8 Things You Should Know About Applying For A Job In Australia

Do you want to work in Australia but are not sure where to start or what you need? Keep reading because here I give you 8 tips (+bonus tip!) on HOW TO FIND A JOB IN AUSTRALIA. These are BASIC things you MUST KNOW AND SHOULD DO if you want to get the job you want here!

1. Know your rights

The first thing that you should do when looking for a job in Australia, is to KNOW YOUR WORK RIGHTS. Can you work full time, or are you limited to part-time work only? Can you work for the same employer indefinitely or only for up to six months? 

How do you know your work rights? Check the conditions of your visa!

This is extremely important, because you’ll be asked about this when you are applying for jobs! Further, this is going to determine the type of employment contract you can get.

What does having ‘full work rights’ mean in Australia?

Having full work rights mean that you do not have any restrictions or limitations to work in Australia. For example, if you are an international student, it’s likely that your student visa only allows you to work part-time (that is, usually 40hs per fortnight) during the study period.

On the other hand, if you are on a working holiday visa, you can usually only work for up to 6 months with the same employer – after that period, you need to look for a new job.

However, if you are on a permanent resident visa you have full work rights, that is, you can work for any employer, indefinitely, on a full time or part time basis. The sky is your limit!

What is the difference between casual work, fixed term contract, and permanent work?

Understanding the difference between casual work, fixed-term contracts, and permanent work is very important when it comes to finding a job in Australia.

Casual Work

In short, if you work as a casual, your work hours may be different each week depending on your employer needs. For example, if you work at a bar or a restaurant as a casual (say, as a bartender), you will probably be asked to come to work during busy periods, or weekends, or at different times of the day depending on the week.

Your work entitlements (for example, the amount of leave you get, or even your salary per hour) will be different to those of someone on a contract.

The benefits of casual work is that it gives you a lot of flexibility, especially if you are a student with a tight study schedule.

Fixed Term Contract

If you are on a fixed-term contract, this means that you will be hired to work for a specific period of time. Fixed-term contracts usually go from 3, 6 to 12 months (or 2 years sometimes), and can be full time or part-time.

Once your fixed term contract ends, you are expected to leave and move on. Nonetheless, some companies, depending on their budget, may be able to extend your contract. Sometimes they clarify this on their job descriptions: ’12 month fixed term contract with possibility of extension’.

Permanent Work

Permanent work is when you are hired on an ongoing basis. That is, your employment is ongoing. And you leave the company until you resign or you are let go.

Disclaimer: I am not a migration agent nor a lawyer so I can’t provide advice on this. You should always seek professional help when in doubt.

However, you check the FAIR WORK website, which contains all the information you need about your work entitlements, rights, and different employment types in Australia.

2. Superannuation or ‘Super’

What does ‘Super’ mean?

You will find the word ‘super’ on most job descriptions in Australia. This word refers to the term ‘Superannuation’. And you really need to get familiar with this concept.

Superannuation basically means that when you start working here in Australia, a specific percentage of your salary package (usually 9 to 10%), will go into a ‘super fund’. 

What is a super fund? A Super Fund is a company that manages and invests this part of your salary for you, until your retirement. And the idea is that you can’t access that money before that!

How to choose a Super Fund company?

There are many super fund companies that you can choose from.

The ATO offers a Super Comparison tool where you can compare different super fund companies, their returns, and investment performance over the long term.

Some employers however, already have their recommended ‘super funds’, so you can go with that as well. It’s up to you,  but I’d recommend doing some research! 

What happens with your Super if you are in Australia on a temporary visa, and you don’t plan to stay in the country forever?

Well, if you are here only on a temporary visa, I understand that you can withdraw your superannuation money before leaving the country. Check the Australian immigration website, on this link, because this has all the information you need.

3. Research your industry

When it comes to finding a job in Australia, you really need to know your industry, whether this is marketing, finance, or hospitality.

When doing your industry research, these are the questions you should be focusing on:

How many years of experience and what skills do I need to get the job that I want?

Are there any jobs in the city you want to live in? or will you have to choose another city?

Do you need any qualifications or certificates? For example, if you want to work as an accountant, you may need to have your qualifications recognised. Whereas if you want to work as a bartender or as a waitress, you’ll need to do the RSA certificate (Responsible for serving alcohol certificate).

What is the expected salary level for that job you want? This is important because if you are applying for a professional job, employers will ask you what your expected salary is, and you need to be able to have a good answer to that.

Where can I research my industry? How do I find all these information?

Based on my personal experience, the best place to getting started with your industry research is this government website called Job Outlook Australia

Job Outlook allows to explore different jobs, careers, the type of training and qualifications you need, the different salaries per week, demographics per job, whether your occupation is in high demand or not, and many others.

Another way you can do your research is to use Linkedin and contact recruiters in your industry. You can also look at different job ads to see what skills and experience they are asking for!

4. Where can I find a job in Australia?

The major job search sites in Australia are: Seek, Linkedin, Indeed, Ethical Jobs, CareerOne, Adzuna.

For more informal jobs, you can use Gumtree or Facebook groups, but beware of scams. Always make sure these are legitimate jobs.

If you are a student, your university or institute will have a job search portal where they advertise Graduate jobs and internships. I highly recommend checking that out. Another alternative is to talk to one of your teachers or a career counsellor at your uni!

