Human Resource Management roles

[Guest Kennymclachlan]

Hi everyone. My family and I now have our visa granted (Regional Skilled Sponsored) under the HR Manager short list category and, although we must be in SA by 3 Mar 2012, we are pretty much packed and ready to leave - but just finishing off a few things with our jobs first.

 

I am now actively seeking work and would love to secure something prior to arrival if at all possible, I have over 10 yrs experience at mid to senior level HR roles across all HR disciplines - latest sector being within Healthcare but in no way tied to any particular sector. I have gained my AHRI membership at Certified Professional level (CAHRI) which hopefully give me some credibility in the Australian HR job market.

 

I would be very grateful for any advice or pointers that anyone could give me and I would also like to start building up a firm network around the Adelaide area. I also have a presence on LinkedIn (my profile here) and would be happy to link up on that medium also.

 

My wife (Kristy) is also seeking work and she is a very experienced PA with many years experience within prestigious financial institutions. Any advice there would also be gladly received.

[Jessica Berry]

Hi Kenny

 

I work as a HR Officer in Adelaide and have worked in Recruitment Coordinator, Project Recruiter (contract) and Recruitment Advisor (contract) roles as well in Adelaide as well as working as a Trainer and Assessor (as well as many other job roles in the 4.5 years I have been here!!!).

 

I would say AHRI has little credibility over here and in my experience HR does not have the professional status it has in the UK. I have seen things that would make most HR people in the UK's hair curl!!! I know of other poms that are in high level HR roles and when we have talked behind closed doors when no one can hear they will say the same, but not around the Aussies.

 

A lot of employment opportunities in Adelaide can come from not what you know, but who you know and of course this is hard if you do not know anyone.

[Jessica Berry]

Have you been looking on seek.com.au, that will give you an idea of the HR opportunities and PA roles for your wife as well.

[Jessica Berry]

Just noticed on your profile you have worked in defence, maybe try some of the defence companies in Adelaide.

[Guest Kennymclachlan]

Hi Jessica, thank you for the information. Yes I have been looking on Seek for both my wife and I.

 

I have also been trying to build up a network via LinkedIn, which is beginning to happen now but has a way to go. My plan is to start approaching organisations directly but getting feedback on my Resume layout and format (whether it is in line with what the Australian job market expects of a Resume that is) has been tough going so far. I'd appreciate your feedback if I am able to pass this to you? Hit a brick wall with Hays, which seems to be a common thread in these discussions also!

[Jessica Berry]

I noticed that Hays recently put on a HR advert 'This position is only open to SA based candidates due to the immediate nature of the vacancy'. I have seen this also in the construction industry and they put 'must have local experience'. When I was working on a contract HR role I was working with Aussies and they were saying they were struggling to get an interview for HR roles and one of them had moved from Queensland and he said he kept being told that the reason he was being rejected was because he did not have enough experience of the local employment market!!!

 

When you migrate it is all about getting that first job in Australia, it probably won't be the right job but you need to get that Australian experience on your resume and get the Aussie referees.

 

It has taken me 4 years to get back to a HR Officer level, but then some people strike it lucky, you never can tell, it is sometimes just a case of being in the right place at the right time.

 

I am happy for you to send me your resume (I used to train here in resume and cover letter writing) and will PM you my email address.

[Guest JT1]

Hi Jessica I would like to touch base with you as I am also an HR person. Been here 1 year. Best Regards Natalie

[Guest Kennymclachlan]

Hi Jessica, yes I sort of expected that I may have to start at a slightly lower level than I would like to initially - I guess that's part and parcel of starting off in a new country and building some credibility. Having said that, we are not moving for the job, but for the quality of life!

 

JT1, I'd also be interested in hearing how you faired during your first year.

 

Kenny

[Guest NatKat]

Hi everyone. My family and I now have our visa granted (Regional Skilled Sponsored) under the HR Manager short list category and, although we must be in SA by 3 Mar 2012, we are pretty much packed and ready to leave - but just finishing off a few things with our jobs first.

 

I am now actively seeking work and would love to secure something prior to arrival if at all possible, I have over 10 yrs experience at mid to senior level HR roles across all HR disciplines - latest sector being within Healthcare but in no way tied to any particular sector. I have gained my AHRI membership at Certified Professional level (CAHRI) which hopefully give me some credibility in the Australian HR job market.

 

I would be very grateful for any advice or pointers that anyone could give me and I would also like to start building up a firm network around the Adelaide area. I also have a presence on LinkedIn (my profile here) and would be happy to link up on that medium also.

 

My wife (Kristy) is also seeking work and she is a very experienced PA with many years experience within prestigious financial institutions. Any advice there would also be gladly received.

