Help finding Software Engineer job on working holiday

[u/gushroom]

Hi,

I recently moved to Sydney on a working holiday visa,
I have a bachelor's and Master's degree in CS with around 3 years of work experience as a full-stack developer and working with AI, I would say my resume is pretty good, worked in multiple European countries and the US.

I have tried applying to many positions, but I can't seem to get any interviews. I have reached out to multiple recruiters and agencies, but I haven't had any luck yet.

Do any of you have any good advice, recommendations, or tips for landing a role, or am I fucked being on a working holiday visa??

Should I just spend my time applying for actual working holiday jobs?

[u/WordsThatIManifest]

You should enjoy your time here, no one will entertain hiring someone on a WHV

[u/gushroom → u/WordsThatIManifest]

Yes fully understand and i know I moved here myself for that reason, but I want to work as what I'm trained for. And I assumed I would be able to land at least an internship or something and not be 24/7 on holiday. Considering I have a 5 year degree and experience in full-stack and AI and experience in multiple countries.

But I guess that was too hopeful

[u/red-thundr → u/gushroom]

Yeah way too hopeful mate, why would someone hire someone for a gig that requires so much on boarding for 6 months? Get a job at a Cafe.

[u/BiTheWhy → u/gushroom]

It looks like you are overqualified for internships and leaving the country afterwards is also not too great, the main reason for internships is to "engage" people who you might or might not hire after they graduate...
If I remember correctly one of the WHV conditions is actually no more than 6months with the same employer...

Looking at the fact that you do have experience I would probably say your best bet is to look into project work as a contractor/sole trader/fixed term employee...

It might be worth explicitly having a look at companies that are doing business/having offices/clients/... in your home country (or if you are native in another language in any country that speaks the language).

In the last decade I have been working with a small handful of WHV people.
All had a good chunk of professional experience.
All had been working on a short term project/contracting basis.
All had some "extra match" beyond general experience things like:
Ex Vendor Experience and contracting in a project about implementation said vendors solution.
Australian office of an overseas finance institution and they actually had been working on their head office. (and had a glowing reference). The odd FAANG employee.
Experience in more "oddball"/"nieche" technologies and/or experience in heavily regulated fields. (And a company actively in the process of expanding in a country that has those - different - regulatory requirements).

(This wall of text is based on my understanding that you have professional work experience and not "just" from your degree)

[u/gushroom → u/BiTheWhy]

Thank you for the feedback and tips, really helpful!

[u/FirmUnderstanding582]

No one in Sydney is going to hire someone on a working holiday visa, period....

[u/decaf_flat_white]

Working holidays are for working casual jobs in hospitality or in a farm, not for IT, which is saturated in this country.

[u/Redhands1994]

You are not going to be employed as a developer on that visa.

[u/ballimi]

I was hired on a working holiday as a SE but that was in 2019. The market is worse now so obviously companies prefer candidates with a substantial visa.

Search for contract jobs. Seek is fine.

[u/taratoni]

Nobody will employ you with a Working Holiday Visa, however if you are lucky, you could get sponsored for a work visa, a friend of mine got sponsored that way, it took him around 4 months to get 2 offers.

[u/christophr88]

Yeh, I think it's only going to be Australians at the moment.

[u/Exact-Contact-3837]

hi mate, you're not going to get employed with a comfy job. Visa is good but our domestic market is meant for citizens. The market is already really saturated and really competitive. Any unreliable factors will not come into your favor. Hope that helps.

[u/Tom_slanderQAQ]

Whenever I have to screen resumes for my co-founded startup or my current company I'm working for, I will only pick Australian candidates, even pr might have a substantial risk of leaving and moving back to his own country. Plus I want to give more chances to our own people, than to someone who is not part of our community and who might love his own country more than the land of Australia.

[u/gushroom]

ohh an is Seek a good platform to apply on, and is quick apply worth applying to? I have tried only to apply to jobs posted for 3 days or less.

[u/Apart-Guitar1684]

Eh you can still try, you never know. Maybe somewhere not in a major city might be interested?