OBP AUSTRALIA

Anish talks about finding work as a civil engineer and the challenges of working in the Australian construction industry.

On this week’s podcast I interviewed Mercia Pretorius, Client Success Manager at Industry Connect Australia, a specialist IT Training organisation with offices in Australia and New Zealand,  offering a job ready program which involves 6 weeks of technical training and a guaranteed internship with a global software company and soft skills training, which includes resume, LinkedIn profile - and interview preparation to help you apply for IT related jobs with confidence. If you’re interested, you can contact Mercia via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercia-pretorius-464b0652/ or visit the website for more information. https://www.industryconnect.org/

Junaid arrived in Australia in 2015, and is now a well-established Business Reporting Analyst. This podcast is slightly different to most of the interviews I’ve conducted, as the focus is not so much on how to get work and what settlement issues face skilled migrants. We talked more about the opportunities Australia has presented to Junaid and his family, reflecting on culture, community and life in general.

Shihab is an Insights & Data Specialist with extensive experience in the public sector, at both state and federal levels, government agencies and private sector.  We first met 7 years ago, back in 2016. Shihab has always been highly motivated with an eye on his career trajectory. He joins me to share his journey.

Faisal is a highly accomplished Civil Engineer with a successful career in Structural Engineering. Before moving to Australia, he had established and managed his own business in Bangladesh. With a wealth of experience in the construction industry, Faisal has honed this expertise in the design and analysis of structures, ensuring their stability and safety. In Australia, Faisal has transitioned into a new role as an Estimating Manager in a residential building company. In this position, he oversees several critical departments including Sales estimating, Bill of Quantities, Procurement and Production estimating. We first met 8 years ago in 2015 when Faisal was looking for his first break in Australia, and I introduced him to a contact on mine in the building & construction industry.

Arriving in Australia with a young family, feeling stressed and miserable, confronted with not being able to find professional work and unable to find accommodation because of real estate agents’ requirement to provide a pay slip, employer reference and proof of renting in Australia, Sally realised that their assumptions about immigration were not accurate for the Australian context. Fast-forward 7 years… the family is well-established, and Sally holds a senior position in People & Culture with an MNC. Sally shares her story of initial hardship and the importance of community and support & guidance in the early days. You can hear our conversation wherever you get your podcasts or from the OBP Australia YouTube channel. Sally is an impressive human, to say the least, and one of the best communicators I’ve met - a must listen if you want to avoid the pitfalls of immigration and settlement in a new country & culture. Sally has 15 years’ experience in organisational transformation and change management, across multiple sectors, driving complex changes such as operating model change, technology adoption, organisational design, behavioural change and cultural change. Sally is also a deeply passionate Inclusion, Diversity & Equity (ID&E) advocate aspiring to drive meaningful change in organisations and communities to create a more inclusive culture where everyone feels they belong. Interestingly, Sally started her professional life as a computer software engineer working in automation.

I first met Rishab several years ago… when I introduced him to an industry contact of mine to help him get his foot in the door of his profession. Rishabh is a Process Improvement Specialist… and has always had a passion for learning new things and a knack for fixing problems. Nothing excites him more than when individuals approach him to share their challenges and problems, as it gives him the opportunity to provide solutions. Over the years, he has successfully tackled challenges faced by the company in which he works… enhancing processes and systems while delivering accurate data to drive effective decision-making. The accuracy of data received from his tools… and the efficiency with which they have been operating without much input… has given him the confidence that he can achieve similar success at other companies as well. That’s the prime reason he founded Clay Consulting. They’re a small team of individuals dedicated to helping other companies accomplish their goals and achieve success. Their primary goal is to ensure people use their time efficiently… and achieve their desired outcomes… by providing them with good data to increase their productivity. Rishabh loves helping people… and gets satisfaction from making their life easier in any way. https://www.clayconsulting.com.au/ 

Abhishek is a Civil Site Engineer with over 10 years' experience in India, working mainly in underground works, and is about to start work in Australia on a major infrastructure project. He most recently worked on an expressway tunnel project in India, looking after the project management consultancy work on matters relating to the tunnel face conditions. We first met a couple of months back when Abhishek engaged OBP Australia for interview coaching. In our conversation, he talks about the critical aspects that led to success in finding work.

