Challenges

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

Moving from France to Australia with my partner was an exciting new chapter in my life, but finding a job in my field as a designer turned out to be much harder than I expected. Despite my experience and passion, I quickly realised that the job application process in Australia was entirely different from what I was used to.

I didn’t know how to write a resume tailored to the Australian market. I applied for countless jobs over six months but didn’t receive a single interview. Without interviews, I had no idea what questions to expect or how to prepare.

To add to the challenge, I had limited local experience. While I worked as a freelance designer, I only had one client, which wasn’t enough to build a strong portfolio or establish connections. As someone new to the country, my network was small, and I didn’t have anyone to guide me through the job search.

Everything changed when I started working with Thea Ho.

Strategies

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

Thea’s coaching program taught me strategies that completely transformed my job search. The first and most impactful thing I learned was how to identify keywords and key skills in job ads. Before working with Thea, I didn’t know how to decode what employers were looking for. Once I understood how to find these keywords, I tailored my resume to address the key requirements of each job I applied for.

My resume was another major challenge. The first version I sent to Thea was five pages long, with a basic list of job titles and brief descriptions of responsibilities. It wasn’t structured in a way that resonated with Australian employers, and I could see why it didn’t land me interviews. Thea worked with me in several rounds of feedback to refine and transform my resume into a document that truly highlighted my skills, achievements, and experience.

One memorable challenge was applying for a job in the government, which required addressing selection criteria. I had no idea how to do this, but Thea guided me step by step. With her help, I crafted tangible, convincing answers that aligned with what the role demanded.

Thea also provided a comprehensive list of commonly asked interview questions and guided answers. I used these to create tailored responses that fit my specific experience and skills. This made the interview preparation process quick and efficient, even when I had limited time before interviews.

Results

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

After working with Thea, I applied for just one or two jobs and quickly secured an interview for a designer position at a paediatric hospital. I received the interview invitation only a few days after applying. While I didn’t get the role because they preferred candidates with prior experience in hospitals, it was a huge confidence boost to know my application was strong enough to land interviews.

During the peak of the pandemic, when the job market became even more challenging, I temporarily paused my search and worked a part-time job. Earlier this year, I resumed my search using the strategies I learned from Thea. This time, I applied to a communications agency, and with my strong application and interview preparation, I landed the job as a Digital Designer.

I’m incredibly proud to now be working in a role I’m passionate about—digital design. This job has not only reignited my career but also brought new stability and independence.

Initially, my partner and I had planned to stay in Australia for just 1-2 years, as his company’s sponsorship was the only path we thought we had to remain here. But with my new job, I’m now eligible to apply for a permanent visa on my own. This newfound freedom has changed everything for us—we’re now planning to settle in Australia long-term.

Thea’s coaching not only helped me find a job but also gave me the tools and confidence to build a better future here.

Thank you, Thea, for helping me achieve my dreams and giving us the stability and freedom we were searching for.

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