Written for SA2Eire by a Member
If you are reading this, then like me you have supported, encouraged and motivated your spouse through their journey towards obtaining a Critical Skills Employment Permit. And like me, you also know the reality, the fear and the realisation of eventually leaving your job in South Africa. More so if you have spent years at university, built a solid career, and are now facing the prospect of either not being able to continue in your field, or finding that there simply are no jobs in your area of work here.
I want to share my job search journey in the hope that it gives you some practical advice, and maybe a little hope too.
I started out looking for a position as a teacher. I teach engineering and technical education and I am qualified to work in Ireland, but I had little to no success getting even a response from schools. So I decided a career change might be necessary. In no way was I lazy about it. I had compiled my file for the Teaching Council and paid all the fees. But sometimes the door just does not open that way.
So I started fresh.
First I got my CV redone by Lyndon (totally worth it) and downloaded the Jobs.ie app. The keyword search stumped me immediately. “Teacher” was not a category, so I had to ask myself a different question: what can I actually do with the skills I have built over 13 years of working? I am only 33, but that is a solid foundation.
I wrote down five skills I felt confident in and started searching those as keywords. What came up surprised me. Many roles did not ask for a specific degree at all. They asked for skills, and I had them.
I committed to applying for three positions. For each one I downloaded the job description, compared it carefully with my own experience, and wrote out talking points and real examples for every skill they listed. I researched each company thoroughly, their website, their social media, and the LinkedIn profiles of everyone who worked there. I wanted them to know who I was before I even walked in.
At this point I was still in South Africa.
I got an interview for one of the three. Then a second round. I threw up after both 45-minute interviews. And I could not stop cringing at how many times I said “ja” during both of them.
After the second interview on a Friday, I spent the whole weekend visualising myself in the role. Getting ready for work. Who I would meet. What I would wear. What the day would feel like.
Monday afternoon I got a call. I had not gotten the job I interviewed for, because the role involved travelling around Ireland and they were concerned I had never been here before. But they had a better position to offer me. One I had seen online but had not felt quite confident enough to apply for. They thought I was a perfect fit.
And it is a perfect fit for me too. Remote working, no travel, manageable for a mum with a 5 year old. The salary is also really great.
I am not writing this to brag. I am writing this for every Saffa who, like me, is heading down the rabbit hole of anxiety about going into the unknown and not knowing who you are about to become. We already know why we are making this move. Leaving our careers and years of hard work behind just makes it all a little harder.
Here are the things that genuinely helped me:
1. Get your CV up to Irish standards. I used Lyndon, and they actually mentioned how creatively my CV was laid out during my interview. First impressions matter.
2. Know your strengths and what you actually want. Money alone is not a good enough reason to want a job. If you love what you do, you will not work a day in your life.
3. The Irish are genuinely great to be interviewed by. I was interviewed by four people and I am excited to work with all of them. They were compassionate, personable and completely relaxed. I was the one who vomited afterwards, remember.
4. Be confident and proud of being South African. We are made of tough stuff. I drew on my South African experience in my interview talking points and they were genuinely shocked and impressed. Resilience, independent thinking, working under pressure: these are real skills and they stand out.
5. Visualise and believe. Imagine yourself in the role before you get it. I absolutely believed this job was mine before the call came. Whatever that means to you spiritually or practically, do not underestimate the power of going in with conviction.
6. Be patient, especially in August. Do not expect quick responses during the Irish summer. August here is December vibes. People are outside enjoying the weather. Our turn is coming too, hopefully!