Omid is a Registered Architect [RAIA] and Registered Landscape Architect [AILA] with over 15 years of experience in Australia, the UK and the Middle East, contributing to architectural, urban, and environmental projects, with responsibilities including design and documentation, research and report writing, and project management. I first met Omid in 2015. He struck me as passionate, creative and open-minded about his options in Australia. After 7 years working for architectural firms in Australia, he has decided to start his own business – Omid Architects – which will no doubt bring him independent and the associated challenges of ‘going it alone’. In our conversation, Omid talks about: Immigration expectations & reality Difference between Perth & Melbourne/Sydney Geographical isolation Australian workplace culture Job seeking revelations Working as an architect in Australia Local experience Career progression Working as an independent consultant as opposed to being an employee

Irfan is a Senior Delivery Lead, a Digital Transformation leader and Board Director of Project Management Institute (PMI), Melbourne Chapter. With experience in both agile and traditional delivery methods, and a pragmatic approach to change, he’s worked across industries including Retail, Financial Services / FinTec, Consulting, Health, Insurance, Government and Automotive. Arriving in Australia in 2015, already with significant experience overseas, his career has flourished in a series of impressive leadership roles. In our conversation, Irfan talks about: Settlement challenges Successful Job seeking strategy – quality over quantity Job interviews Cultural fit Being on an interview panel Australia – expectation Vs reality Role of a Project Manager & leader Communication skills improvement PMP certification PMI Melbourne Chapter Professional development South Asian immigrants LINKS https://www.melbourne.pmi.org.au terry@obopaustralia.com.au

Dheeraj is a Civil engineering Project Manager and has worked in regional Australia handling tender management, contract management and capital works delivery. He’s managed the design and delivery of complex building projects involving a multi-disciplinary team of architects, consultants and contractors. Currently, he’s working on a Victorian Government Big Build project in Melbourne. Dheeraj kick-started his engineering career in Nepal… working as a civil engineer for a multinational telecom company. He moved to Australia in 2012 to pursue a master's degree and enhanced his learnings further in Project Management. Apart from work… he also volunteers at the local CFA, training to be a Volunteer Firefighter.   I first met Dheeraj in 2015 after he’d completed his master’s in civil engineering. My initial impression was that he was professional in his approach to finding work – methodical, thorough and showed great attention to detail… all prerequisites for being an excellent engineer and leader. In our conversation, Dheeraj talks about: Leveraging a master’s project for paid work Job seeking strategy Graduate program applications Visa challenges Strategy change after meeting with OBP Australia Job interview experiences Working & living in regional Australia compared to capital city life Country Fire Authority membership Why Australia over other options Role of a construction Project Manager Professional development Stakeholder engagement Cultural differences between Nepal and Australia Advice for fitting in

Rochelle is a Senior Consultant, Business Analyst and Product Owner, with more than 10 years’ ICT industry experience in both Australia and Sri Lanka. Working within the SDLC and agile environments.   Rochelle has experience preparing project documentation, implementing projects which require integration with 3rd party software, Process re-engineering, Change management, business process analysis and GAP analysis to name a few.   I first met Rochelle in January 2016, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where I was running an OBP Australia information session at the Kingsbury Hotel, for professionals intending to emigrate to Australia. She was eager to do the preparation required to make a successful transition to a new life in Australia. Rochelle is a highly-focused and clearly very good at her job, given the roles she has held.   In our conversation, Rochelle talks about: Finding accommodation on arrival Importance of having industry contacts Difference between Adelaide & Melbourne Job interviews IT Consulting roles Dealing with software developers Pathways to becoming a Business Analyst and breaking into the profession

Bazzi has more than 15 years’ experience in UAE and Australia, where he has worked, initially as an Electronics Maintenance Engineer… then as a Seismic Engineer, General Field Engineer, Account Manager and in Technical Sales… and is now working as a General Wireline Field Engineer. That’s an interesting mix of technical and client-facing role experience. I first met Bazzi in 2017. What struck me was his willingness to seek advice and flexibility in how to pursue his career in Australia. Always professional in his approach, he mapped out a strategic pathway to where he is today. Bazzi talks about: Preconceptions of Australia Vs reality Why he chose Australia over other destinations Strategies, both success and unsuccessful, he used to find work Being efficient with applications Value of doing a work placement to overcome the lack of local experience Employer perceptions Vs reality Technical Sales/Client-facing roles – being the face of the company Covid-enforced career redirection Being headhunted by companies FIFO employment Family/Work/Life balance in Australia Initial cost of resettling Role of ‘survival jobs’ Conversation in the Australian workplace AFL/Footy

