6 Jobs in 4 months - a strong record

No joke - 6 jobs in 4 months is quite an impressive record, don't you think? As the job search in Australia was one of the topics that caused me the most headache before my trip, I thought I'd summarize my job search in a little report (or rather drama).

The sad and almost funny thing about it is the fact that I THOUGHT I WAS super prepared for the job search in Australia. I read a book about Work & Travel, did my research, and signed up for various job sites. Yup, with my resume, recommendation letters, and English certificate, I felt well prepared. Haha - good joke.

In reality, job hunting works a bit differently as a backpacker - maybe comparable to a boxing ring. Nothing beats deception and sometimes you have to throw a few punches.

But let's start my personal little drama in 6 acts from the beginning.

Act 1 - Stokehouse St. Kilda, Melbourne

Through connections, we heard about Stokehouse and its grand opening at St. Kilda Beach. After we introduced ourselves, we were invited to various meetings and trainings. Top! The concept seemed perfect at first. A brand new modern building, a young international team, and on top of that, comprehensive training including wine tasting and more. It got strange when we received a booklet (!) of instructions, including things like 'Makeup is desired' and 'Regarding shoe brands, Nike, Adidas, and Converse are clearly preferred.' And we were drilled to memorize every single detail of the menu (food + cocktails + wine) by the next morning. Then there were people like us, who read through the crap again in the evening, and others who studied all night and knew immediately the next day which South Australian white wine goes well with steak. Yes, exactly, do I look like it! The whole thing ended with Stokehouse being absolutely overstaffed, and as Germans alongside backpackers from Canada and England, we naturally had little chance. After chasing the idiots for a week, we were finally informed that we would simply not be scheduled anymore (and the whole 'employment contract' was therefore worthless). So, the job search had to continue.

Act 2 - Chapel Street, Melbourne

So armed with resumes, we went to the city center, where we could get rid of about 15 resumes, each time with the promise that things looked good for us and we would get a call. The result? 1 call for a trial shift on the same evening. Coincidentally, the said bar was short of 2 people that evening, so we were the perfect fill-ins. At the end of the day, our resumes ended up on a pile of about 100 others, we got paid $40, and in the end, we were told that special training (Aaaha!) was needed to continue working there (Aaalright then!). Unfortunately, this training is now being held very irregularly, blaaa blaa blaa. Hallelujah! Someone put effort into their rejection!

Take two - failed. Also, all the job sites led to nothing, and so the job search in Melbourne was slowly becoming frustrating.

Aside from Melbourne, we had one more way out: Phillip Island and the fish restaurant Harry's, which was inclined towards German backpackers because of its German owners.

We quickly combined the job interview with a trip to the small island near Melbourne and started attempt number 3.

Act 3 - Harry's

This time it actually seemed to be looking good for us. After a successful interview, we were immediately referred to a friend of the restaurant who had a room available for us. So, on the same day, we met Heidi, in whose place I still live today. We agreed to get rid of our apartment in Melbourne and then move to Phillip Island.

While Lisa immediately moved to Phillip Island due to financial difficulties, I spontaneously joined a road trip to the Outback and spent my birthday with my loved ones in Melbourne. Afterwards, I also got on the bus and moved to Phillip Island with all my stuff.

The work in the restaurant went pretty well overall, but over time the season slowed down and that meant fewer hours for me. Once again, I went out with my resumes and ended up in a (shitty) store named Gulliver's.

Act 4 - Gulliver's

The work in the said (shitty) store seemed perfect at first (again). I was promised as many hours as I wanted. However, it was based on an hourly wage of $16, which is underpaid, but still good money.

Since my second job was more casual and I enjoyed it more personally, I decided to quit the job at Harry's in order to work full hours at Gulliver's.

As mentioned in a previous blog entry, what was promised as 'as many hours as I want' suddenly turned into 12-hour days without a break. One day, I was close to collapsing and despite my boss wanting me to continue working in that state, I went home crying (no joke). For the sake of my health, I quit the next day after a failed discussion, and was then called lazy, selfish, and every other insult you can think of. Fuck off! So there I was again - unemployed and completely at the end of my rope.

Completely humiliated, the next morning I showed up again at Harry's and asked for a second chance.

