Question asked by an international student living in Sydney. See answer below:

A: It's not easy, however, this is a complex subject and it will be discussed in details in my upcoming book The International Student's Blueprint: Your Strategy for Success in Australia. I’m writing this book because your question is the same as many other international students and recent graduates.

Research from the International Education Association of Australia has shown two major factors to explain why it's such a challenge for international students to find employment in Australia:

• Lack of information about the reality of the employment market

• Unrealistic expectations about post-study arrangements.

I would add one more: lack of experience in the Australian market. It’s important to understand that recruiters value local experience much more than overseas experience.

That said, once we've identified the key factors, we need to move on to finding solutions. What can you do to improve your chances of finding a job?

I always recommend people to start creating a strategy to achieve their goals, in fact, that’s exactly what we do at VS Career & Lifestyle Strategists. Our main goal is to assist international students in finding their dream job in Australia. But that’s not all, in order to get there we perform deep research to find out what companies are looking for in a particular industry or position. In addition, we coach students to understand the hiring process in Australia, how they can create a better résumé that drives results, and improve their performance at interviews. We are specialised in helping international students and recent graduates, and for this reason, we understand their needs.

In order to start improving your chances of securing a full-time job after graduation, here are things that can be done right away:

• Get involved in university projects, and speak to your professors or with the student services to learn more about internship opportunities

• Search online for part-time jobs in your industry

Start gaining experience in the Australian market as soon as possible is crucial to your success in finding a full-time job later on. In addition, it’s very important to highlight that your chances might improve significantly if you are eligible for a post-study work visa, such as the Temporary Graduate visa.

Through it all, it's absolutely crucial to create a strategy that you can follow every step of the way, but specially that will be there in the hard times when you might feel lost. A master plan that reflects your long-term goals in Australia.

I wish you the best of luck!