Can I get a job in Australia without local work experience?

Look, getting a job in Australia without any previous work experience or local experience will be a bit harder, but it’s completely possible (I’ve done it!).

If you don’t have previous work experience or experience working in Australia, I would highly recommend doing what I did during my first year here: VOLUNTEERING.

Jump on govolunteer, seekvolunteer, or volunteeringaustralia. These are amazing sites for finding volunteering opportunities, even in professional environments.

For example, if you are into marketing, you can volunteer for a non-for-profit organisation managing their social media accounts, or doing administration work.

How much time should I spend volunteering?

You can volunteer only once a week for a few hours, OR a whole day. It’s up to you, or sometimes, it depends on what the organisation is requiring.  

Bear in mind that volunteering work is NOT paid (at the end of the day you are volunteering), and you will be expected to commit to volunteering for a minimum of 3 to 6 months. 

What are the benefits of volunteering in Australia?

Volunteering work will give you a really good opportunity to learn about the Australian workplace culture, gain local work experience, practise your English, and have local references for your next job! And at the same time, you are helping and contributing to a good cause! IT’S A WIN-WIN.

I volunteered for almost a year while I was completing my Bachelor degree here in Australia. I volunteered in the HR area and did administration work for two different not-for-profit organisations. These volunteering opportunities are the only reason why I was able to get a very well-paid professional job immediately upon graduating.

5. Understanding job descriptions

Now that you know where to look for a job, you need to understand job descriptions! 

Job descriptions in Australia usually start with information about:

• The company, and who they are. This is very important because companies want to make sure that you are applying for that job because you are truly motivated to work for them, and not because you are desperate. And because of this, they are expecting that when you apply, YOU KNOW what the company does, and who they are. 

• Your responsibilities. This gives you an indication of what the job is about, and what you can expect from the job.

• Key Selection Criteria. This is a very important concept that you need to understand. Because most employers will ask you to address the key selection criteria in your job application.

What is the Key Selection Criteria?

The Key Selection Criteria refers to the ESSENTIAL skills that the company is looking for in a candidate. And if you really want to get that job, you need to be able to demonstrate that you have those skills!

How do you show the company that you meet the key selection criteria? First, in your Resume and your Cover Letter. And then in the interview. 

6. What should you include in your Resume and Cover Letter?

If you don’t have a Resume, or you have no idea what a Cover Letter is, you need to get started with that right away – before you apply for any job! 

Resume

Your resume is a document that lists your contact details, work rights in Australia, employment history and skills, your education, volunteering experience, achievements, and interests

Cover Letter

Whereas your cover letter is a letter that you write to the employer, telling them about 1) who you are, 2) the reasons why you are interested in the role and the company, and 3) why you are the perfect candidate for this job.

The Cover letter is your chance to show how you meet the Key Selection Criteria for the job.

Should you tailor and customise your resume and cover letter for each job?

Yes! You should customise your cover letter and resume to every job you are applying to. What does this mean? You need to research the company you want to work for, and write your letter specifically for that role and company. 

AVOID submitting the same cover letter across jobs. You really need to take the time to tailor your job application.

What things you shouldn’t include in your job application?

When you are applying for a job in Australia you shouldn’t include any personal information such as your photo, marriage status, age, or gender. I know this is common practice in some countries, but not in Australia, so PLEASE DON’T.

The reasons for this relate to avoiding unconscious biases and discrimination of a job candidate. You want to be judged on your suitability for a job based on your skills and qualifications, and not based on your appearance or age.

7. Prepare for the Interview

Once you apply for a job, you need to start preparing for a potential interview!

If the company is interested, they will give you a call to ask you a few more questions and organise an interview.

If they are not interested, they will usually send you an email thanking you for applying and telling you that they decided to go with someone else. That’s fine, don’t be discouraged if that happens, because it’s TOTALLY normal!! Just keep going.

If you DO get that call, you need to be prepared. I recommend keeping a list of all the companies you applied to and saving every job description to your computer. These job descriptions contain your responsibilities and key selection criteria, thus, they will help you prepare questions and answers for the interview!

Preparation is KEY to getting the job you want. 

8. Prepare Key Documents

When finding a job in Australia, you need to have these documents and key information ready.

Get a Tax File Number (TFN)

A TFN is a unique personal number that you get from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for tax and superannuation documents. This number is extremely confidential so keep it safe. You will need it once you get a job offer. Check this link to the ATO site for all the information you need on how to get your TFN.

Open an Australian Bank Account

You will also need to have an Australian bank account so your employer can pay you your salary. You should open a bank account the moment you arrive in Australia.

Working with Children Check

Some jobs will also ask you to have a Working with children check. You will need a working with children check if you are going to be working in a job with children or people under 18 years old. This is basically a check that confirms that you don’t have any criminal history. Working with children checks are different across states.

Police Check

Some employers may also ask for a police check. This again, is a check of your criminal history, particularly if you lived outside Australia within the last 10 years, and for some government jobs.

Driver’s License

Some employers may ask for candidates to have a driver’s license. This depends on the type of job you are applying to. It’s not very common for professional jobs, but it may be required.  So have this ready as well.

Qualification Documents (NAATI translated)

Once you get a job offer, you may be asked for your qualification documents. You should have these documents translated by a NAATi translator, and in some instances, certified.

You can also check my Youtube Channel, here.