Working Holiday, eh?

[JerseyVics]

I'm only a few weeks from departing on my Australian adventure : and have to admit already I'm not thrilling anyone with my resume on Seek.com.au and other job sites... my Inbox is still chirping with crickets.

I was wondering how difficult it would be to get employment with a performance shop or even a dealership? I'm a jack of all trades but master of none as they say... so I wouldn't mind working for cheap being around what I like: cars... or airplanes. I read on Virgin Blue for example that they do hire tourists for temporary work, but their 12 months requirement goes against my visa, which allows for no more than 6 months employment for a single employer.


Anyway, I'm trying to gauge the situation and whether I should bring a suit along or some work boots instead.

thanks,
--Russ :sm_headba

[JerseyVics]

meee, worry???

well yeah... I do worry all the freaking time! sometimes for no good reason... thats why I think this trip will be therapeutic...

after all "NO WORRIES" is an Australian phrase if I'm not mistaken! haha

[dusty86]

australia is getting to the point of america at the moment as well though, unemployment is up, so guess you have to keep trying and wow people

[GS608]

Might be a bit harder to get employment in anything to do with cars, easiest jobs to get are labouring jobs on building sites, but they'd expect you to work 7 to 3 5 days a week for as long as your here, and its pretty hard work.

[axeray]

Bring your suit and your work boots.

In this economy, you'll need both.

Leave your wooly NYC clothes at home. You wont need them hrere.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by JerseyVics

meee, worry???

well yeah... I do worry all the freaking time! sometimes for no good reason... thats why I think this trip will be therapeutic...

after all "NO WORRIES" is an Australian phrase if I'm not mistaken! haha

Just tack "mate" onto the end of every sentence and you'll do fine mate.

[Bucknaked]

Originally Posted by JerseyVics

I was kind of looking more for some sort of IT/Business Development work,

If you have sales and marketing experience, you could try these guys

http://careers.salmat.com.au/jobSear...W&sLanguage=en

They have offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and other area's.

[timace]

Originally Posted by axeray

Leave your wooly NYC clothes at home. You wont need them hrere.

Well, not until winter hits the southern states :P

Unemployment is definitely up, I've been looking to quit my job for a new one for about 4 months now, only scored 4 interviews and got declined for them.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by timace

Well, not until winter hits the southern states :P

Or night time here in mexico.

[timace]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Or night time here in mexico.

How I long for that... we're sweating through our nights here at the moment!

[JerseyVics]

it has been snowing here almost every day now... what the hell happened to our Global Warming???


and its cold as balls too!

[JerseyVics]

I've been checking out the Aussie Experience forums and the amount of 20 something UK chicks visiting is astounding... who needs a job... I need a girlfriend!!!!


--Russ ;)

[XYGTHO]

If your handy with ACad or other drawing programs i know of Architects who have hired people do draw for a few months. Just draw up schedules and simple plans and stuff. Otherwise farms sometimes hire backpackers for picking etc.

[Spanrz]

Well, bring your singlet, shorts and thongs (flip flops) mate, its basically above 35 degrees here in Melbourne for the next week. (that's over 90F) for about the next 5 days.
And whoever said it was cold in Melbourne ...pfffft, I think NY get's a wee bit colder.

My wife is from there, not many times, Ive seen her in a jumper in winter...lol!

Job market is getting tougher at the moment as there's a bit of scaremongering going on. Suggest you "really" be diverse on what you have to offer. Don't just focus on one sector.
Be prepared to do anything.

[XR6TCraig]

Have you ever been anywhere other than Vic for any length of time?

Originally Posted by Spanrz

And whoever said it was cold in Melbourne ...

Me! I grew up there and did my trade (plumbing) there. Spent 9 months of the year with a beanie on my head trying to ward off chill blanes on my ears. When I explain that to the locals up here they ask what a chill blane is because they just dont exist here.

Anyone who doesn't think its too cold in Melb obviously spends the bulk of their time indoors in front of the heater. Get outdoors for the bulk of the time and let that freezing wind cut through your clothing my friend, then report back to us!

One week of warmish weather doesn't make it a hot place. :

You guys always get warm weather while the open is on. The months leading up to and after are relatively cool compared to most places in this country.

[Spanrz]

Originally Posted by Craiginmackay

One week of warmish weather doesn't make it a hot place. :

Hahaha, when we have the driest year on record, I have to say it's got to be warmest ever for Melbourne.
When the forecast is 38 tomorrow, 41 for Wednesday, 40 40 40 for the 3 days after, it's only going to get to 30's on the weekend. No rain yet again for the next week.
What green grass we had, is now all gone to hay/straw.
Watch for the Bushfires this week. I'd estimate a lot of bushfires this week.

I work outside, I don't get the "wussy" temperature cutoff that the construction guys get (something around 35-36 degrees and they go home..too hot)
I have had to deal with 46 degree's over the years and yes, still work in fully clad in overalls.

It does get cold, I used to feel it years ago, but 10 degree's isn't cold (50F).