 

 

Hi,

 

try this link, seem to be a few HR positions listed

http://employment.byron.com.au/search_results.asp?submit=+GO%21+&search=simple&loc=5&cat=17&word1=

[Guest the umphs]

Hi there,

 

I'm also in the HR/OD space and have had an interesting 12 months being in Adelaide. My background is with blue chip organisations, and so was VERY nervous coming here. It took me 3 months to get a role (this place closes down for Christmas from Dec 1st onwards), but January is a fruitful time - jobs started coming in. I took a contract role in State Government working on a change project, but managed to secure a role for Adelaide City Council 5 weeks later. I have to say it was a far cry from my experience in the UK and I found it extremely tough. ACC is notoriously difficult business due to the levels of bureaucracy. I did 6 months with those guys doing Culture Change/Leadership Development. I have thankfully now found a role in a global eyewear business, Luxottica. I'm managing L&D for them nationally. I now couldn't be happier, but it took time and a lot of learning. I write this as I think it really mirrors a lot of people's experiences who I have met.

 

My honest advice, I suggest you come here with an open mind, realise that SA is a LONG way behind in HR and be very prepared to build relationships. Adelaide is also a small place, particularly when it comes to being in the same industry or field. For example, I was on a tram after an interview with a big national bank in my first few weeks. I had it on good grounds from the recruitment agent that it was me and another 'Pom' in the picture, that person worked for an energy company. I chatted to the tram conductor on my way back to Glenelg, a guy from Manchester. We talked football, he asked me what I did for a living and I explained, he then told me his sister did the same thing and worked for the aforementioned energy company and was about to interview for the same national bank... Very small world. I said nothing! I have endless stories like this. Reputation is everything here. Tip: be everyone's very good friend... Why wouldn't we anyway??

 

Being more specialist I have struggled. Generalist stuff seemingly has many more openings. Snr Consulting/Management opportunities come up fairly often. I don't doubt you'll find the right opportunity right away. Good HR folk are at a premium here. However, if you don't for any reason, be prepared to take it on the chin for a few months, show a bit of dignity - it's short term loss for long term gain. Also, they don't want to know 'what you used to be'. Once you're in a role, openings will come to you like you wouldn't believe. Trust me on that.

 

So as mentioned, seek.com.au is the main way, it's pretty much the only way. A good person is Kylie Kaufmann at Hays. Andrew Sullivan at Hender is excellent. James McNaughton at Wilson Rice will pitch you to his array of good clients. He's a fellow Pom (Leeds). There's a 'Newcomers to Adelaide' page on LinkedIn, run by Kerrie Flanaghan. She's a BDM for a HR Consultancy here. Perfect opportunity for you. PM me and I can pass on all the contacts I have as well as answer any questions....

 

Really happy to link in on LinkedIn, look me up 'Daniel Umphray' and will gladly buy you a coffee when you get here to talk you through my experience, understanding of the market, Public v Private, etc etc.

 

I hope this doesn't scare you in anyway, I am writing this to simply share my honest experience. I'm delighted that I got what i wanted inside 12 months. The smaller mentality here versus the 'bigger' cities is evident, but there's a wealth of opportunity. Like anywhere, it's just finding it...

 

Dan

[Guest the umphs]

PS - classic example....

 

http://www.seek.com.au/Job/hr-manager-southern-suburbs-location/in/adelaide-adelaide/21106859

 

May not be dazzling but gets you in the door... I'll buy you many, many pints if you get a job before you get here....

[Guest Kennymclachlan]

PS - classic example....

 

http://www.seek.com.au/Job/hr-manager-southern-suburbs-location/in/adelaide-adelaide/21106859

 

May not be dazzling but gets you in the door... I'll buy you many, many pints if you get a job before you get here....

 

I'll take you up on that one Dan! However, I suspect I'll probably be the one buying the pints first as I am in no doubt you are right..!

 

You have pretty much confirmed everything that I have already heard regarding HR in Adelaide and the need to network. I have been trying to build up a network of contacts via LinkedIn with some success so far and spoken with a couple of recruiters in the area.

 

My sincerest thanks to everyone on this thread so far - your advice and assistance has been invaluable.

 

Kenny

[Guest HannahandRick]

Hi Kenny,

I have been in Adelaide for two years now and have a Generalist HRM background. We had visited Australia in the past but had never been to Adelaide; arriving in November 2009 we decided to take a couple of months out getting the Housing/location situation straight and enjoy a well earned break over Christmas. I started looking for work in January and quickly discovered that most people were still on holidays, so it was pretty quiet up to the end of Jan. I had to revamp my Resume layout and started to apply for HRM roles with no luck. After six weeks in I decided to ‘spread the net’ and applied for a variety of roles across HR, Admin and Training (at various levels) but still struggled to get even an interview, the feedback was due to my lack of experience with SA employment legislation. I had registered with numerous agencies but had very little success. After 4 months I decided to get involved with some voluntary work and ended up working on a HR project for a large charity, this was great as I could get the appropriate exposure to the legislation and gain a greater understanding of the HR market. Then out of the blue received a phone call from an agency and went along for an interview with Westpac for a HR Business Partner role, and as they say the rest is history! As you know it’s important to have a structured plan of approach but also remain flexible, creatively think about the different ways you could potentially enter the HR market, face to face networking is the key- more so than on line/over the phone. The language and work culture is different too, so really invest time in researching business and understanding their values and strategic priorities-talk the lingo! Yes, the HR market is very different, it’s a lot smaller, everyone knows everyone else and most of the Senior HR professionals that I have met have been in their roles for quite some time! The volunteering route is a great option, I met some contacts there who have now moved to different sectors and roles and we remain in touch.

