A skilled migrant who initially struggled to enter the Australian job market has landed a job with one of the largest insurance companies IAG.

Parvinder Singh Soin arrived from India with over ten years of experience as a Business Intelligence analyst, attracted to the well-developed Australian IT market.

But he said he initially found it very challenging to get past recruiters.

“There is a lot of work in the IT industry in India so you don’t go out looking for recruiters,” Pavinder said,

“They come out looking for you instead,” he said.

Parvinder soon realised this wasn’t the case in Australia.

“You have to be constantly on your toes and convince the recruiters why you deserve the job,” Parvinder said.

He joined AMES Australia’s Skilled Professionals Migrant Program (SPMP) hoping to improve his resume, cover letter and adapt to the Australian work culture with the help of a mentor.

“My mentor came from an IT background and had lived in Australia for 17 years so he understood the industry better than me,” Parvinder said,

His said his mentor was able to guide him in regards to where he should apply for a job, and within four months he was offered a position at IAG as an SQL Developer.

“As we all come from a different background, adopting a new country’s thought process is challenging” Parvinder said.

He said in his culture you are taught to be very humble, so if you are good at something and talk about it people assume that you are “showing off”.

“However you must learn the Australian culture where you put your best forward and focus on your own positive qualities” Parvinder said.

Parvinder said the SPMP helped him to realise how good he is at what he does do and how to convince others to pick up his resume in one or two minutes.

Parvinders advice to other skilled migrants is to be patient and bold.

“Every culture is different, so when you’re in Rome, do as Romans do,” Parvinder said.

“You must be straight forward, tell the recruiters ‘I am best at these things… that’s why you should consider me,’” he said.

Magy Mekhaiel