Yes, as a backpacker, sometimes you have to swallow your pride and become a professional in kissing ass. Thank goodness, I (Master of Disaster) was accepted again and could at least accumulate a few hours per week to cover most of my expenses for rent and food.

Act 5 - Silverleaves Cafe

Through Lisa, who had been working at the Silverleaves Café for some time, I found out that there might be a job opening there. So, I picked her up from work and casually asked for a job. I remember being very nervous and standing in front of my current boss with my miserable English. To be honest, I was completely surprised when she immediately offered me a trial shift after my stuttering. Once again, I dressed up and went to a new job for the fifth (!) time. Initially, I could only help out a few hours in the service because there were still several guys and girls from Melbourne working there due to the school holidays. One day, however, I was asked if I could help out in the kitchen. My hand went up immediately and my boss, quite amazed, sent me to the kitchen with Alan, the café's chef, and Donna, his kitchen assistant. I immediately enjoyed working in the kitchen, which I never knew before since I always worked in the service. But as an amateur cook, I could really shine in the kitchen. My bosses noticed that too, and so I was allowed to work in the kitchen most of the time. As cooking is generally a topic that interests me, I soaked up everything like a sponge and learned countless techniques, hacks, and recipes. In the meantime, I have taken over from Donna except for weekends, get to choose and bake cakes and cookies all on my own, and Alan always personally asks me to taste the food. It's a great feeling to see the cake counter in front of me and to know that I am the little artist behind it. When the orders are flying into the kitchen one after another, I work with Alan (usually) in great teamwork, even if we sometimes loudly scold each other under pressure. Occasionally, eggshells fly around in combination with 'Fuck it' and 'Fuck off' and 'Fuck that shit' (etc.) from a raging Alan, to which he receives my absolute pity in the form of 'Good Job Alan. You can tidy up your shit by yourself afterwards,' after he once again throws his burnt food through the kitchen. Yes, these and similar situations are not uncommon. Sometimes I have to take a trip to the toilet to do some breathing exercises and stretching, the rest goes in one ear and out the other, as they say. The recognition for my work in the kitchen, especially from Anne, my boss, is high. Just a few days ago, she took me aside and asked me how I manage to stay so calm and focused in the kitchen with Alan. What can I say.. I don't give a fuck what he says?

Then she told me about countless stories of my predecessors who quit the job crying or with nightmares (no joke haha). The funniest part of the story? Anne and Alan are married.

Despite our kitchen crises, we have become a great team. Alan is a great teacher for me when it comes to Australian recipes (fancy some scones, pasties, or pies?) as well as Australian slang. For example, there is a phrase that Alan INSISTS I say instead of squeezing past him when it gets tight in our kitchen. Our phrase? Fuck off out of my way. It's hard to believe that at first, it was a bit difficult for me to tell my boss that he should just.. you know what I mean. But I think everyone can imagine by now how much fun we often have at work.

As mentioned before, Alan officially renamed me Fred or Freddy, since Verena and Vreni seemed like too much to ask. Over time, I gave up explaining my name 5 times and now only introduce myself as Freddy.

There's still the two of us, observing and gossiping about guests through the kitchen door, Alan when he smashed his ice cream in my face, or his whining about women always having to be right (facts). I honestly almost fell to the ground laughing when Alan answered the question of whether he is the boss here with 'Me? Nah! I'm just working here.'

Over time, our schoolies and Lisa left us. So, I took over Lisa's position in the service and practiced making typical Australian coffees on those (incredibly awesome) giant coffee machines whenever I had the chance.

Yes, by now I have become an absolute all-rounder and have been working 6 days a week for weeks, often being the first one in the store in the morning with Alan and the last one closing the doors.

Definitely something I'm incredibly proud of and a great new experience that I'm extremely grateful for.

My personal highlight? The moment when Anne came to me and asked 'Fred, how do you feel about being adopted and living and working forever on Phillip Island?' Haha, so that's how you make connections in Australia. From that day on, Anne introduced me to my 'new family members' herself, even in the busiest times. So delightful, this woman! So, if I don't like Germany anymore, you'll find me on Phillip Island!

