Strategies for a Smoother Cross-Cultural
Relocation
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Six Best Settlement Strategies
Culture Shock - what is it and how to
recognise the symptoms
Australian culture - understanding the basics
Job hunting - ways to find the work you want
(despite your international background)
Information sources - the most reliable
options
Finding the networks you need
Find a friend
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Good at languages, sport, music & solid stomach (ex: Salsa, tennis)
Critical level, residual level, expert level (10,000 hours)
Look for a friend like you were looking for a job
Pub culture VS restaurant culture
Ask how long they intend to stay (>6 months) and how long they
have been here (>3 years)
Don’t expect friendship at first sight. Ex: Coconut versus peach
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Find a friend
1.
7.
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A friend is another network of friends
Publicis CEO – 10% return at start, 10 year experience: Maximum
return is 40%
9. Small people VS big people (quality over quantity i.e 50 ppl min)
10. Integrating an existing group of friends –  Clique attitude
11. Human limitation to social networking* (Indiana Uni 2011. Dunbar
Number) is avg. 150 ppl  Quantity VS Quality
12. List of websites on NN / Hard copy at LWN / Welcome to Sydney
drinks (Attention : we don’t disclose attendees’ contact details for
confidentiality purposes)
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar%27s_number
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Expect it to be challenging
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Six first months are the hardest
Three years plateau where expats decide to stay (i.e length of usual
expat contract is expiring, become a permanent resident…)
Develop new routines
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Be consistent with the activities you choose (i.e weekly basis for six
months at least)
Be curious - ask question
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Asking questions doesn’t mean you are stupid
Expand your knowledge of social skills
1.
How to make friends and influence people from Dale Carnegie
2.
The Game & The rules of the Game by Neil Strauss
http://www.newcomersnetwork.com/information/six_best_settlement_strategies.php
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Collect local information
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Council (mother’s group…)
City of Sydney (http://whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/ for festival
newsletters...)
3.
TimeOut
4.
Entertainment Book
5.
SMH Good Food Guide
6.
“Culture Shock! Australia: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette”
from Ilsa Sharp, Penguin Books Australia
7.
“Why You Are Australian: A Letter to My Children” by Nikki Gemmell,
Happers Collins
8.
“Strange Country: Travels In A Very Different Australia” by Mark Dapin
9.
Other travel books written by Anglo on your country. Ex : “Shantaram” is
a 2003 novel by Gregory David Roberts, Australian expat in Inda.
“Almost French” by Sarah Turnbull, “ATLP” by Bryce Corbett
10. Expat Returned Meet-up
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Start new activities
6.
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Pro actively follow-up
Be the organizer
1. Leads to be invited back
2. Small list (less than 30) VS Big list
3. Always consider 20% drop-out
4. The bigger the list, the less the reliability of presence
5. Reliability of social network RSVP’s
6. Formal VS informal settings
7. Have a regular (monthly, fornightly, weekly) event you organize
so you have an excuse to invite people over without too much
pressure and get people to mix around
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Stage
Stage 1
Stage 2
Length
Day 1 >
3 months
1 month >
12 months
Stage 3
6 months >
18 months
Stage 4
12 months >
10 years
Stage 5
Returning to
home
Description
Excitement and fascination with
the new culture – honeymoon
Crisis period – particularly
challenging
Examples
Fantasy about the new place/life
Hero to Zero Syndrome, depression
Ex: Compare everything to home country
When are you home?
Adjustment phase – transition
Ex: Change minds about staying or
leaving
Same situation, different issues
Acceptance and adaptation phase Ex: Work law in FR (very strong but
- secure
market is very hard) VS AU (none but
flexible and reactive)
Home is where are the people you love
Homesick never leaves you wherever you
Re-entry - Reverse culture shock go
repatriation
You are a foreigner in own country
Ex: Hay Fever – allergic to France
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Mateship (group/individual society,
public/private property)
Tall Poppy Syndrome
Low power hierarchy
◦ Ask questions !!
