<blockquote rel="Pinoy_vegemite">Let me share the journey I had when I decided to migrate here, hopefully to inspire others.
When I left Pinas, I had a very stable job as a Manager in a multinational company. When I decided to migrate here, it was not necessarily out of dire need dahil maganda naman yong trabaho ko sa atin. I was financially ok. The company I worked for even tried to convince me to stay. When my family and friends asked me why move, I gave them the usual "quality of life" reason. While it is true, deep inside, it is the adventure that really pushed me. I am still single kaya siguro ganon. The risk is not that much compared to someone who is married with children, but the thought of starting all over again scared the hell out my friends and family considering my successful career in the Philippines.
I was already firmed with my decision to migrate though. Due diligence is important when it comes to making life changing decisions like migration that is why I made sure to prepare myself physically, financially, psychologically and spiritually. I told myself that with the qualifications I have, it would not be difficult to land a job in my field. However, at the back of my mind, I also prepared myself for odd jobs if things do not turn out smoothly.
I stayed with a friend when I arrived in Sydney. His family was so accommodating that I did not have to pay a cent for rent or food. Pero dahil hindi ako sanay na nakikitira, and the fact that my friend did not want me to chip in added to the pressure to look for work right away. Nahihiya kasi ako sa kanya kahit ilang ulit pa niya akong sinabihang I can stay with them until I am ready to move.
Hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang resume ang sinubmit ko starting on the day after I arrived, probably at least 10 resumes a day. At first medyo masakit when you get rejection replies specially that sa Pinas, modesty aside, I got all the jobs that I applied for. Nasanay na ako in the end, it made me feel numb na rin when it comes to rejection letters. But it never did come to me to question my competencies dahil alam ko naman kung ano yong capabilities ko. All the more that it encouraged me to apply for more jobs related or not related to my field.
The first interview I had, around three weeks after I arrived, was with an agent. He was so helpful. He guided me through the process of applying for jobs in Australia. He helped me improved my resume to get better results from Australian employers. At first, I really thought my resume already clearly outlined my competencies but I was proven wrong. I realized that there were still areas for improvement in terms of making it suitable to Australian employers.
Although I did not get the job that the agent represented me for, I moved on with a better resume in my hand and useful lessons from the interview. It gave me an idea on how people conduct interviews here which is way too different from my experience in Pinas, not necessarily in a positive way.
After hundreds of applications and rejections, I got my first job offer on my second interview with another company, though ironically, the resume I used in that application was the resume I prepared before I came to Australia. It was not the improved version yet.
The job I got had very little relevance to my course but it was office based and enough to support me with my living expenses while I continue to look for a job that is related to my course. I stayed in that job for more than a year before I finally land a job that is related to my Engineering course. I never stopped sending resumes for job vacancies until I got my new job.
The job application process starting from the day I arrived here until I got my latest job is a humbling experience. My first job was not exactly an ideal job but it kept me moving.
For as long as you do not lose hope, and you continue to trust God's blessings, everything will come into place in due time.
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Thank you for sharing @Pinoy_vegemite - mabuhay ka!! Your note above is an inspiration to all of us who have yet to start on the Journey Down Under... 🙂