On the job hunt in Sydney

[logictom]

So I am once again on the job hunt! Following on from my previous post from Oct 2 years ago I have successfully been granted a visa for myself and SWMBO to work in Australia for 18 months with the option to apply for permanent residency.
I have been working for a small start up for the past 2.5 years so have some experience and money saved up for trip.
I have been looking over the job websites, seek, mycareer, indeed, linkedin as well as a few others and applying to any jobs that look to match with what I am interested in.

I am aware that a lot of jobs don't make their way onto the big jobs sites and go via word of mouth and the likes so I am calling upon the eevblog collective to throw up any jobs they are aware of or any companies that maybe on the look out. I have found some luck through the odd google search and have looked through the list of companies in areas like the Australian Technology Park.

We are likely to be based in or around Sydney as SWMBO has already lined something up.
My areas of interest/experience are in 'embedded systems', both hardware and firmware sides of the product. I was working with technology in and supporting electric vehicles but I am open to any of the working sectors. I would prefer to be in a smaller startup/R&D type of company but again I am open to working with anything that keeps me interested and learning!

As always I appreciate any input.

[nctnico]

How about trying to work as a consultant?

[logictom]

How about trying to work as a consultant?

The thought crossed my mind, contacts would be the main issue on arrival though.
I may be doing some contract work for my current employer so that could work out well if I can bring in some other jobs.
I think I would prefer a 9 to 5 gig overall, at least I'll know what's coming in each month.

[EEVblog]

We are likely to be based in or around Sydney as SWMBO has already lined something up.

"Sydney" is a big place!
Murphy will ensure you have to travel 2 hours a day to get to and from work.

[EEVblog]

I have found some luck through the odd google search and have looked through the list of companies in areas like the Australian Technology Park.

You won't find lists of companies in business parks. Best thing to do is spend an entire week pounding the pavement systematically going around every business park and looking for tech sounding names. Note them down then research them and and approach ones that sound interesting.

[Alexei.Polkhanov]

So Indeed (http://www.indeed.com/) does not work in Australia?

[logictom]

"Sydney" is a big place!
Murphy will ensure you have to travel 2 hours a day to get to and from work.

I'm sure Murphy will have his way with me, I expect to spend a significant amount of time commuting - must find more podcasts to keep me going!

You won't find lists of companies in business parks. Best thing to do is spend an entire week pounding the pavement systematically going around every business park and looking for tech sounding names. Note them down then research them and and approach ones that sound interesting.

Sounds like the best way forward, I was surprised when I found a list for the ATP, I don't know if it's a full one but I got a couple of names from it. I've done the wonder around thing in past and it's surprising how many business names you come across that give off a completely different feel from the name and logo alone, you also realise how many 'IT solutions' type of companies there are.

So Indeed (http://www.indeed.com/) does not work in Australia?

Certainly does, as listed in the first post of sites I've been trawling

[nctnico]

How about trying to work as a consultant?

The thought crossed my mind, contacts would be the main issue on arrival though.
I may be doing some contract work for my current employer so that could work out well if I can bring in some other jobs.
I think I would prefer a 9 to 5 gig overall, at least I'll know what's coming in each month.

You have to make the contacts anyway either to find a job or to find contract work. You can always use the angle to do contract jobs until you find an employer. Doing a contract project first may land you a nice job as well.

[EEVblog]

Sounds like the best way forward, I was surprised when I found a list for the ATP, I don't know if it's a full one but I got a couple of names from it.

The ATP is a bit different because it was set up specifically for high tech and was a bit of a government show piece.

I've done the wonder around thing in past and it's surprising how many business names you come across that give off a completely different feel from the name and logo alone, you also realise how many 'IT solutions' type of companies there are.

Yep, I did just one park once and came back with 50 tech sounding names I had never heard of. But you usually only end a with a handful of leads from that.
I'm in the Norwest business park, and I'd have no idea how many high tech companies are in there.
According to Wiki over 400 companies:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwest_Business_Park
But that seems a bit conservative to me.
You'd have to visit maybe 30 different buildings and snapshot the directory in each one find out who's in there.