NY'ers are used to Cairns heat (hot and humid), they would be well suited to Upper QLD in summer, but the coolness, they would easily get over.

[XR6TCraig]

Originally Posted by Spanrz

I have had to deal with 46 degree's over the years and yes, still work in fully clad in overalls.

Sounds like my job for 6-7 months of the year. I work inland Nth Qld on a minesite. Long pants, long sleeves and steelcaps. Mid 30+ with high humidity day after day, from Oct-April. Luckily it does get down to low to mid 20s over night though so you can sleep!

Originally Posted by Spanrz

NY'ers are used to Cairns heat (hot and humid), they would be well suited to Upper QLD in summer, but the coolness, they would easily get over.

While I haven't been there, I find it hard to believe that NYC humidity would be anything like the conditions in Cairns. Its just too far from the equator to get that type of rainfall required to produce the type of humidity found in the tropics. It might get the type of heat/humidity conditions that Sydney or perhaps Brisbane cops, but I not the type of weather you see in Cairns. Thats reserved for the tropic and equatorial regions of the globe. Places like Singapoore, Vietnam,etc.

[JerseyVics]

how's Darwin?

[Falcon Coupe]

Originally Posted by Craiginmackay

While I haven't been there, I find it hard to believe that NYC humidity would be anything like the conditions in Cairns. Its just too far from the equator to get that type of rainfall required to produce the type of humidity found in the tropics. It might get the type of heat/humidity conditions that Sydney or perhaps Brisbane cops, but I not the type of weather you see in Cairns. Thats reserved for the tropic and equatorial regions of the globe. Places like Singapoore, Vietnam,etc.

Hmmm, tropical rainforest in NYC or snow in Cairns, yes i can see the similarity.

[XR6TCraig]

Originally Posted by Falcon Coupe

Hmmm, tropical rainforest in NYC or snow in Cairns, yes i can see the similarity.

Exactly! :

[Spanrz]

I remember a long time ago, arriving into JFK at midnight in September.
I left Melbourne which was at near 8 C all day. I got into JFK and it was around 30 C with 100% humidity.
It was that thick of water vapour in the air, it was fog. I've never seen that before, being a Melbournite. (in a heat sense not a cold sense)
It never receives the water volume Cairns get, true, but the Humidity is just the same.

I think it has to do with the large water volume around the city, smog and the people creating heat (air conditioners / cars / buildings)

[JerseyVics]

New Yorkers are full of hot air.

[Dave_au]

Originally Posted by JerseyVics

New Yorkers are full of hot air.

Sydney forecast for the 8th (when you arrive I gather from your previous post) is 34C/93F city and 42C/108F west so just wait till you meet our "hot air".

Melbourne has just had about 5 or 6 consecutive days at about 44C/111F. Melbourne in general seems to have much more consistant heatwave days over summer than Sydney as I don't believe it experiences the southerly winds which Sydney receives on most summer days.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Dave_au

Melbourne has just had about 5 or 6 consecutive days at about 44C/111F. Melbourne in general seems to have much more consistant heatwave days over summer than Sydney as I don't believe it experiences the southerly winds which Sydney receives on most summer days.

Melbourne had 3 consecutive days above 40, Its SA that seems to have had 5 days above the 40's (according to the NEWS). There is currently the sound of thunder here in Melbourne if it turns into good rain we will see.

[JerseyVics]

wonderful...

[sgt_doofey]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Its SA that seems to have had 5 days above the 40's (according to the NEWS).

I think it was six days in a row over 40 degrees over here. We've had a bit of respite today. It was only 39 degrees.

Wednesday Dry. Mostly sunny. Min 22 Max 38
Thursday Dry. Mostly sunny. Min 21 Max 37
Friday Dry. Mostly sunny. Min 19 Max 35
Saturday Milder change. Min 22 Max 30
Sunday Fine. Partly cloudy. Min 17 Max 25

Looking forward to Sunday, I tell ya.

[ch33z1l]

Hi mate,
if u get desperate enough for fruitpicking in NSW, Pacific Fresh offer orange picking/sorting/packing positions before most of the local guys. They are located in Leeton/Yanco NSW and offer onsite accommodation and a bus service into town. Pay rates are around $12/hr, unfortunately without overtime.
Narrandera airport is less than 30mins away as well for a quick getaway.

[05b8050]

Mate if you are fit enough and dont mind a little hard yakka furniture removalists are always lookin for laubours I have a mate here from the states atm he was in melb for quite some time and now is on the gold coast he is livin large and gettin plenty( girls and work ). Also most places will pay half decent cash and i mean cash too normally between 15-20 ph Pm me if you want some work or some numbers of some companys that you can deal with thanks mate.

[JerseyVics]

wow thanks guys for the help! I will definitely stay in touch once I'm there.

right now I have a few interviews scheduled for the field that I'm in... we'll see how that goes. if i'm desparate, and it looks very likely from where I'm sitting, I'll do whatever it takes... i'm not afraid of work and want to keep busy.

[JerseyVics]

I can't believe I'm flying out tomorrow morning!