Good luck with your search and enjoy the experienceJ

[Jessica Berry]

Hi Jessica I would like to touch base with you as I am also an HR person. Been here 1 year. Best Regards Natalie

 

Hi Natalie

 

Are you currently working in HR?

[Jessica Berry]

Hi Kenny,

I have been in Adelaide for two years now and have a Generalist HRM background. We had visited Australia in the past but had never been to Adelaide; arriving in November 2009 we decided to take a couple of months out getting the Housing/location situation straight and enjoy a well earned break over Christmas. I started looking for work in January and quickly discovered that most people were still on holidays, so it was pretty quiet up to the end of Jan. I had to revamp my Resume layout and started to apply for HRM roles with no luck. After six weeks in I decided to ‘spread the net’ and applied for a variety of roles across HR, Admin and Training (at various levels) but still struggled to get even an interview, the feedback was due to my lack of experience with SA employment legislation. I had registered with numerous agencies but had very little success. After 4 months I decided to get involved with some voluntary work and ended up working on a HR project for a large charity, this was great as I could get the appropriate exposure to the legislation and gain a greater understanding of the HR market. Then out of the blue received a phone call from an agency and went along for an interview with Westpac for a HR Business Partner role, and as they say the rest is history! As you know it’s important to have a structured plan of approach but also remain flexible, creatively think about the different ways you could potentially enter the HR market, face to face networking is the key- more so than on line/over the phone. The language and work culture is different too, so really invest time in researching business and understanding their values and strategic priorities-talk the lingo! Yes, the HR market is very different, it’s a lot smaller, everyone knows everyone else and most of the Senior HR professionals that I have met have been in their roles for quite some time! The volunteering route is a great option, I met some contacts there who have now moved to different sectors and roles and we remain in touch.

 

Good luck with your search and enjoy the experienceJ

 

I enjoyed reading your 'route' into HR. When I came over in 2007 I managed to secure a few interviews for HR roles (through seek and from the newspaper) but did not get any offers. My background is HR/training and also administration. While I agree volunteering is a great route to get into a paid job and is very popular here but the practicalities is you have to have the money to support yourself while doing the volunteering work. After 10 weeks and endless interviews I was offered an administration role which I accepted in an area I had never worked in before. Although I enjoyed HR in the UK I did not feel at the time it was my absolute goal to sit unemployed and only accept HR jobs and I suppose I was lucky that I had admin experience as well to fall back on, my goal was to gain employment and settle into a new life. As HR people we all know the cycle of not having meaningful employment and my partner had managed to secure employment within the first week of us arriving and I still feel that gaining employment is such a huge factor in a successful migration experience. My route into HR/recruitment has taken about 4 years but along the way I have studied my Diploma in HRM and my Cert IV in Training and Assessment and had a variety of jobs in different industries and feel this knowledge and experience has all lead to the role I have now as HR Officer. I have made some great friends through my studies and through the places I have worked at and if I had my time again I would not change a thing.

 

I was recently talking to a colleague and he said when he came his goal was to get a job earning $50,000, he is now a Director and I felt he had realistic expectations and has obviously worked hard. I told him my story of starting out in an admin job on fairly low wages and building from that and we both knew where each other was coming from.

[Guest Yogs]

thanks for the information ...has been really great

[Guest JT1]

Hi Jessica

 

At the moment I have just returned from the UK and looking at HR roles again. I have been here a year. I was working at BHP as a recruiter. My background is HR having worked in recruitment from 1988 after getting a degree in Psychology. I worked for telecoms blue chips in London working up to International HR Mgr. Then did consultancy work overseas. It is interesting to see how everyone is getting on and managing to find their way into HR here. I think you are all right - you need to do it differently to get your foot in the door here. If anyone hears of a role in their org I would be really please to know about it.

 

Natalie

[Jessica Berry]

Hi Jessica

 

At the moment I have just returned from the UK and looking at HR roles again. I have been here a year. I was working at BHP as a recruiter. My background is HR having worked in recruitment from 1988 after getting a degree in Psychology. I worked for telecoms blue chips in London working up to International HR Mgr. Then did consultancy work overseas. It is interesting to see how everyone is getting on and managing to find their way into HR here. I think you are all right - you need to do it differently to get your foot in the door here. If anyone hears of a role in their org I would be really please to know about it.

 

Natalie

 

Hi Natalie

 

I would have thought with experience recruiting at BHP that should stand you in good stead for HR work along with all your other experience. Were you working at BHP in the UK or here in Adelaide? I am assuming you have registered with the usual agencies.