Job hunting tips

Now that I’m a resident, I am making my way through the whole job search fiasco. Yes, I call it a fiasco for the simple reason that job searching is such a whirlwind of a process. It’s about finding an actual job prospect, then selling yourself on paper, and eventually selling yourself in front of a potential employer. I have never been great when it comes to job searching or finding a job. During job interviews, I’m a nervous wreck. I know job interviews are not supposed to be easy, but there is such an importance for that interview, that I feel the weight of what would happen if I didn’t get the job, on my shoulders.

I can remember at my last job search in the states, it was hard for me. Just coming back from my 10 month hiatus in Australia, I came to live with my parents. I was trying to adjust back to “normalcy” and found that there were no jobs close by. It took me having to expand my location, to finally find something. A month after my extensive job searching, I was able to find a job. It was frustrating for me, because my parents were putting the pressure on me to look for work. And it never feels good having someone breathing down your back, asking you every day if you’ve found a job yet.

Being in Australia, and living where we live, I have a feeling it’s going to be hard for me to find a job. My credentials and job experience I had in the past, are they going to be good enough, or even have any weight? I see how hard it is, for Australians born here, to find work…just think how it’s going to be for me. I’ve just begun looking for work. I have a holiday job lead, but it’s only doing retail. I don’t want to do retail for the majority of my career life. I have a job prospect with a friend that my partner knows. I’ve given her my updated resume, and I don’t even know if my resume is what it should be. I have never been a fancy resume writer or was able to “sell” myself in that aspect. I had my mum look over my resume, but I still had to make some changes.

So I was wondering, if there are any readers out there, who have any tips on job hunting and/or interview skills. For the record, I have a BA in psychology, with a minor in women’s studies. Back in the states, I did social work for 2 years. I don’t know if I want to keep on the social work path, but will probably be looking at various jobs. The job that my partner’s friend may lead me to working in a law firm. Social work and psychology is very different from law, and I’m actually considering a career path change. But I just wanted to find out, if anyone could give any tips or hints about anything to do with job hunting, resume writing, and interviewing.

I’m glad to be to start working, but at the same time, I’m a bit scared and stressed that it will take me quite some time to find a job. Plus, the fact that I don’t have a vehicle, that puts another element of stress into the equation. We’ve thought about buying a car, but I have to have a job, in order for me to get a loan. I don’t know if my partner would be able to get a loan in her name, if she already has the loan for her house. Plus, being a new resident, I don’t know if people will allow me to get a loan. Or else, they will charge horrendous interest rates because I have no credit here in Australia. I sort of need the car because we live 45-60 minutes away from the CBD of Melbourne. Finding a job close by here, in a field that I’m interested in, will be hard. Kind of in a bind..in many ways. So any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

-current mood-A LITTLE STRESSED