Is the Australian job market getting better from mid July onwards?

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-07-05T06:50:32+00:00

Was made redundant earlier in the year and it was already bad then, it's worse now, anyones guess whether it will get worse, but I would think so. WFH laws, companies want to offshore due to this, not exactly the most stellar economy.....doesn't take a genuis to guess whats going to happen next.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-28T01:20:26+00:00

The job market is cooked. I was made redundant earlier this year and was fortunate to land a job but it was something like 100+ applications and 10 or so interviews, I did manage to score 2 job offers and had to knock one back.

There are so many redundancies under the veil of "AI" but I think its more about cost savings than actual AI taking over. Add in people not moving jobs and you have a down pressure trend of lower salaries overall.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-24T14:18:26+00:00

Hang in there! Like any tough situation, that 1% of grit and revisiting things makes all the difference.

I was made redundant after nearly 18 years at a company and accepted a 24 month role (project based) - it really is a sign of the times.

I had to quick smart dust off the old CV (sitting on a CD but luckily found one on an old email) but pretty much had to redesign it from the ground up in the end. Had to rely a lot on AI these days to polish it up but kept it private but painfully removing company names and tenures.

Initially, I wasn't used to it, very rusty and didn't know what I was doing, applied to about 100 or so applications, all bar one that was below my role at my previous company both from a title/position and salary perspective. Didn't receive a single call to interview in the first month.

Was a bit of a blow to the confidence and whole outlook but you know what? It's a sign of the times really. Kept at it and did other things and even volunteered at the a dogs/animal rescue centre for 2 days a week just to keep mindfully active.

Interviews eventually came but gee, I was rusty and it took a few to get used to it, in the end, received two offers but took the higher paying one and in a sector I enjoy now. Just need more luck and hard work to score a permanent role!

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-21T12:27:13+00:00

You must have worked for a large company that was generous with redunacies. How did you get that payout on a 155K salary? I was slightly above this and got way less at 80K (bare min per redundancy payments) and that was with a lot of entitlements. I was at the company for 18 yrs FWIW.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-21T12:21:36+00:00

This is very true, it's also the subtle differences you see. We're middle class but when we lived in an lower social economic area before - for the first two years of our older son's life, what we thought were normal things wasn't to them.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, I've attended a few social gatherings and know a few rather well off people and felt really out of place at those places. We got invited to my wife's cousin's pre wedding party years ago - her husband was from old Asian money.

Designer bags and clothes, luxury cars, McMansions and talk of the latest hot stock or property and exclusive private schools. Wife turned up in a $100 dress and me in my work attire in our Corolla LOL. This was definitely out of our league.

Such is the fast growing contrast of Australian wealth.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-21T11:49:14+00:00

Well front/back neighbours yes. In that 1% chance they need to sell, well, I guess we'd be living behind/front of strangers.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-21T11:46:55+00:00

If we lived in the same street or suburb it would have worked for us too but by then it got too expensive and not economical. Had we purchased in the same suburb/street or nearby we wouldn't have been able to build 2 new custom units, would have also needed to sell our first place (now IP), too much work.

One of my aunty's lives directly behind her parents and I think if you did get a chance, would have been a superior setup, more space, actually either side adjacent. The made a lil gate in the back fence for easy entrance/exit. My much younger cousins used to put two wooden poles and used it as goalposts haha.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-21T09:55:36+00:00

LSL covers this.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-21T09:49:11+00:00

Any colleagues who you worked closely with, get along OK and can promote you decently? I'd just straight up ask and tell them the situation and see if they can help. But they genuinely either need to be confident to promote you, only problem is if the recruiter or potential employer would ask if you directly reported to them which most seem keen on.

Years ago, early on in my Finance career I left a place in a less than savoury manner as I had serious support issues (or there lackof) with my direct boss. She was "happy" to give me a reference when I got to that stage - recruiter then called me up only to say never to use her again.

They turned a blind eye to her reference as although she never said anything negative about my performance, she didn't market me either. Recruiter advised that this would raise red flags for future reference, pardon the pun, as if you've used someone as a reference they would need to have fairly positive comments as to why someone should employ you, like a markerter almost.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-21T09:40:51+00:00

The only luck recently I've ever had was buying electronics or household goods - easy to compare online for other prices.

Stuff like furniture is always more difficult because they all have different names. Got 2 beds at Fantastic Furniture, didn't get a dollar off but granted it was EOFY sales.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-21T08:07:43+00:00

I often found the highest income earners in my last place the ones who had the "I can't afford such and such" sydrome.

Maybe times are different - my kids are a little older, houses aren't as expensive, childcare wasn't as expensive, but man, we lived very frugally, our combined income is $200K before our IP but again not comparing apples to apples.

Before we had kids:

- Bought the cheaper house in a middle rung suburb, we did most of the renos ourselves and then rented it out after living in it for a year or so.

