A Track Record of Finding Jobs for Australians in America
The most asked question of our organization is “How to find jobs for Australians in America?” Whether it is asked of Joey, our AI Volunteer, or through web reports, for most Australians with an American dream, this question is top of mind.
The Australian Community Job Fair was created in 2011 out of a need for our members to find work on the E3 visa. Back then, it had only been in existence for five years so there was little information on the application process. Our Community Job Fair v1.0 connected our members to information as well as Allies and “Australian Friendly” Recruiters.
Since then, it has evolved into an end-to-end process that assists Australians understand the challenges they may face, and the essential components they need to find work in America. At its core, it still remains focused on connecting members with other Australians to assist in their job search.
The Frustrations of Australians Finding Jobs in America
For anyone who has unsuccessfully applied for dozens of US positions from Australia, you eventually realize that you are only one among millions around the world in competition for the same dream.
The E3 visa advantage is real, but an abundance of Australian work visas does not correlate with an abundance of US job offers.
In part, the answer to finding work is that you cannot do it from behind a keyboard in Australia. The vast majority of Australians who have found work, have done so from within America.
However, you need to be financially and psychologically prepared for what can be an often frustrating and lengthy process. Whilst there are instances where Australian find work within a few weeks, these are the exceptions.
Maximizing your Finances for what could be a Long Stay!
For anyone prepared to travel to another country, you need a basic checklist of items. One of those items will be having enough finances to sustain your stay. But how do you move $AU to $US without being hit with exorbitant foreign exchange rates for a Travel Card or hit with fees and an exorbitant foreign exchange rate every time you use your Australian credit card or Debit card at an ATM?
The Australian Community has relationships with Technology and Finacial Institutions that allow you to open US Bank and Credit card accounts and fund them through transferring money at an exchange rate that is hard to beat.
The amazing thing is that you can do this before you leave Australia, and without a US Social Security Number! As soon as you land in the US, you can activate the account through your phone, and your finances are available immediately.
When you find work, you already have a Bank Account for your salary and can start building US Credit from day one!
You can learn more here, but this is an example of how our organization has you covered by creating offerings that make the transition to a new country as smooth as possible.
Boots and All or Big Toe First?
It is not uncommon for an Australian to quit their job and armed with two suitcases, go all in on finding work in America. Others take a more conservative approach. They take a vacation to the US for a few weeks and in that time assess the employment situation.
Whichever strategy aligns with your tolerance for risk, without the necessary planning, your chances of success are close to zero.
The Australian Community has therefore developed and refined its Community Job Fair based on feedback from its Australian members who have found work. It does not guarantee that you will find work in America. However, it certainly increases your chances.
Like many other processes, the first step to finding jobs for Australian in America is preparation – and where most Australians fail. Arriving in the US with simply a dream and enough finances to sustain your time in America, will usually end in tears.
Preparation, Preparation, Preparation!
If you are considering taking your career to the next level, you first need to ask yourself these questions:
- What is the expected annual salary for someone with my skills and education in the US?
- Is that enough to sustain the lifestyle I envision for myself? My family?
- How much demand is there for my skills?
- What is my Employment Plan starting on Day 1 of arrival?
- Do I plan to spend at least eight hours each day executing my Employment Plan?
- Do I have at least ten calls or meetings with Allies planned in the first week of arrival?
- How many are “Australian Friendly” recruiters?
- Do I understand how to use AI to elevate the visibility of my Resume?
- Is my LinkedIn profile in lock step with my Resume?
- Do I have the necessary Work Authorization language on my Resume?
It would be fair to say that answering the first three questions can determine if your American dream is even possible. A lack of demand for your skills is going to mean increased competition for jobs and lower salaries.
However, if in doing your due diligence from Australia you realize that now is not the time to pursue your dream, you can prevent travelling thousands of miles to spend thousands of dollars for the same conclusion.
Your Employment Plan is an essential component in finding work. It sets out how you are going to uncover job opportunities beyond searching the classifieds. You review it daily to measure how you are progressing against plan. It also lays out important points to cover and strategies for your interviews.
Moreover, being able to confidently walk the employer through the E3 application process, including providing an example of a Letter of Support, are essential tools in ensuring there are no issues in the onboarding process once you secure a job offer.