◦ Follow the rule
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Low risk aversion
Short term
Aboriginal > NT/Kakadu/Darwin
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Conflict management (annual review, neg feedback w/o
neg words)
High school, university & alumni network
Immigration, multiculturalism & identity (Asian denial)
Motherhood and fem/masculine culture
Children education (praise VS criticism) > Impact as an
adult (sales skills…)
Tax, superannuation and investments
Medicare and health insurance
Work life balance
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Dating (liberal VS conservative), incl. money symbols
Public Display of Affection (the way he looks at me)
Money management (low risk aversion)
Pub/Boozy culture
Third Culture Kid TCK / Adult Third Culture Kid ATCK
Australian vocabulary (no worries, fair enough, Ta, arvo,
barbie, telly, lolly …any shorties)
Avoid conflictual subjects i.e sex/politics/religion.
Different opinions might impact relationships
Appraisal culture
Australian resume standards
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3 page long, no picture ( recruitment agencies do not usually
correct resumes. Ask for feedback and face to face meetings)
Experience over 10 years, just put one line. Don’t leave gaps. Precise
work experience location (city, country)
Look for templates on www.careerone.com.au
Indicate objectives, key competencies, key achievements
Check your references will give you actual good references
Keyword software screening
Adapt your resume as you submit applications, based on job
descriptions of your ideal job on www.seek.com.au
Obtain recognition of local standards for your education in your
industry or consider taking them (ex: CA, CPA for Accountants...)
Consider taking classes (ex: TAFE ...)
Anglo Saxon Name VS Foreigner Name. Consider adopting
nicknames (ex: Ella, JF) & indicating nationality (ex: Sanaz UK): 65%
less to be contacted for an interview if your name is Indian, Chinese
...
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How you apply is important too
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Your Resume Filename is… “Resume” (i.e put your name!!!)
Your Email Makes No Reference to the Open Position
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Your Email Has no Text, no message, nothing
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You Tell Me You Have “All of the Right Qualifications” When You
Don’t Have a Single One
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Follow up and Say “Thank You” (ex: Card, ref Edwina...)
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http://www.youtern.com/thesavvyintern/index.php/2013/01/07/your-resume-is-being-ignored-because/
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Interview tips
Ask about the company (search Google is a minimum)
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Why this job wasn’t fulfilled some internal resources?
What is a typical day?
Do you like working for this company? Why?
What are the company’s objectives in the next 3 years? What does the
jod/department brings to this objectives?
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First Australian work experience
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(> 6 months)
Travel further to get experience
Graduate Program / Internship
Voluntary work / Non paid work ( 457 and PR can break the
low if there are under a certain threshold)
Other experience in your industry even if it is non-related to
your usual occupation
Create a public profile on Seek.com, LinkedIn.com
Join professional groups on LinkedIn.com
Consider a reconversion (i.e studies)
Hospitality experience
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Pass the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA)
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Agencies: www.stedmans.com.au, www.troys.com.au,
http://www.olgr.nsw.gov.au/courses_rsa.asp
www.cliffordwallace.com.au, www.alseasons.com.au, www.pinnaclepeople.com.au
*http://www.hays.com.au/salary/default.aspx
**http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/457-market-salary-rates.htm
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Salary surveys
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Level of English (ex: IETLS > 7.0)
(ex: Free annual salary surveys from HAYS*,
Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold – currently $47 480
per annum**). Do not encourage lower paid jobs.
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First test is the recruiter phone call
Recruiters will tell you to come back in six months
Get hands-on (i.e stop inferiority complex, avoid rambling…)
Find a buddy for swap language (ex: www.sharedtalk.com, British
Council... Attention to notion of standard English US/UK/AU)
Attend a language school http://www.navitasenglish.com/ or
http://www.englishlanguagecompany.com/
 Better appreciated by Universities
 Better than TAFE (?)
 With Nativas, can bargain prices if there is a cheaper language school
i.e $350 instead $396/week if you go through one of their agents
(cinta.grimaitre@navitas.com)
*http://www.hays.com.au/salary/default.aspx
**http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/457-market-salary-rates.htm
Co-optation
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Preferred channel for companies (i.e. employees’ network)
Do not hesitate to contact operational people directly (ex:
LinkedIn.com). They obtain significant bonuses when they place
someone even if they don’t pass the probation period.
