Hello Kabayan,
I just wanted to share my experience on finding work and hopefully to help everyone not to give up. I arrived in Melbourne last June 18 and started looking for work last July 23, 2015. My experience are mostly in Customer Service (Call Centre in the Philippines) and the recent was for 8 years was with a Retail Company in Singapore. I will be starting working for a multi-national company on Monday (full-time permanent role) still in the Customer Service Industry. In the span of 2 to 3 weeks looking for work, I have almost submitted upto 70 applications via SEEK and APPLYDIRECT. 50% of my application was unsuccessful, 20% unknown (uknown-no response from employer, job closed/expired), 10% was invited for a phone interview and F2F, and was asked to take exams, 10% failed exams, failed initial interview, 10% i rejected the job offer.
Like what the other's advise in this forum, you have to make your COVER LETTER and RESUME attractive so they will be interested to look into it. I gave myself a span of 2 months that if I didnt get a fulltime permanent work, I will take casual or part-time role. From a Senior Customer Sales Executive in Supervisory role, I never hesitate to downgrade or apply for Junior role position as well. As long as I can do their job scope and have the qualities they are looking for I will send my resume. Sometimes, the words or phrases they are using, especially on technical side are sometimes different, so don't hesitate to look into it (it meaning). I didnt know that CRM or SAP is the same software we are using when I was working back then. We are only using a different name. In that 2 weeks span, I don't know if someone experience receiving calls from SEEK customer service? I received a call from them and they noticed that I am everyday sending applications to different employers and they are asking me hows the outcome of it and if I have already find work. They are very helpful and gave me some tips on how to make my CV and resume more attractive to the employers. Today as well, I received from another agent, that my resume has been forwarded to them and seemed that most of my applications was unsuccessful and they are calling to help me find work, however i already got the job from company i applied last week. I am not sure if someone experienced the same thing as well. The ELLEBELLE agent called me today also about my application that the employer is interested to hire me.
Continue sending resumes. Even I have interviews and exams or say that my application is in progress and waiting for the employers response, I couldn't rely on to these as there will be a lot of applicants better than me. Residents and Citizens as well. By the way I am here thru Partner visa and waiting for my second stage (permanent residency). Most employers aren't aware of what kind of visa's or work rights we have in our visa. So i always include in my CV what kind of Visa i have and if does give me a full work rights permanently. I also include in CV a copy of my visa and always invite them that they are free to check my work rights thru VEVO or immigration. From this I wanted my employers to feel that I am not hiding anything and I wanted to gain full-time permanent role. I have also edited my job description, by using corporate words which will look more attractive and professional to employers and agents. I also check the location of my work. Since I am located in the Southeastern suburbs, applying in the North side except the CBD will be a little too far from me (1 hour travel), and even if I apply, 80% of employers or agents will think it will be hard for me to travel especially if my working schedule starts at 8am. Applying in the Northside will be in the least of my choices.
So Kabayan, don't give up. Keep sending resume but ensure you read and understand their job description. I also applied for roles that are in Administration which is similar to Customer Service. I am doing Administrative task back then when I was in the Customer Service Industry. I have to epxlain it in my CV why I am applying for the role and have explained that my Job title might be different but I am doing the same job description and yes some employers call and invited for an interview. Sometimes the company is very far different from what I worked for e.g health insurance. "I dont have experienced working in Customer Service for Health Insurance but I am and able to be trained to part and successful in this company". This is one of the examples I wrote in my CV if I am applying for a company that is different from the employers I worked for.
Tyaga tyaga lang po talaga and of course, FAITH IN GOD, TELL HIM WHATS YOUR PLAN AND WHAT YOU WANT AND ENTRUST IT TO HIM. HE WILL GIVE IT TO YOU AT THE RIGHT TIME. IF GOD'S WANT YOU TO BE IN THAT COMPANY, HE WILL GIVE IT TO YOU. DON'T LOOSE HOPE, especially to all our KABABAYANS who are in SKILLED. MAS MAGAGALING PO ANG MGA PINOY KESA SA MGA BANYAGA.