[EEVblog]

One big tech company in my park is Resmed, they always have jobs going:
Boring as bat poo, but good environment and it pays the bills:
https://limited-resmed.icims.com/jobs/6187/product-design-engineer/job
https://limited-resmed.icims.com/jobs/6261/software-engineer---6-month-fixed-term-contract/job
https://limited-resmed.icims.com/jobs/6260/component-engineer/job

[EEVblog]

You won't find lists of companies in business parks.

I stand to be corrected:
http://www.norwestbusinessdirectory.com.au
Nowhere near complete though. Based on my knowledge of the park, it's probably only 10-20% complete.
Very few electronics jobs in my park though, Resmed would be the only major one. A couple more I know of in the park across the road, but pretty slim pickings in my area.
Macquarie Park is one traditional high tech hub in Sydney:
http://macquariepark.com.au/business-education/business-invesment/business-directory/

[EEVblog]

BTW, Sydney is basically split into two by the Great Western Highway / M4 Motorway, North and South.
Whichever half you work in you generally want to live in that half as well, otherwise it can be quite dog to get from one side to the other.
Whereabouts is the wife working?

[logictom]

You won't find lists of companies in business parks.

I stand to be corrected:
http://www.norwestbusinessdirectory.com.au
Nowhere near complete though. Based on my knowledge of the park, it's probably only 10-20% complete.
Very few electronics jobs in my park though, Resmed would be the only major one. A couple more I know of in the park across the road, but pretty slim pickings in my area.
Macquarie Park is one traditional high tech hub in Sydney:
http://macquariepark.com.au/business-education/business-invesment/business-directory/

I will check them out, but as you say I think it will come down to hitting the road and jotting down the names and running everything through Google back at base camp.

Thanks for the job links, I think they read as you describe them but hey something to pay the bills to begin with it better than a slap with a wet fish

BTW, Sydney is basically split into two by the Great Western Highway / M4 Motorway, North and South.
Whichever half you work in you generally want to live in that half as well, otherwise it can be quite dog to get from one side to the other.
Whereabouts is the wife working?

I think this is where Murphy is most probably going to strike. The other half, not yet wife but have been warned it's going to happen soon - buying a house then upping and moving to Australia kind of drained the funds for that 'plan', she will be working down in Bowral, a few days a week, so we were looking to live somewhere south side of Sydney - one of their staff is currently commuting from Sydney so there maybe lift shares in the plans, either way I think we were expecting a decent commute.


Looks like I'll be able to do some contracting work for my previous employer, there's a least a few months of work they need help with so that tide me over until I can find something more permanent. Just have to work out which tax man will be taking what chuck of the money in the process.

[logictom]

So two months later I have travelled the many hours around the globe, travelled around some of the vast land of Australia and have got an interview lined up on Monday, I guess it was inevitable that I'd have to add something other than jeans and tshirts to the wardrobe eventually.

I have come across maybe two jobs that indicate the salary they're prepared to offer but they have been fairly large ranges, eg 60-110k.
I'm a couple month shy of what they say they "need" in terms of experience but otherwise think I've got the rest of the requirements nailed in terms of experience on the job - the only question that has be stumped at the moment is if they ask me for a salary figure.
I suppose it's like asking the length of a piece of string but can anyone give any pointers to what range you could expect for a job with around 3 years experience, the company itself designs data loggers and remote monitoring type of products.

Murphy is at work again as the job is on the other side of Sydney, I'm waiting on a few more responses but I'll have to see how it plays out.

[ElektroQuark]

Evaluate time from home to work and work to home and add it to the working hours to calculate how much really your salary will be per hour.

[EEVblog]

I have come across maybe two jobs that indicate the salary they're prepared to offer but they have been fairly large ranges, eg 60-110k.
I suppose it's like asking the length of a piece of string but can anyone give any pointers to what range you could expect for a job with around 3 years experience, the company itself designs data loggers and remote monitoring type of products.