Coaching/Career Development
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Career Development Association of Australia cdaa.org.au
Find a mentor, someone more experienced than you
Career Development Center http://www.careerdc.com.au/
LinkedIn
Add everyone from your previous companies, universities and
personal network
Complete 100% your resume with keywords & recommendations
Join groups and asked politely to be introduced to people,
especially if you submitted an application to a company
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Most companies outsource their recruitment. They work for the
customer, not for the applicant > Manage expectations (even locals can
make the mistake)
Call them before or while you send your resumes to them to obtain more
information
Regularly keep in touch and keep submitting applications
Work with them > refer profiles if your application is rejected.
Cons: They will try to place you where they have jobs not necessarily in
the right place. Sales driven
Pros: they work for your target salary as they may receive a percentage of
it, if not a commission. They are here to convince customers.
Submit your resume even if you tick 3 boxes out of 5, so they have your
resume in their database. Another similar offer may come up later or the
job description may change along the way.
Some recruiters may be less experienced than you in your field (i.e avg 8
months of experience in recruiting). Use their keywords
Work as a recruiter (Note: There are recruiters for recruiters)
Main networks:
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Professional
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Professional events:
(ex: Institute of Chartered Accountants (CA/CPA) for Accounting,
IIA for Internal Auditors, ISACA for IT Internal Auditors, ACS for IT, ...)
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Volunteer for conferences/exhibitions in your field as staff
Get an ABN as a sole trader and get the entrepreneur rate
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Social/community
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University
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Personal/hobbies (ex: meetup.com, facetime.com.au, internations.org ...)
Sport (ex: rugby NRL, cricket, footy/AFL, netball ...)
(ex: LinkedIn.com, Xing.com, Chamber of Commerce and
Industry*, Sydney Community College with the Skilled Migrant Mentoring
Program**, CentreLink/Individuals/Moved to Australia and other government
agencies for permanent residents, Sydney Young Professionals*** ...)
(UNSW, UTS, University of Sydney, University of Macquarie also
available online via Open Universities****, TAFE, evening classes WEA...)
*http://www.jcisydney.org/ - http://www.my-australian-job.com/
**http://getskilled.sydneycommunitycollege.com.au/skilled-migrants
**http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/themes/job-seekers
***http://www.syp.com.au/
****http://www.open.edu.au/
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Common mistakes:
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Do not demonstrate value to the potential references
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First impression counts (7 words, 2 seconds)
Why would they refer you? What do you have in common
Only asking for contacts is not enough (ex: Beatrix W)
Help them to shape your referral
Do not connect with the potential references
They will mostly judge your soft skills or what you can bring them
apart from money (that they don’t really need)
Search for a common denominator
Open door technique
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Common mistakes:
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Sydney is a small city
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4,5 Million spread out on 12 000 km² (50km) – d= 2058/km²
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London: 8M spread out on 1,500 km2 – d= 5,206/km2
Hong Kong: 7M spread out on 1,100 km2 – d= 6,480/km2
Paris: 2M spread out on 100 km2 – d = 21,196 /km2
Same community (pro, perso) gets quickly the word
Your name will be known faster than you think (ex: Marlene for
marketing...). You will bump on the same people, especially in your
industry and in your community
Word of mouth works better than agency (ex: Thien Lan, Laurent) even
if it can take some time
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Sponsored Business Long Stay Visa (457)
◦ Depends on the customer. Suggest you take care of the
paperwork if required
◦ Biggest constraint for employer is to prove 1% gross salary is
dedicated to training for PR and Australians
◦ Less than $500 for visa application (Coe + employee)
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General Skilled Migration (EOI)
◦ Expression of Interest
◦ State Sponsored Visa
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Working Holiday Visa
Student Visa
De Facto / Partner Visa
◦ Register your relationship with NSW Registry Births, Deaths &
Marriages
◦ Prove 1 year of relationship for PR, 6 months for 457
◦ Two year probation. If partner cancels visa, 28 days to leave
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Migration agents are rated against their application
success rate and they are updated by the DIAC of all
major changes
Ready List – 3 points rule
◦ Can be a reason to charge more
Frequent changes regarding visas
Average price $4,000 per application
www.immi.gov.au / http://migrationblog.immi.gov.au/
www.mra.com.au