Are you a humanitarian entrant to Tasmania preparing for your first job? 
You could use this playlist to:

* practice listening to conversational English about work
* spark idea to interview someone that you know about their first job
* to learn about different industries and different pathways
* to learn from other people's experiences of challenges at work
* consider ways to use your experience for your next job
* encouragement that life events and set backs are part of every career

This project was made possible by the generosity of people sharing their stories and tips about their first job. 

Feedback and contributions to this playlist are welcome, please contact: settlement@mrctas.org.au

First Job Stories and Tips

Information presented by the Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania (MRC Tas)to assist skilled migrant workers in their employment search. 
Feedback is welcome: settlement@mrctas.org.au

We speak with Aimen, a skilled migrant who is in the process of finding employment that matches her education and overseas experience. 

We speak with Clover(Xiao Huang), a skilled migrant who re-used her skills to start her own Business. 

We speak with Wei who talks about the benefit of volunteering upon her confidence and job-readiness. 

The shared experiences and goodwill of migrants and volunteers has made this project possible. If you would like to gift your experiences to this project please call MRC Tas 03 6221 0999 or email Clarissa Adriel at cadriel@mrctas.org.au

Stories from skilled migrants seeking employment

Thank you Kitty Ka Kei Lao for sharing her experiences and job seeking tip. 
Our goal is to help job seekers with a humanitarian background prepare for their first job in Australia.

The My First Job playlist has been created by Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania with the generous support of volunteers. If you’d like to contribute or feedback please email settlement@mrctas.org.au

First Job at a Hotel - Food and Beverage

Thank you Anson Kim Kwan Au for sharing his experiences about getting a job after participating in the Hospitality Ready project. He shares some job seeking tips about facing challenges and working in his first job.

Our goal is to help job seekers with a humanitarian background prepare for their first job in Australia.

The My First Job playlist has been created by Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania with the generous support of volunteers sharing their experience. 

If you’d like to contribute or feedback please email settlement@mrctas.org.au


Photo by Marten Bjork on Unsplash

First Job at a Hotel - Porter and Office

This interview is with Udari about her experiences as a Housekeeping and then jump to project officer job in Tasmania and her experience of successfully seeking work in Tasmania. 
[audio 1 length: 5:16]

These stories are made possible by the generosity of volunteers who share to support skilled migrants to start out (or re-start) their career in Tasmania. It is a project of Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania. For more information, to feedback or volunteer to help, please phone 6221 0999 or email migrant.network@mrctas.org.au

 Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

First job in housekeeping then jump to project officer

Aimen discusses the importance of attending all social/networking events and increasing connections.

With Aimen’s friendly and outgoing nature she has had success building her social networks in Tasmania. She says, “I try to network as much as I can.” Aimen spoke to us about the various social groups that are available in the Hobart area. She says these events are “a good place to start your networking from.” She reinforces the importance of attending these events and putting yourself in places “anywhere you have people around, where you can talk and network. That exposure is very important.” When job seeking, Aimen stated, “it is very important who you know because Hobart is such a small place, everybody is connected to everybody.” Having social networks can help migrant workers rebuild and progress their careers within their host country.

On this track you will find:
- Aimen's experience of first arriving to Tasmania and relying on previous social connections to begin her settlement
- The importance of knowing the right people, as Tasmania is such a small community
- Aimen's advice of putting yourself out there, being visible, and attending any/all networking events. She mentions two free groups: the Get Outside with Community program and the Welcome Dinner Project.
- Information on a future group where women can build connections and talk about what they are going through in a safe space.

Skilled Migrant Seeking Employment Tip #2 Build social networks

Aimen discusses the importance of being resilient and reflecting on why you are here.

Aimen spoke about how hard the process of finding work in Tasmania can be for migrants and how important it is for her to remain “psychologically strong.” She stated: “It can actually break you down, this constant rejection, and constant people telling you there’s nothing wrong with your resume… ‘you’re on the right path and things will come through…’ It can get frustrating, everything you’re doing right, and it’s just not happening.” 

When Aimen feels down, she reflects on why she came to Tasmania and remembers the better life she is creating for her children. She states, “the motivation of giving them a good life, brings me back to composure.”  

