If you are looking for a professional job in Australia, you have to read this!

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

One of the main goals of Gals en Australia is to encourage all the Latin American and Hispanic women across Australia to find that job they dream about, to follow the career path they always wanted, and find a spot in the professional market that aligns with their passions and makes them feel they are in the right place.

Since the first day we arrived in Melbourne, we have experienced the tough journey of trying to rebuild our professional career overseas. We know how difficult this journey is and the many challenges and setbacks that stand in your way and how sometimes it feels nearly impossible to find a professional job when you are a temporary visa holder.

In this new entry, we would like to share three strategies that we have learned and have helped us during our search for that great professional role to launch our career in Australia.

1. Define what you are looking for.

Yes, in order to find a job, whichever kind of job, part-time or full-time, you need a strategy. In other words, spend some time figuring out what you want, building up an answer for the following questions:

• Which are the roles or positions do you want to apply for? Do you know the Australian names of role(s) you used to have back home? What kind of jobs do you see yourself doing? Identify at least 3 companies that you would like to work for, start to follow them on LinkedIn, social media or even if they have a mailing list related to the fields you are interested in so you might be the first to know about new job openings.
• Which industry do you want to belong to? Is there any area or field you don’t want to be part of? If that is the case, it may sound obvious but don’t waste your time applying there. Our recommendation is that you should be aware of and respect your boundaries, and look for the industry you like! Too many of us Gals settle for any paycheck, but you should aim higher and work hard to reach for the career you want.
• If you have been involved in more than one industry or area, which is the one offering the most opportunities?

If you don’t have an answer for all the previous questions, before going any further with the job hunting process, we encourage you to have a think of your strategy because that will save you not only time but also energy and avoid unnecessary rejections and effort wasted on trying to get a job you don’t even want.

2. Looking for a job is a job

We have often heard during the workshops that most Gals want to find professional jobs. However, we invite you to reflect on how much time and effort you are putting into that goal. We don’t want to sound bossy here, however, based on our experience, when you are looking for a job you need put effort and learn to embrace the process itself.

In other words, it is not enough to want a new job, you need to go for it and start working hard in the following aspects:

• Set a weekly goal. Apply for a set number of job offers per week even if you don’t meet 100% of the requirements. Did you know that men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women only apply if we meet 100% of them? Most job descriptions are an employer’s wish list (i.e., a fantasy candidate), don’t wait to be perfect to apply (here’s a secret — nobody is!). You already have within you what is needed, just take the risk.
• Tell everybody you are looking for a job. If you are working as a cleaner, tell your clients that you are looking for a professional job. There is a chance that one of them will work in a company that is hiring. If you work in the hospitality sector, tell the clients that you are looking for a different job; one of them could be your next boss or co-worker. Tell your friends, your flatmates, tell people around you that you are striving for something different. You want to increase your surface area for luck to strike, you never know who might set you on the right path. Here is a great article on this!
• Research the Company before applying. This is an absolute must. You need to learn about the company and what they do but this is only half the story. If possible, find out what their mission and vision are. Do they list their values on their website or blog? How do you exemplify these values and emphasize examples of when you have demonstrated these values in a previous role whether that’s in your cover letter or interviews. Look for reviews online, both the good and bad. It’s often a great way to judge the company’s values and culture to see how they treat their employees. If there are negative reviews, ask about them in an interview, remember this is not a one-sided relationship. Like any prospective partner, whether in life or in your career, you should be trying to evaluate whether this company is also good enough to have you.
• Always reach out for feedback. If you keep applying for jobs without success, it is time to seek feedback; share your resume and, especially, your cover letter with a friend or pay an expert to give you an impartial opinion about how you are addressing the requirements and qualifications in these two documents. Moreover, if you receive a call from the companies that you are applying for but you don’t make it after the interview, don’t waste the chance to ask them! ALWAYS ask for feedback!.
• Practice, practice, practice — This makes a master. The more you apply for jobs, the more you feel confident and learn about how to sell yourself as the best candidate.

3. LinkedIn is a the New Resume

Gals, LinkedIn is everything. Ok, maybe we are exaggerating a little bit here but seriously, LinkedIn is gold. The following list describes what you can use LinkedIn for when you are looking for a job and why it can be a hugely powerful tool:

• Reach out to recruiters, key contacts who can lead you to a new job or just other people (locals and migrants) doing something similar to what you want to do as a professional and that serves you as an inspiration. In other words, LinkedIn will give you the chance to build a network.
• Share your journey. Show your network what you are doing. You just finished a certification or online course? post about it; are you volunteering? post about it; are you passionate about a topic regarding your career and just found the best article? post about it. Be creative and use LinkedIn as the best platform to show yourself and what your interests are.
• Use LinkedIn to stand out of the crowd. It is the best platform to keep a record of your achievements and your best skills as a professional. Make sure your profile is up to date before applying for a job.

It is important to say that we are not recruitment or HR experts. Hence, the recommendations we just described are what we have learned when looking for jobs in Melbourne during the last 3 years, and we hope they can help you in your own process.

Finally, last and not least, remember you already have what is needed to get the job of your dreams, you just have to believe in yourself and work towards it. See you in the next entry, Gals!

Gals en Australia was founded in Melbourne in 2019 by Alejandra Angeles and Claudia Viloria, two international students from Mexico and Colombia. Their goal is to help women succeed and provide the opportunity to learn and grow both personally and professionally. The Gals community is a support network for those that have taken a leap of faith and moved to a new country together!

Welcome to our community.