Australia does have an equivalent to the UK’s Job Centre, although their service is online. This is known as JobSearch and it is the largest job hunting website of its kind in the country. It is a free site, so neither employers nor job seekers need to pay to use it. Employers can list their vacancies and those who are job hunting can upload their CV. There is a regional search facility on the homepage so that you can search vacancies in the area that you are in. You need to register to use the services but you will be able to search jobs listed by the Australian civil service, job listings from regional newspapers and private employers. The site is aimed at Australian residents and covers a wide variety of industries.

When you apply for a job in Australia you should be prepared to answer direct questions. It is common to be interviewed by a panel of people rather than just one person and they are usually more interested in what you want to achieve in your future than the things you have already done. The CV is referred to as a resume in Australia and should not be more than 3 pages long. You are not obliged to send a photograph with the resume and it should be clearly written for the specific vacancy that you are applying for. Applications should be sent with a covering letter which should be specific and to the point. Candidates that ask questions at interviews are welcomed and if you do not make the effort to do a little research before you go into the interview it will soon be found out.

Many companies expect candidates to undergo a test before they are selected for interviews. Candidates that criticise former employers are frowned upon. Punctuality is essential, so it is important not to be late for the interview and to dress smartly.

The authorities have very strict procedures for dealing with illegal workers. Those who are in violation of their visas will be prosecuted, have their visas cancelled and will be deported from the country. There have been problems with illegal workers in the agriculture sector. The government has a number of initiatives to promote awareness of the issues surrounding illegal workers including training initiatives and work with the unions. Employers who have illegal workers on their staff are breaking the law and can be prosecuted. This includes employment agencies and anyone who refers an illegal worker for employment. Large fines and prison sentences are often given out to those who hire illegal workers.

There are many options for temporary workers who are perhaps on short term visas. Seasonal work in the agriculture industry is popular and in tourist areas there is usually plenty of bar work, restaurant work and seasonal work in hotels. There are hundreds of recruitment agencies in Australia and these vary in the type of work that they recruit for and the areas that they cover. Using a search facility online such as www.acpeople.com.au will allow you to search large numbers of agencies at the same time for the type of vacancies that you are looking for and link you to individual agencies. Most agencies allow you to register your resume online and will contact you if suitable positions are advertised.

The unemployment rate across Australia has fallen (January 2011) to one of its lowest levels in some years. The rate was just 5% unemployment and large numbers of jobs have been created in the country and the majority of the most recently created positions are full-time. This rate is half the current rate in the US and only 2/3 of the rate in the UK. There are some regional variations although these are not wildly different from that of the national rate.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the equivalent of the British Chamber of Commerce. It links regional branches in the states and territories and connects a number of different business groups that are for both small and large businesses. The organisation works closely with the government on business policies. In addition there are many networking events and conferences organised for those who are members, encouraging new business and making contacts.