How to find a temp job (on a working holiday visa) in Australia & New Zealand

From data analyst at a sustainable energy company to receptionist at a swanky corporate office to talent coordinator at a baby modelling agency, my temp jobs have taken me all over the place. And yes, I mean that literally; from London (in my birth country) and all the way to Australia and New Zealand. As such, these are the countries I’ll focus on in this blog. Specifically, I hope to share some tips on finding temp work in New Zealand or Australia on a Working Holiday Visa.

While rural work and other labour-style jobs often advertise heavily to travellers, there are many more jobs available too. If you do want the simplicity of knowing you have a steady income from the comfort of an office while simultaneously having time to really get to see a city such as Melbourne or Sydney (I did 6 months in each!), temping might be a good option for you.

Since I moved to Australia at 28 and New Zealand at 29, this line of work definitely suited me better than anything too backpacker-heavy. Finding and getting these jobs is very safe and stress-free if you’re an anxious personality type. An office is generally a very safe environment which may often suit older solo travelling women like me. For example, it’s reassuring to know you’ll be in a secure job environment with an HR department in place and will be treated with the same courtesy as a local.

Other benefits of temping include:

• The pay is often better per hour than backpacker-specific jobs. My pay was usually 27+ AUD (plus holiday) in Australia and 23 NZD (plus holiday) in New Zealand.
  
• You can live in a city like a local while interacting with locals and avoid staying within a backpacker bubble (nearly all my friends were locals in Australia and NZ, and, personally, that really suits me!)
  
• Everywhere I worked had good free coffee/tea and nearly everywhere I worked had free snacks or fruit around three days a week
  
• Occasional free wine – again, an advantage for older travellers who like good wine – or team outings paid for by the company (for example, team lunches)
  
• City-based so you can rely on public transport and do not have to buy a car. I managed to walk to work in every city, saved money, and got fit!
  
• You get paid for sitting in many meetings for a job you’re not even committed to and eating all the biscuits.
  
• Potential for long-term (two of my jobs were 5 months and 6 months) and potential for even getting a sponsored work visa if you’re very lucky, especially in New Zealand
  
• Or take a series of short-term temp jobs, and you can move around more (in Sydney, I had more short-term jobs and flexibility)
  
• I am making friends with locals who can show you secret spots!
  
• Temp agencies can be so lovely and help you settle into the country! When NZ went into lockdown within two weeks of my arrival, Holly from my temp agency kept checking in and me and asking if my family were safe in the UK. That’s so sweet!

If you do take a longer-term job (for example, 6-12 months), you CAN still travel. You should get accumulated paid holiday and take some time off to go on a road trip. Check out these first-time Aussie travel tips or my Sydney and Melbourne or Auckland travel guides, including some fun day trips!

I got a job on my 2nd day arriving in Melbourne and it only took me a week after arriving in New Zealand… although it got postponed for 6 weeks because of a, erm, major nationwide lockdown. (Oh, but I still got a subsidy because it was an official position.) Aside from not being too fussy – I tell all potential temp agencies my preferences but while also clarifying I’m flexible and will adapt to any role – there are a few things you can do to find a job in a new country.

It’s also worth noting I made finding a job 100% my focus upon arriving in these countries, rather than socialising or travelling. So depending on your priorities (there isn’t one ‘right way’), it may take longer for your job search. I started my job search a few days BEFORE arriving in each new city and mentioned in my cover letter my date of arrival and how they could contact me.

How to find a temp job on a Working Holiday Visa in Australia and New Zealand:

How to search for jobs in Australia and New Zealand

• I saved my CV and cover letter on SEEK.COM.AU in Australia and SEEK.CO.NZ in New Zealand. You can also look at other job sites, such as Indeed and general backpacking websites, but personally, I found Seek to be the most effective. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can also make this public to employers.

• I used the search tool on Seek to search the words ‘temp’ and (in a second search) ‘working holiday visa’ so it would find ALL generic jobs under these search terms in your chosen city.

• Personally, I search from newest to oldest, since the newest positions are less likely to have been filled

• I also searched for jobs that require general transferable skills such as ‘admin’, ‘data entry’ and ‘receptionist.’

• I specifically looked for TEMP AGENCIES rather than specific roles, since after interviewing with them, they will help match you with a job that suits you – this is how I ended up working as a talent coordinator in Melbourne (I have a media background) and a data analyst in Auckland (Idk why… I got an A in Maths GCSE fourteen years ago… I guess…) Anyways, my Auckland job is for a super friendly, sustainable company, so I’m happy

And yes, I applied to EVERY JOB that might be a good fit.

