Looking for Work

On this page:
Before leaving your home country
Looking for a job
Skills and qualification assessment
Further information

Before leaving your home country

It is important that you research job opportunities before you arrive in Victoria.

Many people do this by approaching companies and exporters in your country who have offices in Australia or by contacting relevant companies and organisations in Australia directly.

Important documents

When migrating you should bring copies of important documents that you may need for your job search:

  • school records, diplomas or degrees
  • trade or professional certificates and licences – anything from school level onwards
  • driver’s licence, including an International Driver’s Permit
  • all documents related to previous employers, including testimonials, work records and network records

Employment history

Copies of job descriptions and overviews from previous places of employment are good records of your responsibilities, notable achievements and your performance. Also keep a copy of any career or aptitude tests.

Testimonials and references

Line up testimonials and referees in advance. Where possible, get written testimonials from employers, clients and suppliers, and have these translated into English if necessary.

Also, it is a good idea to provide referees details of the jobs you are applying for and the types of questions they are likely to be asked for telephone references. Where possible, line up Australian referees.

Local email

Create a personal Australian email address (ending with .com.au) as a familiar reference point for potential employers. Preferably base this email address on your name.

Looking for a job

Finding employment in Victoria is essential to settling in the state and involves a number of steps.

More than 60 percent of jobs are not openly advertised, so job searches need to involve a variety of strategies. The five main ways to find a job in Victoria are:

Newspaper advertising

Most newspapers carry job advertisements. There are three main types of newspaper in Australia:

  • National newspapers - The Australian is Australia’s national newspaper. It carries job advertisements through the week, with the largest job section in the Saturday edition. Certain daily editions will also focus on specific industries, for example ‘Epicure’ on Tuesdays focuses on the food and hospitality industry.
  • State-wide newspapers – The Herald Sun and The Age are Victoria’s two main state-wide daily newspapers. Both carry job advertisements throughout the week but the largest job section is published on Saturday. The Weekly Times is also state-wide, and focuses on jobs in regional Victoria. It is published weekly.
  • Local and regional newspapers – these generally cover one or two suburbs, towns or communities. Job listings vary from paper to paper. To find your local newspaper, visit Online Newspapers.

Internet advertising

Many employers will place job advertisements on jobseeker websites. New job advertisements are published daily. You can set up a personal account (which is generally free) so that suitable job advertisements can be emailed to you.

Some of these sites include useful information to help you in your search, such as resume writing and presentation and preparing for interviews.

There are many internet-based jobseeker sites in Australia. Some of the most popular include:

Also, many organisations advertise job opportunities on their own websites – including graduate positions – so it is a good idea to regularly check sites of companies that interest you.

Professional and trade associations

Professional and trade associations represent the interests of their members. They provide networking opportunities, business advice and support, training and education and advocacy on behalf of the industry or profession they represent.

Becoming a member of a professional organisation is useful, especially when you’re looking for jobs. Also, specific trade and industry publications advertise jobs that may not be in the newspapers or on general jobseeker websites.

Key trade and professional organisations for each industry can be found in the Victoria’s Industries section.

Recruitment agencies

Recruitment agencies advertise specific positions in newspapers and on jobseeker websites on behalf on employers. If you notice that one recruiter is advertising a number of positions in your area of expertise, you may want to contact them to discuss your career plans.

The best way to find a recruitment agency in your field is to search the Recruitment and Consulting Services Association’s Member Index, which lists recruiters by industry area and location.

Personal contacts and networking

Since many jobs are not advertised, networking is one of the most powerful strategies that you can use to find work in Australia. This could range from seeking information from people who work in areas you are interested in, to telling personal contacts that you are looking for work and informing them about your skills and interests.

Some of the ways to access job opportunities that aren’t unadvertised include:

  • making a list of local employers and companies you’d like to work with and contacting their human resources department to explore job opportunities
  • asking your friends and professional contacts to let you know if they hear of any jobs
  • joining ‘service’ clubs in the community – such as Rotary, Lions and Apex
  • getting in touch with local business associations such as traders groups and chambers of commerce
  • participating in volunteer work.

Even if you haven’t yet arrived in Australia, you can research the kinds of networks available where you plan to live – such as volunteer groups, sports clubs, professional bodies and community groups.

Through networking you demonstrate initiative and enthusiasm, as well as research and communication skills, which are highly valued in today’s labour market. Successful networkers show an interest in the people they meet, ask relevant questions and, most importantly, listen and follow up on advice they have received.

Voluntary work and work experience

Voluntary work and work experience can include paid or unpaid work in the public or private sectors. This work provides an insight into in the Australian workforce as well as valuable work experience to help in applying for jobs and developing your skills.

Avenues for finding suitable voluntary work or work experience include:

  • directly approaching employers
  • speaking to family and friends
  • searching online for internships and volunteering opportunities.

Approach work experience in the same way you would any job search or networking activity by doing your research and preparing what you are going to ask before contacting the employer. Ensure you have an updated professional resume ready.

For more information about volunteering and internships visit:

Skills and qualification assessment

If you are planning to migrate to Australia as a skilled migrant you will need to have your qualifications and skills assessed as part of your visa application by the designated Australian assessing authority for your occupation.

For more information about having qualifications assessed for your visa application, visit the Qualifications & Assessment section or the Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s website.

Upon arrival to Australia, you may need to have your skills and qualifications reviewed for employment purposes and undertake further training or bridging courses. Vetassess offer this service.

Further information

The following websites provide information about career planning, job preparation and the labour market:

  • Tips for Migration to Australia: Australian recruitment expert, Ian Little, provides a step-by-step guide to finding a job in Australia.
  • Tribus Lingua: Resources to help migrants understand and adapt to life in Australia.
  • AMES Employment Skills Centre: Adult Multicultural Education Services (AMES) is Australia's largest provider of specialist, multicultural language, employment and settlement services.
  • Australian Workplace: Government website that provides information about employment, government assistance, jobs, careers, training and working conditions.
  • myfuture: Australian Careers Directory: National career information and exploration service, helping people plan career pathways and manage work transitions.
  • Job Guide: In-depth guide of Australian occupations, including education and training pathways.

Also See

Related Sites

Last updated: 29 October 2009

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State Government of Victoria