Congrats to your husband sis @kremitz! Congrats @gmad06!
Finish line na din ako, just signed the contract today and I will start work on Monday. It took me 10 weeks to land that elusive first job but it was all worth it. Ang daming times na I was feeling really down na parang end of the world na, pero I just continued and kept on trying. Ang advice ko lang is tailor your resume sa australian format, use the keywords na nasa job ad but do not copy the whole statement. For example ang nasa resume mo is "software testing" pero ang nasa job ad is "user acceptance testing", you should use the term na nasa job ad kasi some recruitment firms use a keyword finder software to sort resumes in to the NO pile, this is also the reason why they are requiring resumes in WORD format, not PDF. You also have to note na not all assigned to do the shortlisting of candidates have a good understanding of what competencies the job really requires kasi most of them do not have the same background as you.
During interviews, prepare an elevator speech for the tell me about yourself question, this should not take longer than 2 minutes and should summarize your key achievements and why you would be a good fit for the role, wag nyo ikwento ang life story nyo, hehe. Hindi din pwedeng humble dito, dapat may konting yabang. Have an inventory of your selling points (skills) and prepare at least 10 Q (quantity) statements based on your job experience, here is a sample:
<i>QUESTION: What kinds of skills do you have that would benefit this company?
ANSWER: I believe that my management, budgeting, and purchasing skills would benefit the company. In my last company, I initiated a new procedure for purchasing materials that ended up in a 37 percent decrease in annual materials costs. That's what I'd like to do for your company. </i>
You do not need to always put a number in your statement, you just basically need to quantify and add a little exaggeration to market your self. And in these statements, you should always use the word I and not WE, even if you were able to accomplish the task with the help of your team mates.
I would also highly suggest that you attend the free Skillmax course offered to new migrants as the course will definitely help you have a greater understanding on how the australian job market works and how to land a job without local experience. We were told in the class that the "Local Experience" reason is just used as an excuse to reject job applications from new migrants because of poorly done resumes and cover letters. Well unless your job requires you to be familiar with local policies and regulations such as accounting, finance and banking. Just note na sa NSW lang skillmax ang tawag sa course na to, sa ibang state iba daw tawag but I do not know kung ano and different agencies are running this course so iba iba sila ng program content but they are all funded by the government.
Just be patient and prepare very very well. Treat an interview like a first date instead of an interrogation. Remember that employers also need you as much as you need them. 🙂 Please also visit this link for tips and insights: http://interviewiq.com.au/