People migrate to their dream countries across the world to settle their lives. Since diversity has no more been viewed as a challenge and instead viewed as an opportunity it raises the bar and provides an opportunity to move around.
The most sought migrant destinations such as Australia, Canada, US and UK requires tough requirements and qualifications. Once we pass all the hurdles for the visa comes the search for the job and stress situation of waiting period.
I personally went through this experience in 2016 and would like to share my experience so that future migrants may find it helpful. I migrated to Darwin, Australia in August 2016 on a work visa for Human Resources and joined Danila Dilba Health Services on October 17, 2016 as their HR Manager working with the Executive Management team. Exciting isn’t it? Let me take you through the preparation stage.
Preparation stage
Once you apply for your visa, you should start searching for the job requirements and your prospects of getting onto your career. Every Country has got own requirements and legislations which we should be prepared to adapt. As an HR Professional I looked at professional membership and certificate courses available. As soon as I received the visa approval I joined AHRI (Australian Human Resources Institute) and received membership as a CAHRI professional member. This membership is reserved for established HR professionals, who have a career in HR and a proven track record in HR management. This will help you to build credibility to your profile and convince employers of your passion.
After applying for jobs from abroad I realized that without local experience it is tough to get into a managerial position. I was not willing to give up. I decided to do a four months certification course in HR which will add some weightage to cover the local experience. I did go through free online courses from Australian industrial associations as well. It helped me to land in Darwin with confidence.
After arrival
I was one of the fortunate to have my previous job available online for the first two months in Australia. Further as soon as I landed I joined a friend’s restaurant business helping them in the café and assisting them in HR matters as it was just a two months old business. Working in a restaurant for close to three months I would say meeting new people every day is the best thing to do when you land in a new Country. It boosts your confidence and may also give you a turning point at times to convert the meet and greet to an opportunity!
Along with my online and restaurant jobs, certification course and job applications I utilized all the opportunities to network locally. The October Business Month (OBM) events in Darwin during October 2016 helped me to attend various workshops and network with management professionals. I met with recruitment consultants and seek their suggestions to ensure that I stay current with the market.
We always have the assumption that applying for more jobs will increase job prospects. As an HR Professional interviewed and recruited diverse workforce across the globe I can assure you that every recruiter is expecting a near perfect candidate to fill their position. Hence instead of applying for many jobs my suggestion is to focus on your career and apply for closely matched positions. This will help you to sharpen the application and offers the possibility of a telephonic discussion. As time goes by employers have realized that resume alone shouldn’t be a benchmark to schedule an interview. So you may expect to receive an unplanned telephonic discussion to map your communication and technical knowhow. This will determine your interview opportunity. You may also ensure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and recommendations from your previous managers and colleagues can be a great help!
Networking time
Networking with professionals locally can be a game changer! I was mentored by a senior HR Professional towards interview preparation and basic knowhow of local legislations. I also received advice from the course instructor of the HR Certification course. Most surprisingly I met an HR Consultant at the restaurant and later on realized that she was one of the consultants I had emailed my resume from abroad. I contacted her the very next day by email sharing my excitement and she was very happy to extend a helping hand with mindful of suggestions and upcoming possible opportunities. Through her I came to know about the HR Manager opportunity at Danila Dilba!
Once the employer feel confident on your ability to communicate you will receive an interview opportunity. I would say you should prepare for this interview like there is no second chance. Beyond my last one year preparation for the right job, I prepared myself with going through all possible channels to ensure that I am aware of the right information about Danila Dilba. I enjoyed the interview with the panel and at the end of the interview provided them a file named as “My Story” which portrays my career story since graduation and achievements till date. With gods blessings my efforts and wait was worthwhile and I was selected for the job. It was my first interview in Australia!
I trust god and the credit goes to my wife, parents and family who stood strong behind me during this time. All you need is a planned approach and successful implementation of your plan to avoid the long waiting and difficult emotional period. I am happy to help and any questions please mail me at sulalpm@gmail.com . Thank you for reading and please share your feedback.
A very well written guide to prepare anyone who is migrating to Australia . As an HR professional and as a person planning to migrate to Australia, I found this article extremely helpful!