Tips for migrants looking for their first job in Australia

"Since the Australian environment is quite different from our home countries, we need to understand the job market with respect to writing job applications, resumes, pre and post-interview tips and finally settling into the job," says Aman Singh, an HR professional based in Sydney.

Business people shaking hands in meeting. Source: Getty images

After migrating to a new country like Australia, the main challenge becomes to get established as soon as possible. And for that, the first and foremost step is to find a suitable job that can pay off one’s living expenses.

Here are few tips from Aman Singh senior HR professional, who has wored in both the public and private sectors.

"You should crisp, clear and confident when looking for your first job in Australia", says Aman Singh in a Facebook live session organised at SBS Punjabi studios in Sydney.

Aman Singh says, ‘The resume shouldn’t be more than two pages as no one has time to scrutinize piles of papers from dozens of applicants. Keep the format as simple as possible and avoid using too many different fonts, bold or coloured typefaces."

‘One should not put his / her photo in the resume, unless it is a modelling job. The aim is to catch the attention through short and crisp wording in your resume, which often is called the first point of contact.’

'When called for an interview, do a bit of research about the company, it's standing in the market and regarding its competitors,' she adds.

Aman encourages asking as many questions as you want but only at the end of the interview when the panel says, ‘Do you have any questions from your side?’

‘You may ask about training, induction and joining time required, but never ever ask for the salary that you will get. The companies need to compare you with other candidates, check and verify your experiences & references before making any decision on offering you a salary.’

'Soft skills prove that you are a team player and can think out of the box, and therefore should surely be mentioned in your resume,' adds Aman.

Aman Singh born and brought up in Australia is fluent in Punjabi and has worked in both Public and Private sectors mainly dealing with HR. Source: SBS Punjabi

Aman strongly advocates that you must mention your hobbies or work experiences in the resume, but the wording should relate to the job that you are applying.

For example, instead of just saying that you worked in a store, you must write like ‘I have strong customer dealing skills, I am punctual, I am flexible to work in shifts etc.’

On top of all, one must be confident of his / her skills. If you become nervous at any stage, don’t shy as it is natural.

Aman Singh says, ‘You can google around some high-level interview skills but never ever copy and paste the answers. If your mind becomes blank at any stage, you can ask them to re-phrase the question one more time, so that you will get time to think about an appropriate answer.’

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