Mohit grew up in Mumbai, India where there’s a strong cricket culture. He left a rewarding IT job in 2017 to pursue a career in sports, and enrolled in the Masters in Sports Management from Deakin University to develop his skills and create a career path in sports administration. He made this career change because he felt as though he’d hit a brick wall and did not see himself working in the IT industry any longer.   I first met Mohit at the end of 2020 when he had already been highly active in the Melbourne sports scene but was looking to consolidate his experience and take that next step. His journey has had many highlights and he is currently working in State government as a Project Support Officer in Recreation, Sport and Racing.   Mohit is an avid reader and posts frequently on LinkedIn, encouraging those who are seeking self-improvement and career development, and is an inspiration to many.   ... another inspirational success story from an overseas-born professional and ex-OBP Australia client. I encourage you to share, subscribe, spread the word - the immigration journey can be tough, but dreams come true for those on the right path. If you're looking for guidance & support to find your next job, shoot me an email - terry@obpaustralia.com.au 

  Join me in a conversation with Sajid, a program leader with 15+ years’ experience in delivering large scale digital transformation programs. He talks about his journey – arriving from Pakistan in 2014 to his current role as President of PMI Melbourne Chapter, covering: Revelations about how the found a job after an initial lack of success First interview in Australia The value of a coach/mentor/guide Critical components of a job application Work from home challenges and the impact of Covid on the workplace What clothes people wear at interviews and in the workplace I first met Sajid in 2014 and was impressed by his eagerness and positive outlook. It was clear at the outset that he was going to find work easily with the right strategy and that it wouldn’t be long before he had a range of vocational options. If you'd like more information about PMI, visit https://www.melbourne.pmi.org.au  

I first met Vinoth in April 2020, after he’d been in Australia only a couple of months.  He found professional work shortly after accessing OBP Australia services and did not find his 500 dependent student visa a hinderance to gaining employment. With a positive attitude and open mindedness, he is another migrant success story. In our chat, Vinoth talks about: Testing in the automotive industry Blindly applying for jobs Value of OBP Australia guidance Multicultural workplaces in Australia Interview process and questions Networking If you're looking for guidance and support with your job seeking, feel free to email your resume to terry@obpaustralia.com.au  

I first met Iqbal in March 2020, after he’d been in Australia for a year. I was very impressed by his preparation, professionalism and his open-mindedness about exploring career options. He attributes his success in finding professional work in Australia to: his willingness to think laterally about his career options, gaining certification, developing his public speaking skills through Toastmasters, and the guidance and advice he received through OBP Australia. Having held senior corporate positions in Pakistan and owning his own company, he faced the challenges of being a migrant in his late forties and being overqualified for roles. In our conversation, Iqbal talks about: Being overqualified for roles Importance of certification Local experience WHS standards in Australia Typical day at work in Australia Risk assessments Value of OBP Australia guidance Networking Vs Applications Toastmasters Difference between Pakistan & Australia for managers

I first met Hasan at the end of 2020, after he’d completed his Master of Engineering Management in Australia. Finding professional employment can be tough for people on a 485-graduate visa, with no local experience and limited overseas experience, but Hasan was able to secure a rewarding job in a large corporate. He attributes his success to developing his English language skills, being willing to take advice and upskilling in the software applications required for his industry.  With the guidance he received from OBP Australia, he went from not getting any interviews to having a choice between multiple offers. Hasan talks about his: dream to come to Australia difficulties with the English language barriers to securing work software upskilling job seeking strategy changes which led to him being offered multiple roles at the same time.

Rakesh talks about his current job and how he found professional work in Australia, after an initial customer service role. Arriving from India, not knowing anybody in Australia, and right at the start of the Covid, he was able to secure professional employment through adopting the OBP Australia strategy which he describes as, ‘Simple, but not easy to do on your own’. I first met Rakesh in April 2020, after he’d been in Australia a couple of months. The first thing that struck me was his excellent communication skills, something that no doubt helped him secure work in his profession. He talks about: What’s important in a job application and job interview What causes applications to be rejected Relevance of industry domain experience His work and professional development on the job His ‘survival jobs’ and how they were useful The mistakes he made in his initial efforts to find work Networking events The ‘no local experience’ issue Humour & Australian culture and the differences working in India Preparing to come to Australia

I first met Suraj in April 2021 when he was a fresh graduate. What impressed me about Suraj was his extensive experience volunteering across several organisations while studying in Australia. When I advise clients that they need to have experience as a fresh graduate to be considered a suitable candidate by employers, Suraj is the perfect example. His resume is proof that he is driven to succeed. He talks about how find an unpaid placement in his industry, how to get the most out it and how to leverage the experience for paid work. We also talk about cultural connections between countries and some of the cultural differences he notices in the Australia workplace