It’s not what you know…
There is a saying, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. This is an axiom that any Australian finding work in America quickly understands. This is why membership to our organization includes introductions to other Australians who were at one point in their careers seeking work.
These Australians also would have appreciated an Ally of their own when they first arrived. An Ally to help them understand the culture of a US corporation, or who would walk their Resume into Human Resources.
Membership to The Australian Community includes a number of personal introductions to potential Allies. However, the greater the number of Allies you nurture, the greater the chances you have of finding work.
Most importantly, the Community Job Fair teaches you how to independently find dozens, if not hundreds of other potential Allies and how best to approach them as part of your Employment Plan.
How many Allies you find, and nurture, is a direct result of your motivation to find work and your ability to build relationships.
Connect with Australians Posting US Jobs
The E3 Visa Employment Group addresses a unique opportunity for Australians in finding jobs in America. Every day, Australians working in US corporations share positions in their LinkedIn feed. As you can imagine, an Australian promoting a US position in their company is certainly someone an Australian with the matching skills should know.
Every day new jobs are posted to the E3 Visa Employment Group across dozens of industries. Having the ability to directly reach out to that Australian on LinkedIn is invaluable and another reason for serious job seekers to connect with our organization.
Quarterly Zoom Meetings
The foundation of The Australian Community Job Fair is connecting Australians. Our quarterly Zoom meetings are therefore designed to not only reinforce the best practices for finding jobs for Australians in America, but also to share the collective experience of other job seekers.
They are held at 9:00PM Eastern US on a Friday night, which is Saturday in Eastern Australia. This timing facilitates Australians both in the US and Australia to attend these meetings.
You can click here to see when the next member meeting will be held.
In Summary:
Here are some essential resources provided by The Australian Community:
- A searchable database of US employers hiring Australians on the E3 visa.
- The prevailing wage for every recently approved E3 Visa.
- The annual salaries that US employers are paying Australians for specific roles, broken down by company and geography.
- The E3 Visa Employment Group on LinkedIn.
- Moving to the US for Aussies: The Book.
- Articles and Videos on Advice for Finding Work in America.
- Articles and videos explaining the E3 visa and why it is not the same as sponsorship on a H1B visa.
- Where in the World Australians are successfully applying for E3 visas.
- The “Perfect Resume.”
- How to use AI to elevate your Resume.
- Professional introductions.
- How to find “Australian Friendly” Allies and Recruiters anywhere in the US.
- Quarterly Zoom meetings.
- In-Person meetings in New York.
- Banking and Financial Solutions.
- Leveraging AI to find work.
- General Guidance.
Next Steps: Connect!
In Summary, there is no guarantee that every Australian seeking work in America will be successful. In this meritocracy, there are no prizes for participation. However, if an Australian does their homework, has a solid plan and is highly motivated to execute that plan effectively, they have a better than average chance of finding work in America.
The Australian Community Job Fair v5.0 is our most comprehensive offering with connections to important resources, knowledge, potential Allies. It connects you to the experience of other Australians who have successfully found work.
Scroll down to learn more and connect with The Australian Community!
Open US Bank and Credit Card Accounts from Australia and have instant access when you land!
Step 1: Open a US bank account before you leave Australia
The Australian Community offers a convenient and efficient way to open US bank and credit card accounts from Australia, even before you get a Social Security Number.
Step 2: Fund your newly opened US account with a Preferred Rate on AUD to USD negotiated for our Members with OFX.
Register and see why our Preferred Rate beats Australian Banks and major online FOREX services to stretch your AU Dollar further!
Join The Australian Community.
Founded in 2011, we connect more Australians in America.
If you are a professional Australian taking your career to the next level, or the U.S. is the next step in your company's global expansion, we can connect you to all of the resources you need for success in America.
Learn more about the benefits of joining The Australian Community in America.
Did you find this article helpful? Would you like to make a Donation!
The Australian Community is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations are fully tax-deductible under the IRS Code.
General Donation
The Australian Community is a 501(c)(3) U.S. Public Charity. Its Mission is to connect Australian living in the United States through social, professional and charitable initiatives.
It is qualified to receive tax deductible donations, bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under Sections 170, 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the Code.
