International students in dire trouble

I take no pleasure that Republic Resumes is booming with clients (online). So many people are out of work and competition is very tight for jobs. This story is a ‘heads-up’ for international students and graduates.

One segment of the population who seeks our advice and asks for a free resume appraisal – and then rarely engages our services – is Adelaide’s Indian graduate students.

They are usually male and have studied IT. Price might be an issue or maybe they think the economy will bounce back soon.

They should note that Australia is suffering its deepest economic contraction since the 1930s, with new figures showing GDP collapsing by 7 per cent through the June quarter.

The worst annual result was during the depths of the Great Depression, when the economy shrank by 10 per cent.

Household consumption fell by 12.7 per cent in in the quarter and discretionary spending dropped by a colossal 25 per cent, while spending on services fell by 17.6 per cent.

These are terrible figures.

The biggest hit was to transport spending which fell by 85.9 per cent while households slashed spending on hotels, cafes and restaurants by 56.1 per cent.

Profit share went through 30 per cent, due to JobKeeper and other government support programs, which went directly to businesses.

I have been critical of the SA government flogging the state as a destination for students from India and Pakistan.

When the economy collapses, like it has now, it’s the casual workers (women and international students) who lose their jobs first.

They were being pauperised then by a range of factors, including industrial scale wage theft, and they are in dire trouble now.

My advice to Indian graduates – in fact, to all international graduates in Adelaide – is to take whatever job you can get.

Put your best foot forward

Malcolm builds expert resumes, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles, which unleash an unbeatable business case to promote you as a ‘must have’ asset to an employer.