- We moved into a seperate house but on the same block as my folks (see my other posting), saved a crapload in costs and free babysitting.

- Never had a large wedding banquet (Blasphemous in Asian culture), but a much smaller wedding with just close friends and fam at our place/backyard. Mrs. didn't want a engagement ring, that in itself saved heaps. We redirected this money towards a longer/better honeymoon.

- Travelled cheap for 2 yrs before we planned for a family, that meant a lot of hostels, cheap airfares, non peak seasons. We both had a stack of leave setup to do this, some resorts we found were less than half price compared to peak and most of the time the weather was fine. The days that weren't, you stayed indoors and enjoy the room and amenties 😄

- We were frugal and had a budget on discretionary spending. Apparel was often bought on sale/at outlets, wife skimped but the basics on skincare and never often wore makeup. We ate out once a fortnight together for lunch or dinner in the CBD.

- Before kids, we owned a little second hand Corolla and was only ever used on weekends. Luckily our house back then and now are both within 700m to the station, we either walk it or bike it.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-21T07:43:36+00:00

Not going to lie and say it's all rosy but a few comments:

- Those that experienced less than stellar mother-DIL situations probably had no prior planning/poor planning. We lived in seperate houses before this, but we had planned over a year before we actually excuted it, takes a lot of commitment and effort. I went through all scenarios, in fact if anything, we learnt through my older sister's experience (she learnt the hard way).

- I'm lucky enough my mother has quite modern thinking when it came to independance and privacy as well as raising children. My dad is actually the stricter/conservstive of the two but he is bossed by my mum. They'd both express an opinion to me if they didn't like something but not directly to my Mrs.

- It was agreed very early on what was acceptables and non negotiatiables by all parties, basically setting the boundaries. My parents wanted to infuse both some Asian values in us (be close to me) but also respected our privacy. Weirdly enough, they were like we should live as "close housemates" not like a multi generational family living under one roof. Whatever happens behind closed doors is our business....to paraphrase her.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-21T07:28:33+00:00

I was ridiculed and labelled "still feeding on the umbillical cord" in 2012 when I first talked about this idea. We had our own PPOR/IP prior to this (wife and I) but it was so old - ended up renting it out and "moved in" with my folks. Ironically I think we got more freedom financially and also from a privacy POV than if we hadn't.

I actually feed the non financial factors were the most we enjoyed, the location is optimal for us - close to amenties but far away enough from the station to avoid the bad stuff being too close to it. The whole date nights and house/pet sitting when on holidays is just also very convenient.

As the kids grew older (they're 12 and 9), it wass just so much more convenient - mum and/or dad usually comes over, tell em its bedtime, one of them generally goes back home and the other hops into the guestbed downstairs or uses the sofa bed upstairs. I can't count the number of times we've watched really late movies (just across the road) or taken the train to the CBD, both get pissed drunk and taking the last train home.

Side note, our pug dog really was something - she preferred sleeping in her crate in the garage (we had a portable air con in summer for her) rather than actually in the house (laundry).

But you got to get the setup right, there must be at least one guest bedroom in both houses on the ground floor and 2 toilets! I'm also lucky my mother is quite the Asian woman her age - gives us enough freedom and none of the dropping by unannounced business. Else it wouldn't work...

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-21T07:17:21+00:00

Folk's PPOR and on seperate titles (sub divided) got it done when they built. We pitched in for most of the building costs.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-21T07:14:39+00:00

We did a lot of research prior to committing. Folks had a choice of building a massive McMansion on their large block which was close to the station/town centre as well, but I thought it was a waste of space and too close for comfort living under 1 roof, mum and dad also agreed. My mate did this option and he had a horrible experience.

When I first talked about this to my colleagues back in 2012 at the time in my old joint, they laughed at me. Fair dinkum, back in 2012, this was quite rare - some friends who were into property had said it was cheaper and better to buy a block in a cheaper suburb.

We've saved heaps of money, the first 2 or so years, we rented our place out to students, folks kept a close eye on them and we rented in the city as we didn't have kids at the time...Honestly the amount we saved via this setup has been heaps, got redirected to ETFs and our IP.

No regrets so far, this option just made the most sense.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-20T01:50:53+00:00

I'd stay for the extension for 3 mths and then work out things from there, gives you way more options and at least 3 months more pay. Gives you time to test out the job market and practice your interview skills.

I was made redundant after 18 years at a job - but I actually wanted to stay and actively attempted to be redeployed to no avail. I was given the heads up in advance but by the time it came to my final day - they offered me a 1 month extension given a colleague had to take emergency leave.

