'm in Perth at the minute and flat out looking for a job. I am a civil engineer with 4 years experience, never been not working in Ireland. I must have applied for 30 jobs here through various websites and not heard a squeak back! All around I hear stories of people getting jobs within a few days of landing here, am I doing something wrong?? Feel like I'm hitting a brick wall!! :mad:

Are you on a WHV?

How many of the 30 jobs are Professional type Civil Engineering jobs?

and how many are just general Labouring jobs?

Brndn

Hi, yes I'm on a WHV, they are all professional jobs I have applied for, didn't apply for any labouring work yet as I have a brother in NT who can get me labouring work if I want it. I'm here 3 weeks now, is it too soon for replies or am I being silly looking for professional work on a WHV?

FreeAnd..

Brndn wrote: »

Hi, yes I'm on a WHV, they are all professional jobs I have applied for, didn't apply for any labouring work yet as I have a brother in NT who can get me labouring work if I want it. I'm here 3 weeks now, is it too soon for replies or am I being silly looking for professional work on a WHV?

Silly question but are they all short term contract roles you are applying for?

Brndn

I'd say 50/50 between contract and permanent.

FreeAnd..

Brndn wrote: »

I'd say 50/50 between contract and permanent.

Well that could be an issue straight off on a WHV, are they direct to company or via an agency? Are there any requirements on visa/residency on any of the roles? (often Seek doesnt specify this but view the same job on any of the other sites and you can often see it).

Is your CV up to scratch?

mandrake04

Sometimes the jobs are advertised for a full month before the application close date then they start shortlisting them all in one go (thats what happens in my joint).

on the other hand to some agencies & employers a WHV means its deemed to be filed in the round filing cabinet.

Good luck anyway.

Brndn

Well lads it looks like I spoke too soon, 2 job offers today with possibilities of sponsorship.

FreeAnd..

Brndn wrote: »

Well lads it looks like I spoke too soon, 2 job offers today with possibilities of sponsorship.

Nice one...hope it all goes well for you

Dave!

Good for you

Will be in Perth around December or January, hopefully will get some work

Brndn

Thanks lads, know I'm stuck with the problem of which one to go for :rolleyes:.
One is an immediate start in Kununurra on contract, the other is a definite 12 months in the Pilbara (which involves sponsorship) but doesn't start until November. I think I might just wait for the November one and see if I can get a bit of laborouring until then. So hard to know though, will see if I can find someone in the biz with a bit of insider knowledge of the companies to find out which is the best to work for.
Anybody here an engineering surveyor in WA?

poodles

Brndn wrote: »

Thanks lads, know I'm stuck with the problem of which one to go for :rolleyes:.
One is an immediate start in Kununurra on contract, the other is a definite 12 months in the Pilbara (which involves sponsorship) but doesn't start until November. I think I might just wait for the November one and see if I can get a bit of laborouring until then. So hard to know though, will see if I can find someone in the biz with a bit of insider knowledge of the companies to find out which is the best to work for.
Anybody here an engineering surveyor in WA?

Congrats Brndn,

What exact type of work is involved? What will your role be - setting out or more office based ?

Brndn

Got a couple of pms on this topic so I thought I would update this thread with my view of the civil eng scene here.
Seems to be if you have any earthworks / roads experience you will be guaranteed a job. I don't, I basically I have all structures experience and the job prospects are pretty bad.

I managed to get two interviews for surveying work as I worked part time as a surveyor at home for myself, but again if you had roads surveying work you'd be in like flynn.
I found recruitments agents so far to be pretty crap here, they either say they'll help and then you never hear or they just tell you that there's not a hope of getting work on a 417 visa.
I think the best chance for someone with no experience at all would be to apply for jobs that are resedential in the mines, not fly in fly out as I have seen a few of those advertised. But it seems that a lot of employers will dismiss you out of hand with a working holiday visa.

On a last note, one agent I rang (at 9am) said I was the third Irish civil engineer she'd heard from that morning and told me that the irish were coming out of the woodwork! :eek:

mandrake04

Brndn wrote: »

On a last note, one agent I rang (at 9am) said I was the third Irish civil engineer she'd heard from that morning and told me that the irish were coming out of the woodwork! :eek:

Thats because someone posted on Boards.ie that there was Civil Engineering jobs going in Perth. :cool:

sponge_bob

Brndn wrote: »

Thanks lads, know I'm stuck with the problem of which one to go for :rolleyes:.
One is an immediate start in Kununurra on contract, the other is a definite 12 months in the Pilbara (which involves sponsorship) but doesn't start until November. I think I might just wait for the November one and see if I can get a bit of laborouring until then. So hard to know though, will see if I can find someone in the biz with a bit of insider knowledge of the companies to find out which is the best to work for.
Anybody here an engineering surveyor in WA?

so did you actually get one of these jobs?
and did they sponsor you aswell?