The international borders are finally open and Australia is welcoming backpackers with Working Holiday Visas to visit.
To celebrate the return of the WHV, and to help encourage international visitors to come on a professional working holiday, we met with one of our candidates, Rachel, to find out more about her experience of living, working and starting a new life here in Sydney.
Rachel moved to Australia in 2019 after travelling through Asia & finishing her degree at home in Scotland. She was looking to travel & see more of the world before she settled into her career. On arrival to Sydney in 2019, Rachel luckily decided to travel & see different parts of Australia. She travelled up the east coast, worked in a winery and found the best pina colada in Noosa before deciding Sydney was the best place for her to settle & find work aligned with her career plan.
What do you love most about living in Sydney?
“So many things, I’d probably say the culture & the weather, everyone is so laid back & have positive attitudes. The weather is great so you can do lots of fun things with friends on the weekends like taking road trips & going to the beach”.
Rachel also pointed out how social she finds Sydney, she loves going for work lunches, after work drinks & always meeting new people.
What experiences have you had here that you wouldn’t have had in the UK?
“Definitely the farm work – as much as I complained about it at the time, I look back & it was a once in a lifetime experience. I met so many close friends, who I’m still friends with now”.
Rachel worked for a winery on a vineyard doing irrigation work. She lived in a share-house environment with her friends who also worked on the farm.
What about when it comes to your career?
“The opportunity to grow here & progress your career is just insane”.
Rachel worked in a bar when she first arrived but after travelling & settling in Sydney, she found a role in Talent & is thriving in her new position.
“I started off working as an admin support & within just 6 months I’ve been promoted to a Talent Acquisition Business Partner – I would have never had this experience if I was still in the UK. Moving here has progressed my career so much”.
When you were applying for jobs, how did you go about it?
“I was applying for jobs on SEEK at first. I wasn’t really aware of what agencies did here in Sydney but I contacted a few agencies directly & asked to be put on their books – so when a job came up, they could give me a call”.
Rachel secured her temporary role through Peoplecorp in May 2021 & has been promoted & extended since then.
What is your view of salaries & the cost of living here in Australia?
Rachel tells us how, yes Australia, Sydney in particular has a higher cost of living than a lot of places in the world, but the wages correlate with the cost of living & quality of life far outweighs what she experienced back home. When she was in the UK, she was earning around £7 per hour. After 1 year working in Sydney, Rachel tells us that she’s earning more than family members back home in the UK who’ve been with their employer for over 10 years.
“You don’t need to be with a company for years to get promoted here in Sydney & there are just so many opportunities for work”.
When people come to Australia, they may be a bit worried about getting set up (healthcare, bank account, finding a place to live, tax declaration etc…). How did you find those aspects?
“You meet so many people who are willing to help you, you can navigate everything online, there are so many facebook groups and pages of expats looking to help each other out, you can even join these groups before you move and ask people advice. You’ll find that they are all in the same boat & they are all so willing to help you & give you advice”.
What is your favourite thing about living & working in Sydney?
Rachel, like many fortunate Sydneysiders lives a few minutes from the beach in Manly. She told us that it’s like being on holiday every day, working from home 3 days a week, she gets to enjoy walks on the beach on her lunch break but on the days where she’s required in the office, Rachel loves the ferry commute!
“I love that you can get the ferry over the harbour to work, you can even get a glass of wine on the way home, it’s like a little boat tour & it’s only $7”!
If you were giving advice to somebody who was thinking about coming to Australia to do their working holiday, what would you say?
“My advice if you are thinking about coming is just do it, try it and if it isn’t for you, you can always go back. You’re going to meet so many people, and have so many great personal and professional opportunities, that you may not have had if you had stayed at home”.
We hope Rachel’s story inspired you to come to Australia in 2022, if you know anybody who might be interested in seeing what this beautiful country has to offer, please share this article and ask them to reach out directly to me at Peoplecorp – jessica@peoplecorp.com.au