I haven't been keeping up to date on the industry, but that $60K-$110K figure would be right, it can be that large. Depends entirely upon who the company is, whether you come into a project which is cashed pumped at the start, or cash starved at the end, how desperate they are to get you etc.
Personally, if they ask, I never tell them a figure, instead I say if they like me then make me an an decent offer and I'll consider it. IMO there is really no upside to answering the question and quoting a figure.
Anyone who does answer the question with a firm confident figure, it's hard not to get the impression that they are simply in it for the money and not because they like the company and/or the potential work. IMO it's a bit unprofessional to ask an interviewee that question, and hints at being a bit unprofessional to answer it at the interview.

I'd probably think you'd be in at least the $70K range. I've seen good graduates get in the $60K range.

[EEVblog]

Murphy is at work again as the job is on the other side of Sydney

From where to where?

[logictom]

Evaluate time from home to work and work to home and add it to the working hours to calculate how much really your salary will be per hour.

I hadn't thought about it like that before but it's a valid point. In my previous job I used to commute 45 minutes on a good day and  up to about an 1hr 20mins when the traffic was bad but then we moved home and 15 minutes was long journey as I avoided the traffic going into the city - they then moved the business to the other side of the city and it was back to the longer commute

Personally, if they ask, I never tell them a figure, instead I say if they like me then make me an an decent offer and I'll consider it. IMO there is really no upside to answering the question and quoting a figure.
Anyone who does answer the question with a firm confident figure, it's hard not to get the impression that they are simply in it for the money and not because they like the company and/or the potential work. IMO it's a bit unprofessional to ask an interviewee that question, and hints at being a bit unprofessional to answer it at the interview.

Thanks, that sounds like good advice and I would be happy approaching it like that, leave the ball firmly in their court.

From where to where?

Arncliffe to Bella Vista, Google maps reckons 1hr 5mins, but that's now in the middle of the day, public transport says 1hr 30mins which I'm guessing will be the same or quicker than car in rush hour but I would have to give both a go to find out.
If all the other variables work out I don't mind a longer commute in return for an enjoyable job but here's to hearing from another application I put in for a job two stations up the road.

[zapta]

Murphy is at work again as the job is on the other side of Sydney.

Could be much worse

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/australian-leader-warns-planned-random-attack-25585654

[EEVblog]

Arncliffe to Bella Vista

You'd be right next door to the EEVblog lab!

Google maps reckons 1hr 5mins, but that's now in the middle of the day, public transport says 1hr 30mins which I'm guessing will be the same or quicker than car in rush hour but I would have to give both a go to find out.

Good news is that is completely against the flow of traffic.
But ouch, that is about as bad as it gets. Basically anything that crosses North-South will be a dog.
Also, you will get hit with the worst possible polls path in Sydney - M2, Lane Cove Tunnel, Bridge (coming in), and I think another one getting under the city. That could be in the order of a couple of hundred bucks a week!
M5-M7 is another option, but that might more of a dog.
There is only one bus route that goes to Bella Vista, and you'd have to swap in the city, probably 1.5hrs total each way, awful.

I would really think long and hard about taking that job, IMO it's just not worth it to travel that far.
Looks for jobs on the south side of the city, they often have a hard time getting people in electronics because probably the majority live on the north side.

[atunguyd]

BTW, Sydney is basically split into two by the Great Western Highway / M4 Motorway, North and South.
Whichever half you work in you generally want to live in that half as well, otherwise it can be quite dog to get from one side to the other.
Whereabouts is the wife working?

To add to this. Generally if you live south of the harbour bridge you want to work south of it and visa versa . Crossing that bridge every day is extremely painful no matter what the time.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[logictom]

That could be in the order of a couple of hundred bucks a week!

I didn't realise the cost of the tolls, but looking at the different roads and costs per toll it does add up pretty quick!

