Civil Engineer | From Nanny to Quality Coordinator | Melbourne
- María José Casas Salazar
- Apr 10
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 29
“I entered the job market as an Engineer in just 2 months thanks to Ale Munoz.”
Brave and determined, Diana Ahumada, a Colombian civil engineer with over 15 years of experience in her home country, arrived in Australia in 2016 seeking new opportunities.
Diana arrived in Australia in 2016 with a clear goal: to improve her English, which she achieved within a few months through dedication and effort.
It wasn’t easy for her, as she arrived with only a basic level of English and had to attend classes and dedicate many extra hours studying at home and looking for spaces where she could practice.
After several months of studying English, Diana reached an intermediate level, which allowed her to broaden her knowledge and study Project Management at an Australian education institution.
Diana completed three courses in Project Management: a certificate, a diploma, and an advanced diploma, which then enabled her to apply for a Postgraduate visa upon finishing her studies.
This visa grants international students the opportunity to work full-time in Australia for two years without restrictions.
IF YOU CAN WORK FULL-TIME AND WANT TO FIND A NEW JOB, BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL WITH ALE MUNOZ
During her studies, Diana worked as a nanny, waitress, and cleaner. This allowed her not only to study but also to travel and explore Australia.
Diana exploring Melbourne
After 4 years in Australia on a student visa, and now with the possibility of working full-time thanks to her new Postgraduate visa, Diana had a clear next goal: to enter the job market as a professional.
Her focus and passion were in quality control.
After weeks of applying and not getting results in her job search, Diana accessed the job market in less than two months through our AVANZA services.
Diana shares below how she managed to enter the Australian job market through the services offered by Ale Munoz, keeping in mind that she hadn’t worked in her profession for 4 years.
1.How long have you been living in Australia?
I arrived in 2016 and I’m happy to call Australia my home. It’s been a journey full of challenges, but also full of opportunities and rewarding experiences.
2. What’s your professional background in your home country?
I studied Civil Engineering, and like many others, I started my career from scratch. I had the privilege of participating in strategic projects across Colombia, from hydroelectric plants to designing and building roads that connect the country.
Today, my focus and greatest experience lie in Quality Control and Assurance in infrastructure projects, where I combine technical precision with the constant pursuit of excellence.
3. Did you have professional experience in Australia when you started your job search?
No, none. My English wasn’t very good when I arrived in Australia, so my initial goal was to improve it as fast as possible. I knew that without a good level of English, my access to job opportunities would be very limited.
I came to Australia with the experience from my home country and occasionally helped friends and companies in Colombia with freelance quality consulting.
To be honest, I thought that not having local experience would be a major barrier, but with Ale Munoz, I discovered that this wasn’t the case.
I learned that my overseas experience had great value—I just needed to know how to strategically present my knowledge and background in my resume and cover letter, which is essential in the Australian job market.
Diana exploring Sydney and the iconic Opera House.
4. What services did you take with Ale Munoz? How did they help you land your first professional job in Australia?
I took the AVANZA service, which helped me tremendously to improve my soft skills in English, boost my focus and confidence during the job search, and tailor my resume to relevant job offers.
Mock interviews also gave me the courage to attend meetings with potential employers confidently.
Through this coaching, I defined a clear strategy and goals. With the guidance and experience of the mentors, I was able to present myself as an ideal candidate.
5. Did you implement any specific strategies during the AVANZA service and step out of your comfort zone?
Following Ale Munoz’s advice, I started looking for construction companies on LinkedIn and messaging managers, recruiters, or HR personnel.
One of them gave me a face-to-face interview without an open position. Others replied and asked if they could share my resume with partner companies.
6. How long after starting AVANZA did you begin receiving calls from companies and recruiters?
I started the service with Ale Munoz and got my first call after one month. I was very dedicated to the process and applied everything I learned through AVANZA.
