Moving to Australia was like a dream come true. The land is good, earning power is good, wildlife is most fascinating, people are friendly and there are lots of jobs, they said. So, my family and I were giddy with joy when the visas finally came through.
We got ready, packed up and moved to this beautiful country. We were lucky to have family welcome us and made the business of settling down much easier.
As months went by, we got past the honeymoon phase and I start to scan the job market, nodding my head in confidence about how easy it will be to get in and continue my career hitch-free. Friends and family told me (as delicately as they could) to manage my expectations. I would smile and say to myself “I gat this!” I thought I had it all figured out: I would update my LinkedIn profile, pick and choose a few jobs, apply and boom the calls will start pouring in.
Now, this is not coming from a place of pride. I will back track a bit to provide some background. Back home, I had garnered over 10 years of work experience in Consulting, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing and IT sectors. I had moved from being a junior team member to leading diverse teams, my feathers shining bright with all the fancy certifications so yes, it made sense for me to assume it was going to be easy to get here and hit the ground running. Little did I know that I was in for a ride full of lessons.
So I started to apply for jobs. Of course, I went for Senior roles and promptly got tons of rejection mails. I figured it was because local experience is vital for such roles. Sounds reasonable. I stepped down to Manager and Assistant Manager roles. The rejection mails were equally prompt. I reached out to locals who gave me tips on how to rewrite my CV. The rejection mails kept coming. Family and friends chimed in from time to time and advised me to go for even lower roles – Why don’t you start from lower roles or even start from entry level. I could not imagine the downgrade! I switched off and totally stopped applying.
It took me some time and reflection to have a mind-set shift. Looking at the situation critically, I realized that most employers would feel more at ease with a candidate with local experience. The innuendos, culture and even communication styles differ from country to country. These things are very important and make or mar workplace dynamics. I began to put myself in the shoes of these employers and see things from their angle. The ever-present bills helped to remind me of the need to get back to work as well, plus I was missing my independence. I picked up my CV and started applying again. This time I was not sitting on a high horse. I was ready to start my career all over with anyone willing to give me a chance. I remember one of the interviews where one of the panel members told me I was too qualified. I simply told her that this is a new environment, I acknowledge that things may be done differently and I just want to slowly ease into the workforce.
I eventually got into the workforce and I am glad I took it slow. I have a bit more time to pay attention to other equally important parts of my life and as you would expect, other employers are now more confident to give me a chance as I steadily navigate my career path.
Is this how it will work out for everyone? No. Will there be people who come in and hit the ground running? Oh yes! I am just sharing my experience and hoping it encourages anyone in the job market rut right now. You are not alone and everything will work out just fine.
Cheers
Tochi