I would really think long and hard about taking that job, IMO it's just not worth it to travel that far.
Looks for jobs on the south side of the city, they often have a hard time getting people in electronics because probably the majority live on the north side.

To add to this. Generally if you live south of the harbour bridge you want to work south of it and visa versa . Crossing that bridge every day is extremely painful no matter what the time.

I have driven across there a couple of times for the interviews and even through the day when the traffic doesn't seem too bad it has taken over an hour each way, I got caught up in traffic heading back down after around 4:15 and that was significantly slower than heading north. They offered me the job, and it sounds like a good match, but I think the travel is just going to burn through too much of the day.
I would consider it if I could use public transport by just jumping on the train with a quick walk at the end, at least I could bring a book/laptop but it would require multiple changes, I wouldn't be able to just sit down and get on with something until I get there.

I've been asked back for a second interview at a company down in Mascot which is a 15 minute train ride and short walk at the other end, a much better commute. Not quite as good a match but sounds like an interesting job, working for a medical company throwing together prototypes and the likes, before any of the messy paperwork is involved

On the commuting side of things I was thinking about picking up one of those folding bikes to shorten any travel to and from the train station if I end up near a train station. I never realised how much the Brompton bikes cost, for something with mudflaps and 3 gears you're talking over $2000 I think I'll stick to walking for now!

[EEVblog]

I didn't realise the cost of the tolls, but looking at the different roads and costs per toll it does add up pretty quick!

Yep, it's actually a huge cost when you do the math on it, plus petrol and wear'n'tear. You burn a lot of fuel sitting in traffic.

I have driven across there a couple of times for the interviews and even through the day when the traffic doesn't seem too bad it has taken over an hour each way, I got caught up in traffic heading back down after around 4:15 and that was significantly slower than heading north.

Getting out of Norwest Blvd is a nightmare after 5pm. Then it just gets worse.
If it took you over an hour each way in non peak hour, add 30min easily for peak.

They offered me the job, and it sounds like a good match, but I think the travel is just going to burn through too much of the day.

Yep. Unless they can offer to let you work any hours you want, and/or work from home occasionally, it's not worth it.

I would consider it if I could use public transport by just jumping on the train with a quick walk at the end, at least I could bring a book/laptop but it would require multiple changes, I wouldn't be able to just sit down and get on with something until I get there.

Yes, public transport changes the game a fair bit.

I've been asked back for a second interview at a company down in Mascot which is a 15 minute train ride and short walk at the other end, a much better commute. Not quite as good a match but sounds like an interesting job, working for a medical company throwing together prototypes and the likes, before any of the messy paperwork is involved

Take it!
Seriously, take it.

[logictom]

Getting out of Norwest Blvd is a nightmare after 5pm. Then it just gets worse.
If it took you over an hour each way in non peak hour, add 30min easily for peak.

I figured as much as I know google maps only estimates the traffic at the time of day when you generate the directions plus they is always variation, sometimes small, sometimes significant delays. I think predicting rush hour traffic is a bit like winning the lottery.

Take it!
Seriously, take it.

I will be putting on my best show on Tuesday with the hopes of getting it, fingers crossed! It's definitely the best of all the jobs I've found as yet in terms of the work involved and the distance.

I did have an interview at another company but that was purely a firmware position, sounded better on paper than it was, again over an hour drive away. They farm out all the electronic design to contractors in the Philippines, I'm sure debugging any hardware issues would be a barrel of fun.
I had an interview with the project manager followed by the bloke I would be replacing and then after that I was emailed one of those online select the most likely and least likely match for my personality, 20 odd questions type profiling system. If they can't suss you out in person how is an online system like that going to help them out? I haven't heard back from that stage but after that was a phone interview with the CEO followed by a lunch with the CEO, talk about jumping through all the hoops!

[SeanB]

Serious good luck with the interview. I know just how bad a long commute is, and I live in a country with even less traffic, and no real public transport.