She spoke to us about how happy it makes her to see her children grow and thrive within their new environment. Even through the challenges, she can see that her efforts are not going to waste and the life she wished for her family is coming true.

On this track you will find:
- Aimen's advice to stay strong, stick together as a family, and remember what your objective is
- Aimen's experience with rejection from employers
- The advice to remember why you came to Tasmania, and use it as motivation to keep trying
- Mental health supports available include: Lifeline, the Phoenix Centre at MRC tas, Beyond Blue

Skilled Migrant Seeking Employment Tip #4 Be resilient and reflect on why you are here

Aimen discusses the importance of being proactive, asking for help, and requesting feedback on applications.

Aimen emphasizes the importance of being proactive and asking for feedback from employers to gain insight into what to work on to better your chances of finding work. She says, “every time I apply, I always call up and ask for feedback.”  

At first, Aimen was under the impression that her job applications were being declined because of her English. However, once she asked for feedback, she found out it was because she had limited local experience in the area of work that she was applying for. Asking for feedback on applications can help migrants understand why they aren’t finding work, to help tailor their efforts and overcome their barriers.

On this track you will find:
- Aimen's practice of requesting feedback on job applications and resumes
- Advice to put yourself out there, search for social events, and attend all possible events
- If English is an area of improvement for you, continuously practice English, even when watching TV

Skilled Migrant Seeking Employment Tip #3 Be proactive

Aimen discusses the importance of volunteering and gaining local experience.

Aimen has had positive volunteering experiences, and the people she has worked under have been supportive, helped her make valuable connections, and helped her learn Tasmanian work culture and practices.  

Through volunteering, “people have understood who I am, so now they can trust me”, Aimen mentioned. This trust has helped her move into HR jobs that are more aligned with her previous education and experience.  

From Aimen’s experience, it is very difficult to obtain a job when you don’t have local experience. She expresses the importance of gaining experience stating, “experience counts more than education.”

On this track you will find: 
- Aimen's top tips on volunteering and gaining local experience
- How/why Aimen asks for feedback from employers
- Aimen's view on skill gaps and supply/demand in Tasmania
- How volunteering is valuable for gaining experience, making connections, building trust, and receiving professional guidance

Skilled Migrant Seeking Employment Tip #1 Gain local experience

Aimen discusses the importance of being compassionate.

The last piece of advice that Aimen shared with us was the importance of being compassionate towards yourself and others. The psychological and physical stress that immigration can put on an individual is significant. Having personal experiences with this level of stress acts as a catalyst for Aimen, encouraging her to not only help other migrants but all individuals going through challenging times. She reinforced the notion that “we are all equal, everyone feels the same kind of pain.” The feelings of vulnerability that come with being a migrant can be a daily struggle. She discusses the importance of “surround[ing] yourself with positive people and shar[ing] that positive energy to lift people up.”  

She states, “people have been super nice and super supportive to me…. When I meet new people, who have come I try to be the same because I know the psychological stress and physical stress I went through this year, I don't want other people to go through that… I try my best to help.”

On this track you can find:
- Aimen's belief that being compassionate will bring you compassion in return.
- Information on a future support group and the importance of sharing your struggles or fears with others, and listening to theirs
- Mental health supports: Lifeline, Phoenix Centre at MRC tas, Beyond Blue

Skilled Migrant Seeking Employment Tip #5 Compassion

This is a conversation about a first administration job in a business that wanted a worker with some IT qualifications.

Listen closely to hear how there is learning in every job, even if it's discovering the work you prefer to do!

Thank you to our generous volunteers for sharing their experiences!

Using IT skills in administration

This is a conversation about getting a first job cleaning AirBnB properties.

Listen closely to hear about the value of networking - being a reliable worker that people can recommend resulted in 'accidentally' finding a cleaning job.

Thank you to our generous volunteers for sharing their experiences!

Learning cleaning skills for housekeeping work

This is a story about the experience of getting a first job doing "Night Fill": cleaning & restocking after hours in a department store.

Thank you to our generous volunteers for sharing their experiences!

First Job - "Night Fill" at Big W

Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania (MRC Tas) is a not-for-profit organisation that has been supporting people from migrant backgrounds to settle successfully in Tasmania since 1979.