It was an incredibly fast process—the coaching on resumes, cover letters, and simultaneous job search strategies really accelerated it.
This was something I couldn’t achieve even after months of job hunting on my own before the service.
7. How was your first interview in Australia? What do you think is the key to having a successful interview?
My first interview went well. I prepared using the questions and answers shared during Ale Munoz’s coaching sessions.
This helped me think of specific examples from my professional experience and structure the information clearly in my mind.
For me, the key was to remain calm, listen carefully, and answer questions concisely.
This last point is especially important in Australia, where it’s crucial to be punctual and to the point without giving unnecessary or unrelated information.
This differs from Colombia, where we tend to give long answers and believe that saying more will help us.
8. What was the hardest part about job hunting as a professional in Australia?
Two things: first, learning to be concise in my answers. I used to talk too much during interviews thinking it was a good thing.
But Australians don’t beat around the bush—they’re very direct and expect the same in return.
The second was applying the so-called “Australian style.” During Ale Munoz’s sessions, one interesting recommendation was to send a thank-you email to the recruiter or interviewer after the meeting.
In that message, I not only thanked them for their time but also reaffirmed my interest in the role and highlighted the key skills I had to succeed in it.
This was new and even a bit uncomfortable for me, as it wasn’t something I usually did, but I always got a reply and a special thanks for the message.
It definitely helped them remember me, and it reminded me how important kindness and gratitude are—we’re always dealing with people, after all.
Diana in the Australian Alps, Victoria.
9. Did you discover anything about yourself or the recruitment process that you didn’t know before?
I was very insecure about my English level, but during the process, I realized that when you talk about what you're passionate about, words flow and ideas come naturally.
About recruitment, I was surprised to see the salary range disclosed in some job posts with company names. Also, how predictable interviews are—many of the questions were exactly the same as the ones I practiced with Ale Munoz.
10. How long did it take to find your professional job after starting the service with Ale Munoz?
I had my first coaching session in January with Ale Munoz and started working on March 16th—it really took about 2.5 months.
However, by the end of February, I had already completed the recruitment process, including medical exams, background checks, and reference confirmation.
Before signing the contract, there was a salary negotiation and entry date definition phase.
11. Tell us more about your first professional job in Australia—company, industry, and general tasks.
I’m currently a Quality Coordinator at AUSREO, a leading company in supplying steel for construction projects.
They don’t produce steel, but they shape and assemble it so that the process doesn’t need to be done onsite, which minimizes waste.
The company operates in three Australian states: New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (VIC), and Queensland (QLD). I’m responsible for quality in VIC and NSW, where there are 2 main plants and 15 smaller ones.
Right now, this company is supplying the steel for the Melbourne Metro Tunnel project.
12. What 3 things would you tell other professionals to encourage them to begin their job search in an English-speaking country?
Getting a professional job in English is absolutely possible.
To achieve this, it’s essential to dare to do things differently, be consistent in your job search, and take the time to carefully analyze each job opportunity available in the market.
Researching companies and understanding their needs allows you to tailor your resume and cover letter to each opportunity in a strategic way.
Also, preparing well for interviews and trusting in your own abilities is key. Reaching this goal requires discipline, determination, and a proactive mindset.
13. Lastly, would you recommend our recruitment services?
I definitely recommend Ale Munoz's recruitment services. The mentors I had access to during my process have the experience and background needed to guide you on how to start professionally in the industry you want to enter.
The tools I received during my time with AVANZA were essential, and the advice I got from them was a valuable summary of their own experiences and those of the professionals they’ve coached.
—–
If you're reading this, it means you're a professional ready for more. Schedule your appointment—we want to meet you!
---------
Are you looking for growth in your career or personal journey?
Career & Life Coaching – Book a session to unlock your best version. Click here.
Mentoring – Meet our expert mentors and connect with professionals in your industry.
Unleash your talent, transform your life, and take your career to new heights. 🚀
Commentaires