Real stories of migrants who began with courage and achieved a skilled job & permanent residency

This is June's
Ace A Job^®

success story

JUNE

Finance & Administration Assistant

Challenges

INTRO.............................................

Breaking into the Australian job market was a challenging journey for me. Back home, I worked as a consultant for accounting and tax, but in Australia, the accounting field is highly competitive, and I found myself struggling to stand out against local candidates with significantly more local experience.

I applied for around 70 jobs and received over five interviews, which isn’t bad considering the competitive market. I even progressed to second-round interviews for some roles, but I couldn’t secure an offer. Over time, I became nervous about interviews and found myself going blank during conversations. It was clear that I needed to improve my interview skills.

As an overseas skilled migrant, I didn’t have local experience beyond the practice I gained at an accounting firm during my study program. While helpful, it didn’t compare to the comprehensive local experience that other candidates had. I reached out to friends for help, but most of them were also searching for jobs and couldn’t offer much guidance.

Strategies

LEARNING............................

Before working with Thea Ho, my resume was a simple list of tasks from my previous roles, and not all of them were relevant to accounting. For example, one of my roles was in customer service, and another was as an Assistant to the General Manager. These positions didn’t align directly with accounting jobs.

Thea completely transformed my resume, making it highly focused and relevant to the positions I was applying for. She taught me how to use keywords and tangible results to highlight my skills and accomplishments.

This strategy was especially powerful in accounting, where my work involves dealing with numbers and measurable outcomes. Adding tangible results to my resume made it much more compelling to hiring managers and showcased my ability to deliver results.

Interview preparation was another game-changer. Thea provided a list of commonly asked questions along with guided answers, which made the process straightforward. I simply customized the answers to fit my profile and practiced them.

One of the most effective strategies Thea shared was how to anticipate the questions interviewers would ask. It sounded complicated at first, but she had already taught me the technique during the resume stage, so it felt natural and manageable. Being able to predict the questions helped me feel prepared and confident in interviews, a big shift from my earlier experiences.

Results

SUCCESS.................

I started applying for jobs with my new application and strategies. I landed an interview with an automotive company, where I felt confident and performed well. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the job because the company had to downsize during the pandemic. I kept a positive attitude and continued applying, but as the pandemic worsened, I decided to pause my job search for a while.

When the market improved this year, I resumed my job search with renewed confidence. I applied for a role with a not-for-profit organisation and progressed through the interviews smoothly. Thanks to Thea’s strategies, I felt calm and prepared, and I proudly accepted a job offer as their Finance & Administration Assistant.

This role is incredibly fulfilling. Although it’s a small organisation where staff handle a mix of responsibilities, I’m thrilled to manage their financial tasks—an area I’m truly passionate about. Working for a not-for-profit also gives me the sense that I’m doing something meaningful every day.

This job has also brought positive changes to my personal life. With this stable role, I can now reunite with my husband, who has been back home. I’ve also been able to leave my part-time job, giving me more time to focus on my family.

Thanks to Thea’s guidance, I went from being overwhelmed and nervous about interviews to securing a job I love in a sector I care about. Her strategies gave me the tools I needed to stand out in a competitive market and, most importantly, the confidence to succeed.

Thank you, Thea, for helping me build a better life!

Ready to secure a full-time job & PR to call Australia home?

_{Results are not guaranteed. Please see the earnings disclaimer for more details.}