Where to find work in Australia — boards, recruiters, networks

The big job boards

• Seek — the largest by far. Most listings, most categories. https://www.seek.com.au/
• LinkedIn — strong for professional and corporate roles.
• Indeed — strong for hourly and entry-level roles.
• Adzuna, Glassdoor, Jora — secondary.
• Government jobs — https://jobsearch.gov.au/ (the federal job portal). State public service jobs go on state-specific sites (e.g. https://iworkfor.nsw.gov.au/).

Industry-specific

• EthicalJobs — not-for-profit and social sector.
• APSjobs — Australian Public Service (federal).
• NurseJobs, HealthcareLink — health.
• EngineerJobs Australia — engineering.
• Hays, Robert Half, Randstad, Michael Page, Hudson — major recruitment agencies covering most professional categories.

Smaller / informal

• Facebook groups — local "Newcomers in [City]" or industry-specific groups can surface jobs that don't make Seek.
• Industry meetups — Meetup, Eventbrite, professional association chapters. Networking matters in Australia more than newcomers expect.

Recruiters

Most professional roles in Australia are filled through agencies. Building relationships with 2–3 specialist recruiters in your field is often more useful than mass-applying.

How to engage

• Email a tailored note + resume. Don't open with "I'm looking for any role" — be specific.
• Call them after a few days if you haven't heard back. Persistence reads as keen, not pushy.
• Recruiters are paid by employers, not by you. They don't charge candidates.
• Ask which clients they've placed people in. Ask whether the role is "exclusive" (only their agency has it) or shared.

Red flags

• A recruiter asking you to pay anything is a scam. Walk away.
• A recruiter asking for full ID, bank details and references before a job offer — caution. Provide identifying info only after a job offer.
• "Resume help" services that charge hefty fees are usually overpriced — the templates exist free online and a good cover letter is more important.