# Some general thoughts on casual jobs would be very welcome



## nigele2 (Aug 14, 2018)

I teach English in Spain and am helping a 37 year old Spanish lady. She has signed up to a 4-month course (6 month stay) in Brisbane and told by an agent (?) that she will have no problem finding work up to the 20 hours per week allowed (plus extra hours in the final 2 months). Just get an Aussie format CV and do the rounds.

Now call me sceptical but I note unemployment in Australia is 5.6% (much less than Spain’s 16.1% but much higher than the UK). Is the casual jobs market really that buoyant?

Just background her spoken English is good. Her written English not at business requirement levels. She has some customer facing experience but Spain being Spain (unemployment incredibly high) she has holes in her CV. She has a degree in tourism. Of course, she says she’ll do anything. And she is keen, very enthusiastic and driven.

I haven’t been to Brisbane (or Straddie) for a few years but I don’t remember seeing lots of job ads. Just trying to get an impression of, is she being sold a pup. Don’t want her dream broken within days of arriving.

Any thoughts, reassurance or warnings, would be very welcome. Nigel


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## syd10 (Apr 11, 2015)

nigele2 said:


> I teach English in Spain and am helping a 37 year old Spanish lady. She has signed up to a 4-month course (6 month stay) in Brisbane and told by an agent (?) that she will have no problem finding work up to the 20 hours per week allowed (plus extra hours in the final 2 months). Just get an Aussie format CV and do the rounds.
> 
> Now call me sceptical but I note unemployment in Australia is 5.6% (much less than Spain's 16.1% but much higher than the UK). Is the casual jobs market really that buoyant?
> 
> ...


What specific jobs is she interested in?

Also, many casual jobs don't pay much.

Having a CV/ resume that stands out is vital, as there is an average of 300 applicants per job.

You can have a look at seek to get an idea.


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## Truthfully247 (Apr 30, 2018)

nigele2 said:


> I teach English in Spain and am helping a 37 year old Spanish lady. She has signed up to a 4-month course (6 month stay) in Brisbane and told by an agent (?) that she will have no problem finding work up to the 20 hours per week allowed (plus extra hours in the final 2 months). Just get an Aussie format CV and do the rounds.
> 
> Now call me sceptical but I note unemployment in Australia is 5.6% (much less than Spain's 16.1% but much higher than the UK). Is the casual jobs market really that buoyant?
> 
> ...


Sorry just came across this post, any updates ? i was also wondering , what visa will you friend be applying for ?


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## ZoeKaur (Oct 16, 2018)

Assuming she's on a student visa, most of these type of casuals work in restaurant industry or transport industry if they are south Asian. There are also many foreigners doing farm work. The restaurant industry award pays people according to their age and generally hires people much younger than 37. The only time i see a person that age working in those industries are managers or owners of the restaurant. Because she is only staying for six months, it is unlikely she will get any management job or any professional job, or even MOST kinds of jobs, because those jobs will definitely will only think of the long term and not hire someone with only six months in mind. It takes six months or more just for the person to be fully trained so they don't want someone who will stay less than a year. Honestly, in my experience, it will usually take six months even to get a decent job WHEN you are actually trying hard. Jobs who will quickly hire someone 37 years old, fresh off the boat with no experience and qualification in the country, those will be a bit sketchy kind of jobs who have high turnover (people leave due to poor conditions or they quickly fire people). I do think the agent is kind of lying. I mean, it's not impossible for her but not as easy as he says.


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