Getting your first job in a new country such as Australia is not easy if you are a migrant from a different culture and/or language. No matter the level of your experience or qualification, almost everyone keeps telling you they need local experience. It’s a hopeless loop; if no one gives you a chance, how are you going to get local experience?
But the problem is bigger than that. Even if you are willing to start from an entry-level position, you still don’t get any reply (except the automated messages) for the interview or after the interview. There are three main issues that are deeply interrelated, and no one is telling you.
- Clarity in career
- Communications (not language)
- Discrimination
So, let’s have a look at each in more details:
1. Clarity in career:
Lack of clarity in your career direction reduces your confidence, and not many people want to hire someone with low confidence. As a migrant, when you arrive in a new country, you probably have some idea about the type of jobs you want and can do, where and how, but when you actually start looking for a job, you get rejection after rejection, like getting punched in the face in a boxing match, left and right. Then the panic starts, and you keep asking everyone and anyone for advice, and that’s when you start throwing punches in every direction, hoping one will hit and knock out the opponent. Desperate search for a job, trying everyone’s advice, and still getting rejected (like heavy punches in your face) impact your confidence and make you even more confused. It makes you question your career choices, maybe thinking about changing your career.
Eventually, when you get lucky and get the employer’s phone call or interview invite, you have already lost half of the fight. The desperation for a deserving job has already impacted your confidence, and everyone’s advice has confused you even more. It becomes very obvious to the hiring manager or the recruiter that they don’t want to take any risk hiring you because, usually, employers don’t hire people who are not confident or are confused. The reality is hiring is a costly process, from advertising, screening, and interviewing to onboarding & training. The employer is afraid that they would have to search for another candidate again in a few weeks or months because you were not the right fit or struggling to settle or deliver the required tasks. It’s not that you are or will do it, but that’s the usual thought process from the hiring manager’s or recruiter’s perspective.
2. Communication skills (not language):
I don’t mean having a functional conversation, but the ability to articulate your point across another culture (cross-cultural communication is a whole topic on its own). Language is a tricky beast. Just because you passed an IELTS exam with a high score doesn’t mean you are an expert in a language. People study and research language & literature for years, and people get paid hundreds of thousands for writing a two-line advertisement copy.
Often, people can’t communicate effectively in their own language, let alone in another language. Also the significant aspect of language is based on culture and context. You may be “ok” with functional communication skills in your own language and culture. However, as a migrant, communication skills are the most critical to making or breaking your career in a new country. Communication, confidence, and career success are highly interrelated. It can create a snowball effect, turning the dream of a better life into a world of regrets and resentments.
3. Discrimination
Unfortunately, it exists in the real world, usually in our subconscious, as a bias, and it doesn’t belong to specific nationalities or communities; we all have it one way or another. However, it becomes a challenge for migrants when the hiring manager is unaware of his/her bias. For example, when they are skimming through resumes and (maybe) unintentionally shortlisting resumes with familiar names. This prevents experienced & qualified migrants from getting the jobs or promotions they deserve.
While we don’t have a magic wand to read and change people’s minds, you can be aware of this and think about overcoming this barrier. These days, companies are getting better at training their staff, especially HR (human resources) or PaC (People and Culture), to be aware of their biases when recruiting new staff. But it’s at its beginning and has a long way to get into the mainstream, and people actually implement those things they learn in the training.
Saying all these doesn’t mean there is no good in the world and it’s always a boxing fight and getting punched; occasionally, you might get lucky, and you meet that kind, thoughtful and understanding hiring manager who gives you a chance, supports you in your journey of settling in and restarting your career. If you get that, consider yourself very lucky because in an ever-changing, fast-paced environment, they are supplied in limited editions. So hope for the best, but plan for the worst.