Act 6 - Sheerwoods

Since my beloved Silverleaves Cafe is only open from 8 am to 3 pm, I went on one last job search to make my evenings more productive. My motivation for more work? Zero! My motivation for money? Hoooigh.

My first attempt was a success, so I could start working 2-3 evenings a week at a fancy restaurant called Sheerwoods for another 4 weeks. The work there is still going smoothly and I must say - the money is slowly adding up.

Actually, I don't have even one more week of work ahead of me before traveling starts again. The last few days have been tough: 11 hours of work, eating, sleeping. Of course, I don't regret all the work - on the contrary - as a backpacker, I'm incredibly happy to be able to make money in the end. But slowly but surely, it's also enough for me.

My energy has been rapidly declining in recent days and there have been moments when I thought, with my head in my hands, 'Vreni, you're getting too old for this shit.' But the anticipation of what's to come (whatever it may be) is growing immeasurably and gives me the necessary energy to go to work one more time every day of my final sprint.

I look back on 4 months between being unemployed and overworked, falling on my face and motivated new beginnings, struggling and being overjoyed. 6 jobs in 4 months! And now you can all go and fuck yourselves. Thanks for your money. Freddy is now going on a trip.

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Enough fun - what do I really think about working in Oz?

In my opinion, the 'Work & Travel' concept in Australia is simply outdated. Employers no longer see backpackers as an opportunity for motivated seasonal workers, but instead take advantage of their financial difficulties to a large extent. The same goes for backpackers. In order to keep up in the competition, people lie about the length of their stay in a certain place (I did that too) and fill in the gaps in their resumes with jobs they never worked a single day (I wasn't that mean though). Personally, I have decided to leave out the work on future trips - or save money at home beforehand - and focus on the travel. Although I don't regret it and don't want to discourage anyone from it, I do mourn a little bit for the time we wasted on applying, doing trial shifts, and unnecessary money worries.

On the other hand, it's definitely worth a try. On the one hand, of course, to earn money while traveling to be able to travel longer as well as to get to know other aspects - in my case, for example, Australian food, everyday life, the Australian way of life. And just as a side note: In Australia, you can make a lot of money. The minimum wage (if you don't get an underpaid job) is $17.70 AUD, which is almost €13. In the hospitality industry, I eventually earned $20 AUD. Compared to the boring €8.50 in Germany, that's awesome!

My tips for anyone who is planning something similar: Don't go where you first think of. We tried our luck in Melbourne, where hospitality is actually (!) booming. Well, that's what every backpacker thinks. So, it's better to go to a place that is touristy, but not somewhere you would want to stay for a long time? You know what I mean? Phillip Island is a tourist hotspot because of its penguins, but there's not much more to it. Most people only come for a weekend and then disappear. So, if you are in the vicinity of Melbourne and looking for work, definitely give Phillip Island a try! :)

Tipp number two: Play the cards you have as well as you can. Australian employers are used to backpackers and you won't break their hearts if you suddenly change your planned 3 months to just 1 month and leave when the money is right. I also applied and pretended to stay for 3 months. One month has passed and unfortunately, I have to leave the island. That's life, darling.

This also applies to your skills. Can't carry 3 trays? Neither could I. Did I admit it? Of course not. It might be a bit embarrassing during the first tricky attempts.. but you'll come up with some excuse for why you forgot how to do it. :P

Last but not least: Don't rely on anyone. Seriously! If you're told that the job is yours, don't believe a word until you actually work there. Never rely on getting (especially permanent) enough hours in a job. Always keep an eye out for other job openings, always apply to multiple companies, even if you've already managed to secure a trial shift. I'm serious, trust nobody!

And finally: Don't give up. I think my story really shows that there's always a way forward. As things turned out, it was NOT AT ALL planned. I planned to work in Melbourne for 2 months. Think again, doll. I'm just saying 6 jobs in 4 months. Guys, it can't get much more turbulent than that. I have no problem saying that I sometimes really hit rock bottom. And by rock bottom, I mean really, rock bottom! BUT! I kept going and never gave up. And I can be proud of that, regardless of my roller coaster of a job search.

Is it gonna be hard? Yes! Worth it? Absolutely!!!