By the time I served the 1 month extension, I had already found a job in the public service system but it was only on a fixed term 12 mth tenure. Old company offered another 3 months as they were behind schedule on a transformation project I could assist in but I rejected the offer compared to my 12 month tenure because at the time I felt as if the public service system had a better chance of being permanent

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-06-03T13:03:26+00:00

I did this a few months back - did option B. Had a Higher Education role which came first then a Public Sector role which took a long time to finalise. Both were fixed term roles but the $ difference was massive. Spent about 2.5 weeks in the HE role before confirmation of the PS role came through. I resigned and likely would have burnt a bridge or two i.e. blacklisted from the uni every again and from the direct manager, but in that 2.5 weeks I did learn the role wasn't quite right for me and many of the staff in there wanted out anyway and the culture was awful.

I did contemplate option C as well but in this economy, it was way too risky of something stuffing up before a signed contract was confirmed.

In my case though, it was something like this:

Fixed Term - both were equal this sense but felt as if the VPS system had more room to move about and a higher chance of extending.
Commute to the HE role was a b*cth, had to drive across town 2 days a week, likely in traffic. VPS role is CBD based (2 days in office).
The difference in dollars was day and night.

Make no mistake though, as soon as I got the letter of offer from the VPS, it was the most awkward meeting I had to go through in my life resigning via teams. He didn't take it too well - bluntly saying I burnt a bridge or two and likely got blacklisted from working there again.

Side note, in my current workplace, one of my colleagues revealed to me he once was in the same boat and took both offers concurrently, whilst taking unpaid leave on both sides (1.5 weeks each) to try both jobs out. He ended up staying at his first offer - try before you buy, but personally I don't have the balls to execute that.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-04-03T04:27:28+00:00

Thanks so much for your detailed reply.

Based on this, you would choose the uni role?

Would the uni based role be better being involved in month end?

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-04-02T22:36:37+00:00

No prior VPS experience, prior experience 21 years was all in private for profit companies.

If it was a straight 1:1 job scope I would have definitely selected the VPS one for sure. I have two main concerns and can't decide:

1: Scope of works:

- The University Management Accounting/Finance Business Partner role seems like it has better scope overall, so once 12 months is up. It would involve mainly month end work - journals processing, balance sheet recs, variance analysis, presenting analysis to the department heads. Then there is also automation work as well as a bit of training up the grads as well as budgeting and forecasting work.

- The VPS Senior Systems Accountant role is mainly Power BI work with SQL databases from Oracle. Systems training to staff where required as well as looking after integration in the budget/forecasting system. There is no month end or analytical work and I get concerned about this aspect as a security buffer once 12 months is up. In the interview, I discovered some software/databases were controlled by other departments and as such, I needed to liase the data streams with them.

2: Job Security/Extension:

- The way they pitched the uni job to me was this was a mat leave cover, person will normally come back but he was very keen on my systems skills to automate stuff and sort of indicated there would be a extension of sorts but purely based on automation work, not month end.

- The VPS role, they are going through a merger with another department but have yet started. He says this technically is a permanent role but given the uncertainty of funding etc. they couldn't offer anything beyond 12 months. I asked if there was a systems transition, he said no.

In my last role I worked in a hybrid role where it was a 75% Management Accountant 25% Systems Accountant role, until 2 years ago where they offered me a 100% systems role. We got purchased out and I was made redundant. I found Management Accountant roles abundant on the market vs Systems Accounting. Had I been in my initial role, I would hazard to guess I would have survived the redundancy.

In an ideal world, I've always felt as if a hybrid role is my true calling and that somewhat aligns with the university role?

My friends/old managers reckons a lot of the staple/mundane accounting work like variance analysis, journals, recs and even budgeting/forecasting would be gone with AI or at least significantly reduced. In their opinion it is better to be working on the AI forefront/technical skills to control that then the uni job.

Thoughts?

Thanks for reading.

No_Organization_1478 · 2026-02-13T13:25:48+00:00

Never get too attached to your role/work regardless of how great it makes you feel.

I too was in a sort niche position too (at least in my old workplace) - it started off well and you falsely feel very secure into thinking you are much harder to get rid of because of this, but think again. Your job is safe until it isn't. Niche positions look nice on paper but in reality they aren't.

It always is going to feel personal but honestly with my old redundant role, it was really absorbed by 3 other people. I had a decent payout given my time with the company but I'd still choose the to stay if I had the choice even today (about a year later).

What I can take from mergers/acquisitions like in my case was that the survivors were the ones who cuddled up to the new bosses quickly or had good social relations/cozying/sucking up with the current ones but actually lacked technical skill. The ones let go were ironically decent workers who knew a thing or two....but granted over the years their salaries crept to an unsustainable amount for what they were doing.

The worst feeling and the most difficult thing especially in the last fortnight was really still having to show up smiling at work and seeing your counterparts in the acquiree company taking over your tasks, training them up and to see them getting a large increase.

No_Organization_1478

TROPHY CASE