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

This is Kosuke's
Ace A Job^®

success story

KOSUKE

Urban Planner

Challenges

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

When I first reached out to Thea, I had already been in Australia for a few years, and I knew it was time to rebuild my professional career. I had worked in urban planning and property development before, but I hadn’t been in the industry since 2018. The longer the gap grew, the harder it felt to return.

I’d lost my part-time jobs and started applying for roles in urban planning and design. Over the course of a year, I applied for around 30 jobs, but only heard back from three. Every time I got to an interview, it felt like other candidates had stronger local experience or were more confident with technical questions. I didn’t feel anxious, but I knew this couldn’t go on forever. I didn’t want to keep drifting in casual work. I needed something stable. Something meaningful. Something that would help me build a future here in Australia.

But between the visa issues, the lack of local experience, and the growing career gap, I felt stuck. I knew I needed help, someone who understood how to navigate this job market and help me present myself with confidence.

Strategies

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

I started working with Thea in 2021. At that point, I wasn’t even sure how to position myself anymore. But she saw potential in my story, even when I couldn’t see it clearly myself.

She helped me rebuild my resume from the ground up. We reframed my past experience to highlight my skills and achievements, and we created a strategy that felt realistic and tailored to my background. I didn’t have to pretend to be someone else, I just needed the right tools to show who I really was and what I could bring.

It wasn’t easy. I had to take on some unrelated, casual jobs along the way, just to get by. But I never let go of the bigger goal. I kept going even when it felt like nothing was happening. Because deep down, I knew the right job was out there. I just had to be ready when it came.

Results

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

In October 2025, four years after I started working with Thea, I finally landed a full-time role as an Urban Planner with Brisbane City Council.

It’s one of the biggest councils in the country. It’s competitive. And I got in.

The journey was long, but every step prepared me for this one. I now have a stable, skilled role doing work I love. I’m back in my professional field, in a job that gives me purpose, security, and a future.

Looking back, I’m so grateful I didn’t give up. Because when it finally happened, it changed everything.

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