Ideas on How to Find a Job?

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by landau5.8

PPPFFFTTTTT, recruitment agencies are useless, time wasting, good for nothing
low life, rotten, scumbag so and so's. And yes, I ran out of things to say about recruitment agencies.

100% agree. They are useless scum.

[ILLaViTaR]

It's become an employers market unfortunately it's disgusting, a qualified CPA with senior experience shouldn't be on any less than 120k. **** the system I say.

If you have enough equity in your home you can still buy a block of land in Balwyn North, build a very very big new home on it (est 1.8m cost house+land) and sell it within 8-12 months for just under 3 million.. 1 million dollars PROFIT in 12 months people have been doing this for the last 1-2 years, no developing or headaches. It's practically armchair income. Avoid CGT if you declare it as your residence also (as it will never be tenanted)

[LTDHO]

It's tough. Whilst I am not unemployed, doesn't mean not looking for better.

Sometimes you need to look for a roll you are not as suited for and if you show your interest to learn that will open opportunities. At very least you will have income whilst you still look for your ultimate job.

[Mont5.0]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

i mustve scored a good one

very much a prove yourself with these mobs, few ****** assignments etc

you can end up with the cream

We use them, at least that way I get 12 working weeks out of them before putting them on the books. Usually 12 weeks is a long enough period to see if they are the right person for the job. I will only ever use agencies.

[FairmontGS]

Originally Posted by Stefan

There is the jig, no surprise you're doing it tough...

If I was an accounting firm, and your experience was as a Project Engineer, I would not hire you.

If I was a Manager in a Construction Company (which incidentally I am) and you applied as a Project Engineer I would not hire you as you are not qualified. We pay our PE around $140K, but would want qualifications.

So...

I'd recommend apply for a Contracts Administrator's / Commercial / QS role in a Construction environment. These roles would make great benefit of a finance qualification and construction experience. No brainer really...a CA will be on a $120K + salary, offer yourself at say 90K and someone will take a punt on you for sure....and once you have a project or two under your belt, you can ask for top dollar.

Try Parsons Brinckerhoff.... I had a mate in a CA role with them for a few years....he had lots of work getting paid more than Sydney guys.

How old are you?

Agree with Stefan (even though he drives classic GTs with the radiator cap off). You're pushing for a position that you were lucky to have in the first place. My wife works for merchant banks and high-street consulting like BCG, Booz Allen, etc. who like well-rounded people with life experience. As a fellow CPA I would recommend that you seek out consulting positions with established firms like EY, Accenture, PwC. These guys will see that you have qualifications and experience that can benefit clients. As I have always found in my professional life people value you a lot more than you value yourself.

Good luck.

[tut0r]

I worked for recruitment agency staff Australia and biggest douche bags ever. Unfortunately a lot of employers are going that way now days to hire people and there is not much you can do about it.

[noddy383]

I feel your pain Juan, at uni, all the lecturers assured us that we would be able to find jobs at the drop of a hat once qualified. I spent 7 months looking for work in my chosen field and work in a couple of dead-end jobs that I hated in the mean time.
I trawled SEEK and all those websites and signed up with agencies (3 years later, I'm STILL getting emails asking if I'm after work) and asked everyone I knew who was even vaguely connected to the industry to keep an ear out for anything, while applying for everything I came across.
I ended up getting a job with a company that I'd applied for at a different site and made an impression on one of the interviewers at the first interview.

All I can advise is to try to keep your chin up and re-write your CV and cover letter for each job. I recommend saving copies of each version, so you can send it to them again 'just to make sure they got it'.
Don't be afraid to write to companies cold and then call up to make sure they got your letter. Looking up who the head of HR is can help get you through to the right person and make a good lasting impression

Good luck.

[Juan Loco]

Yes, I'm thinking I might have to go down the multiple resume route.
I might not have been clear, but I'm not expecting another Project Management/ Engineering type role. I'm still applying, but when you've got industry veterans applying for basic roles, there is just way too much competition. I am focussing on accounting/financial management type roles, and yes I think I need to "dumb down" my resume a bit.
I shouldn't say no to any job, but I just couldn't go back to professional practice. I did it for over a decade and it is soul-detroying. Getting paid $50 an hour, and charged out at $400, and trying to justify to a client why a half-day job cost him $3,000. My closest mate stuck it out far longer than me, rose to Director level with one of the Big 4, and even he has finally gotten out. The pressure to generate new business just gets higher the further up you rise.

[stang65]

Originally Posted by Brendo_GSUte

Not really, Ive been on a few projects where the PM was PRINCE2 certified and all that and it was a shambles run really poorly belw out etc.

Then other projects ive been on the PM is either a Mech engineer or some other qual thats no where near a project manager and they trump the guys with PRINCE quals...

So really its the skills of the individual, but the job market in WA is all money driven as in hire the guy with bear minimum quals or the overseas guy who doesnt know his basic rights and exploit him for the minimum wage.

If i was the OP ild start up my own business if youre a CPA and an aussie that gets you good returns in WA get your ad on Google first page you would go pretty good.

This Start your own business. We are in tough time coporates are trying to sqeeze every cent, at the very least you will be able to pick up business from family and friends. Then find a BNI group (business networking)or other business networking group and join. work for yourself and you will never look back. Me I`n not qualified, but if I was so much money to be made if you are and prepared to put in the effort.

[Geez Louise]

Contract administrator would be the way to go. There is good money in it, and it is an area where constructon industry knowledge comes in handy.

Not sure what the current employment market is like in WA but in Melbourne, I know a few companies looking for good contract administrators.

Best of luck with your search. Keep plugging away and don't give up!

Cheers
Col

[naddis01]

I hear there is a job going at Holden.

[Germaniak]

With a project management background, have you considered general management / business development opportunities?

(I'm an accountant by trade myself)