Significance of socialising to job search success for CALD migrants

by 

Rupert French

After four decades helping disadvantaged job seekers, Rupert believes success in the job market comes from more than just a strong résumé. In this blog, he explores how confidence, preparation and a proactive mindset can help candidates overcome barriers and secure the roles they deserve.

We all know that confidence and a cheery, can-do attitude are vitally important to job search success, yet it wasn’t until fairly recently that I realised the significance of social interaction to generating that confidence and attitude.

Social interaction with Anglo-Australians is particularly important for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) migrants. Asanka Gunasekara, a lecturer in Management at Swinburne University, surveyed 300 migrants to research the relationship between personal well-being and the degree to which they had adapted to Australian culture and way-of-life. (https://theconversation.com/migrants-who-adapt-to-australian-culture-say-theyre-happier-than-those-who-dont-117264) 

She and her fellow researchers found conclusively that those who had better adapted to Australian culture were happier and they had greater quality of life and overall satisfaction than those who hadn’t. Happiness, satisfaction and quality of life form the breeding ground of confidence and that cheerful, can-do attitude.

But research by The Research Agency (https://www.theresearchagency.com/insights/belonging-diverse-migrants-australia)  showed that only one in three CALD migrants say that they feel and accepted recognised in Australia. Instead, they feel isolated and marginalised. Not ideal for building confidence and a can-do attitude!

Why do they feel isolated and marginalised? Surely, it’s because CALD migrants are so often reluctant to interact with the wider Australian population.

This is perfectly normal. I have lived and worked in several countries where English is at best a second language and I found that, to start with, I tended to interact with the English-speaking diaspora. However, to immigrate implies the intention to integrate into society in the adopted country. Usually this has to be the result of a determined effort to socialise with the wider population. As Gunasekara’s article shows, those who do so become more satisfied; they feel less isolated, more part of their adopted community and more confident. Through this active socialising, they also develop greater fluency in English.

The more migrants mix more with the wider Australian community, the more likely they are to be cheerful and confident, and so be more likely to get suitable employment.

To foster this social integration, I encourage migrant clients to volunteer, or to join service clubs. The CWA, St John Ambulance, the State Emergency Service or Volunteer Fire Brigade or a local sports club; they all provide opportunities for migrants to mix with the wider Australian community.

While socialising seems out of the remit of career development practitioners, for those who work with migrants, it may be well worthwhile considering these ways to develop active social integration when migrant clients lack confidence or show reluctance to network with the wider Australian community.