Applying for jobs:

It goes without saying but make sure your CV is up to date. Run it through a spell check and grammar check, though I also recommend asking a friend to proofread it. By the way, if you have a degree, but this ABOVE job experience is on your CV, even if you think your degree isn’t relevant. This was a tip a temp agency gave me!

• I read the job descriptions carefully and used language in my cover letter that mimicked what they were looking for – show each cover letter is personalized. For example, if in your CV you say you ‘book meetings’ but the job description says ‘appointment scheduling’, write it in the same language. Sometimes employers use CTRL+F to ‘find’ buzzwords in all the applications to help them sort through them!

• Add the individual who you are applying if possible (ie, to ‘Sheila’ rather than the name of the company).

• Have your references ready
  I have a saved doc with the numbers and emails of recent employers and double-check they’re correct (on old employer’s websites) every few months.

• Mention WHEN you are able to come into an appointment in your cover letter to show good organisation. If you might need a skype interview (for instance, because you only want to move cities if you get the job), also mention this and why. If you’ve not yet arrived in the city, give them the date of arrival. This saves your potential employer time.

• Make sure you have the correct phone number and email. If you don’t yet have a phone number (for example, if you’ve not yet arrived in the country) again, mention the day you arrive in the country and then buy a local sim card on this day. Tell them the best way to contact you (most likely, by email) before you arrive.

Note: it’s also worth setting up your bank account as soon as possible. You will also need a Tax File Number in Australia or an IRD in New Zealand.

Australia – tips for getting set up on a Working Holiday visa

Still struggling to find interviews? Try searching ‘call centre’ in the relevant city – you can also do inbound calls if you don’t fancy cold calling – and ‘customer services’. The number of people who’ve told me they couldn’t find a job and had to take money from their parents is crazy.

Entry-level jobs are more likely to hire a WHV staff member. If you’re really struggling, think back to your FIRST jobs after leaving school, such as working in a shop, data entry or cleaning.

The temp agency are calling me! What do I do?!

Don’t panic! Temp agencies are super friendly and understand it can be stressful when you first arrive in a new country. They probably just want to ask where you’re staying (it’s OK to say the name of your hostel if you’ve not found a place yet) and where you’re from.

Speak clearly and be friendly. No pressure. 🙂

Some things to remember before your interview:

• It’s always worth googling the temp agency (or job) beforehand so that you have an idea about what they stand for

• Generally, it’s better to dress too smart than not smart enough. I wore black boots, black trousers, a smartish top and jumper… and my beat-up daypack. Cuz hey, I’m still a traveller after all. 🙂

• Take your passport, reference details, visa details and a copy of your CV. If you don’t have a printer, it’s not an issue; just have these details handy as you will be asked to fill in forms.

• Remember, it’s a two-way street – the interview is just as much about you finding out about them as it is about them finding out about you. This helps me calm down because an interview is really just having a conversation and finding a good fit. Also, a temp agency interview is usually very friendly and not as high pressure as a permanent role interview.

• Don’t worry if you feel nervous as interviewers expect it, and most of us get a bit tongue-tied or nervous 🙂 They’re not going to ‘mark you down’ for being nervous!

• Here are some more great tips for getting ready for an interview

After your interview:

• A follow-up saying it was lovely to meet you is a nice gesture.

• After that, don’t pester them too often. However, it can be worth checking in with temp agencies to ask if anything new is coming in – maybe once a month.

• Also, as a courtesy, let them know what days you can/can’t work in advance (for example, if you have a holiday coming up)

So, you’ve got the job?

Now it’s important to keep on good terms with your temp agency. Be a good employee!

Check the dress code in advance. Even if you don’t have many work clothes, it’s OK. Personally, I just had two pairs of black trousers and two jumpers I could wear interchangeably every day – no one even noticed I only had two outfits! When it’s ‘business casual’, you can probably wear smart-ish jeans, jumpers and plain skirts that also fit well into your backpacker wardrobe. This is often the case – usually, I haven’t had to dress too smart.

Turn up on time and make the temp agency look good. This way, they are more likely to keep getting you roles, and you’re also making their lives easier too. 🙂 I always arrive at work 10 minutes early so I can get a (free) coffee first.

And be friendly to everyone in the office. 🙂

If you have to leave a role early, try and give the temp agency as much notice as possible. Usually, at least one week’s notice (or as soon as you can!) is a good courtesy, so they have ample time to find a new temp. Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible, as I know from experience (although only once I had to finish a role early). But following this rule as much as possible will really help them out.

Even if you don’t plan on using the temp agency in the future, keeping them on good terms means that –

a) you can use them as a reference in the future

b) you’re a nice person! Yay!

Let me know if you have any more questions about finding temp jobs on a Working Holiday visa below!