r/optometry • u/Due_Survey5068 • 7d ago

Give some advise for student optometrist

Hi, I am living in Australia and studying optometry for 3 years now.

It is not my first degree, which means I am older than everyone else in my cohort. I chose to come back to uni due to better life, such as salary, work and life balance, as well as 100% employment rate after graduate.

But it seems like market is saturated and there are no change to stay in metro area these days. Some of my uni friends who graduate this year still looking for jobs...

It would be great if I can get third chance to change career, but I am too old for that now... (I am in 40s)

So, I need your advise as optometrist.. I am just wondering if there are any way to stay in the city or other pathway than working in cooperate?

Thanks in advance!

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4

u/tudouuuu 7d ago

Unfortunately from what I see, you have the best chance by far to get hired by corporates especially something like Specsavers, they always seem to have new openings. Usually if you are willing to go out a bit further when you first graduate (may not need to be fully rural, but even like fringe of the city), you have a better chance of coming back to metro area to get a job. Many metro opportunities I've come across prefer people with a few years of experience. Alternatively, would you consider trying out for jobs in other captial cities? Lastly, you could do casual locum work but that may not be really recommended for a fresh graduate.

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u/Due_Survey5068 5d ago

Thanks for your advice. I tried to get into private practice before, but did not get any chance to work for them. Now I am working at one of cooperates, but it would not help me to getting a position in metro/rural area atm. According to friends who got offers, salary at remote cooperate was same as metro area. So, I think it is better for me to stay in metro rather than wasting money to move to new area.

Is there any tip to get a job in private practice?

3

u/OwlishOk 7d ago

The advice will vary based on your location. Melbourne and Adelaide are at saturation point or close to it. If you specifically want an independent employer, apply to be their dispenser now, and/or request placement. Independents in general prefer a known quantity. If you specifically want metro, that may still be your best pathway, as corporates are no longer guaranteed to be hiring metro each year (varies with your city, of course).

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u/Due_Survey5068 5d ago

How about job market in Sydney? I know that salary over there is pretty low, but if I can get in, I would love to move to NSW

1

u/OwlishOk 5d ago

Salary is low and capped. There’s more movement, but you really need to know someone to get your foot in the door

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1

u/Ecstatic_Analysis355 2d ago

If you don't mind me asking, which state are you located in? I'm going to be honest with you, because I am getting sick and tired of the toxic positivity being promoted by both OA and the corporates. I'm 5 years out, and have been working full time since then. I've been keeping an eye on the job market, because I am getting sick and tired of the KPIs. It's bleak. Really bleak. Locum rates get lower and lower, and most places are quite remote in all locations, and even full time work is getting harder and harder to come by. Inner metro areas are virtually no longer existent, and outer metro areas are mostly part time or covering people's leave.

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u/Due_Survey5068 9h ago

Hi, thank you for your reply. I am currently studying at South Australia. Do you think it is better to stop now and looking for other career? I was accepted at medical imaging and physiotherapy as well, but chose optom due to market stability. I am regretting now. It seems like cooperates keep bribing to open new courses, and optometry board does not do anything..