It was the Hat after all.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

the verdict....

So, well, yesterday was both good and bad. I wasn't told anything that I wasn't aware of already, I was just secretly hoping that those thoughts were false. Well, they're not.

Lets give the walking schedule of the day:

Temp agency #1: Nice enough, took my resume, said she would pass it along to their consultants, and if a suitable job came up, they would ask me in for an interview. BUT also said the market is over saturated with people wanting to temp right now, and they advised that I give my resume out to as many temp agencies as possible. So it wasn't a completely bad review, but also didn't sound at all hopeful that they'll be able to help me.

Temp agency #2: Wasn't overly friendly. Made me fill out a form. Said someone would take a look at it, but said they have a ton of resumes coming in, again over saturated. Left feeling less hopeful than the first place.

Agency #3: This time the secretary was very nice, and helpful. She hooked me up right away with one of the consultants there. This lady sure gave it to me straight up- told me everything I'd been thinking already- she said she had hundreds of people wanting jobs with serious experience, up to ten years Administration, and what not (compared to my four months- well three really, okay TWO). And she gave me pointers about my resume. And she also being a foreigner here four years ago, knew exactly how it was going to go for me. No Australian company will hire me full time or temp if they know I am on a working holiday visa, because they know it will expire. She recommended applying for retail jobs- yay how fun. Too bad I already tried that, and they also told me they don't hire working holiday people. BUT, and here's the big BUT, she said she liked me, and liked how I presented myself, so she said she would send me a skills test, and see how I go on it, and then maybe she can find a job, even if it is a couple days, then maybe I'll get in the door and be able to gain that experience etc. But all this involves a HUGE HUGE maybe, and well, one can't live off maybes now can they?

Agency #4: They wouldn't even accept my resume, told me to look at the jobs they offered online, and then apply for specific jobs, and upload my resume to the internet.

After that, I took off my dress skirt and heels, and put on some jeans and headed to the art gallery. The Asia Pacific Triennial is coming in December- how exciting.

I also looked at some volunteering last night- might apply to do museum assistant stuff, cataloging etc, see how I like it? Possible career- maybe. There's that maybe again.

Today is another day in the- Great Australian Job Hunt!!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The Great Australian Job Hunt

I'm inviting you all aboard the Great Australian Job Hunt.

I arrived in Australia approximately two weeks ago. After allowing myself the weekend to settle in (you know unpack, lie on the beach for a few days), I started job hunting. This task is so incomprehensibly demoralizing it shocks me. I mean, I knew it would be hard given my visa circumstances and experience, but really? This hard!?

First there is the task of updating my resume, then the task of writing a cover letter (but first researching HOW to even write a cover letter). Then changing it to meet the needs of the various jobs I apply for.

So the visa- my visa only allows me to work for one company for 6 months. So although I can legally live and work in this country, it appears no one is going to make this easy on me. No one wants to hire and train someone who will only be with them for 6 months. Even retail stores say they typically don't hire people on a working holiday visa. But non the less, I've been trying to stay positive. I've searched online job boards, applied to various things, even networked with customers I used to serve coffee. Then I applied to a temp agency (seems they weren't very interested either). I have visited my old job, I can go back in a couple weeks when a few people are leaving, BUT, really I think I deserve something better than waitressing, I have a freaking four year degree for goodness sakes.

So my NEW plan is to print off several personally addressed cover letters/ CVs and hand deliver them to various employment agencies around the city. Maybe seeing me may help?

Then today- well I was all dressed up, make-up on, hair done, bag packed and ready to go today to head into town, WHEN it started to pour rain. With the rain, and the time of day (it was approaching 1:30), I decided NOT to go, and save it for tomorrow morning, when I wasn't so rushed and had the whole day to spend visiting these places, hopefully dry.

So alas, another day has gone by with no luck on the job front- which means no money- which means still living out of my slowly dwindling savings account- which means eating more instant noodles.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's outcome...

Pizza and dancing!!

I LOVE a man who can cook!! And cook he did last saturday night!!! home made pizza!!! YUM!!! (okay, yes the rolling pin was a beer bottle, but the mans got style)