r/AUCareerGuidance

I used to think staying with one company for 4-5 years looked much better on a CV.

But looking at people around me, some of the biggest salary jumps seem to happen when they move rather than wait for an internal promotion. At the same time, I don't want my CV to look like I’m constantly jumping ship.

For people who have changed jobs a few times in Australia, where do you personally draw the line between career progression and looking like a job hopper?

I’ve been working in medical administration at a busy hospital for the last 4 years. My coworkers & bosses are cool and I love interacting with the patients so technically it’s fine I suppose but being stuck inside all day on a computer is honestly draining the life out of me. I’m turning 40 next year and thinking deeply about how I want the next 30 years of my career to look.

I’ve narrowed it down to 3 options but would love some feedback.

1. Hospitality
   Prior to my current job I spent 15ish years waitressing and it was mostly great. I was with the same restaurant for the last 8 years and would probably still be there if it didn’t permanently close due to COVID.

Pros: I loved working nights, being active, the social interaction and I have a genuine passion for hospitality. The job makes me feel so energised.

Cons: The biggest cons are finances and stability. Being employed as a casual means higher hourly rate and penalties but no guarantee of hours and no sick leave/annual leave etc which is risky. Going full time provides more benefits but drops my hourly rate to substantially less than what I earn at my current job unless I move into management. I have the skills and experience for management but have very little interest in it.

2. Social Work
   I’m particularly interested in homeless support services or family violence case management. I actually did my first year of the diploma of community services a million years ago when I was 18 and really enjoyed both the study and placement but had to drop out as I needed to work full time (online study was not really a thing back then).

Pros: I think I would genuinely enjoy the work and dedicating my career to something meaningful instead of making some corporation richer is appealing. There are multiple different specialties (housing, youth & families, justice, addiction etc) so I’m not locked into one path. The job market in my area is fairly good and the pay is decent enough for my fairly low cost of living region. I can also start small by doing the cert 4 or diploma of community services online while keeping my current job which is necessary financially.

Cons: The potential for burnout is high and I’m concerned about ending up chained to a desk which is the biggest negative of my current job.

3. Non Emergency Patient Transport
   Not something I had ever considered/really knew existed but in my current job I interact with NEPT officers frequently.

Pros: It would fulfil my desire to be out and about rather than stuck in an office and I really do enjoy interacting with patients.

Cons: The money is kind of shit and there’s no real opportunity to increase your income. It’s roughly the same as I earn now which is ok but with the cost of living constantly going up I can’t see it being survivable in 10 years.

If you’ve made it though I really appreciate your patience and any feedback you can offer.

o I lived in the UK for 1 year . Studied Msc in International Business, didn’t Do Psw because saw all my friends Stuck In Fields They Didn’t Study in (fields not relevant to their Study like Warehouse, waitress, cleaner restaurant Manager, care home)plus they couldn’t save anything. Their money would mostly go in rent and Food plus travelling so decided to come back to India after Masters . But Now I need a Job in my field. That is Business, Marketing, Finance, Investment, Creative roles etc . What do I do ? Where do i apply ? Im open to any Country , like US , Australia, UAE , New Zealand or UK and any other European country . But i just don’t know Where to Start . Can Someone help Me please 🙏🏻

Hey everyone! I’m a student from India currently doing 12th CBSE (PCB), and I’m planning to study Bachelor of Nursing in Australia for the 2027/28 intake dont know when scholarship and admission application for some unis will open.
I’m currently looking at Deakin, Griffith, queensland, Adelaide specifically the uni that will give me more scholarship. Sydney is also an option, but I’m a bit worried about the cost. I’m aiming for around 90%+ in my boards and I’ll try for scholarships, although I know the 50% ones are really competitive. Even a 20–25% or 40%(if available) scholarship would help me a lot.
I’ve spoken to both IDP and Global Opportunities visa agency and honestly both seemed pretty similar, but Global seemed a little better with scholarships, so I’m not sure which one to go with.
I’d really appreciate advice from anyone already studying nursing in Australia, especially international students.
A few things I’m confused about:
• Deakin vs Griffith vs Adelaide vs Brisbane uni — what’s your actual experience with nursing, placements and student life?
• PTE vs IELTS — which would you recommend for nursing?
• What are the realistic living + tuition costs and how much can you actually cover through part-time work? im planning to cover atleast last 2 yr uni fees doing part time as i don't want to burden my parents , so please tell me if i can manage it.
• Is it manageable to work part-time while doing nursing and clinical placements?
• After a Bachelor of Nursing, is it better to gain experience and specialise, or does a Master’s make a big difference to salary/career opportunities?
• Do hospitals ever help pay for postgraduate study/specialisation?
• And most importantly, what do you wish you knew before coming to Australia?
* what about age care jobs in aus as they pay good ,can a student like me get that part time work ?
I don’t have anyone in australia i can ask about this stuff, so I’d appreciate any honest advice — good or bad. I’m trying to make a realistic decision rather than just choosing based on rankings or scholarships.