Finding a job in the US can be tough — but it’s doable if you’re smart about it.

Whether it’s taking a bite out of the Big Apple or catching a wave to Los Angeles, Australians’ can-do spirit makes America a challenge worth accepting.

And thanks to the 10,500 E3 visas on offer each year that allow Aussies to live and work in the US, the opportunities are plentiful, right?

It turns out, it’s not that simple.

Australians who have made the trip and searched for a job in America say the process is far from a cinch, and that there are a number of things you should know before taking the plunge.

‘NOTHING MORE THAN A CRUEL HOAX’

The latest figures from the Department of Homeland Security show Aussies are coming to American shores in droves, but that doesn’t mean they are all at work and rolling in greenbacks.

James Boland from New York-based expat group The Australian Community analysed the figures and found that 12,872 Australians had been granted a B1-2 visa in 2016 — which allows entry into the States for business meetings and pleasure, but not to take up work — representing a 54 per cent rise. Many use this visa while they hunt for a job.

The number of B1-2 visas granted to Australians more than doubled between 2015 and 2016. Picture: The Australian CommunitySource:Supplied

Meanwhile, only 5609 E-3 visas — which allow Australians to work in the US — were issued in 2016, up only 1.6 per cent from the year before and well short of the 10,500 cap.

There has been little change from 2015 to 2016 in the number of Australians granted work visas in the US, according to Department of Homeland Security figures. Picture: The Australian CommunitySource:Supplied

Mr Boland said there was a perception on social media that an “Australian invasion” was underway and that US employers were lining up to give us jobs, a view the numbers don’t support.

He said Australians were unaware of just how competitive the US job market is.

The simple fact is that a surplus of E-3 visas does not mean a surplus of jobs.

“Based on an increase of 54 per cent in B1-2 visas and a corresponding increase of only 1.6 per cent in E-3 approvals, the vast majority of these ‘E-3 hopeful’ Aussies are returning home jobless and financially strained after months of pounding the pavement,” Mr Boland said.

“Anyone who says it is easy for Australians to find work in the US is perpetrating nothing more than a cruel hoax.”

And while it’s a tough road, finding work in the US is possible, if you have the right knowledge.

News.com.au spoke to three members of The Australian Community who had found work in New York to see how they did it and what advice they would give to those who want to follow in their footsteps.

Make it here and you’ll make it anywhere.Source:Supplied

‘IT WAS A NIGHTMARE’

Isabelle Raphael, 34, has lived in New York for six and a half years but admits to having a “nightmare” experience before finding a secure job she loves.

She began her US job hunt seeking work as a photo editor in magazines, but soon found out the industry was in a volatile state.

She spent five years flitting from job to job through no fault of her own — and was forced to reapply for the E-3 every time she was offered a new position.

One magazine she started work at folded within a month; she quickly found a new role at a different publication, but it also went under soon after she came on board.

At one point, she couldn’t find work in the industry for nine months.

She estimates that she has attended 1000 interviews since moving to New York.

“It was the most stressful thing I’ve ever experienced, apart from death and moving. It was a nightmare,” Ms Raphael told news.com.au.

“I felt like I was running on quite a high level of stress.

“You feel like you don’t have any stability … It made me want to make a career change.”

Ms Raphael has left publishing and now works in brand strategy for a start-up that makes sustainable eco products, where she feels she has “more of a future”.

She says she had to “learn the art of explaining what the visa is” because it made companies “nervous”.

“I’ve had jobs retracted because they weren’t sure about the visa and were a bit risk-averse,” Ms Raphael said.

Department of Homeland Security Figures support this, with 737 Australians denied an E-3 in 2016.

She also had to learn to learn to sell herself, a skill that doesn’t always come naturally to Australians.

“I feel like I had to learn to have a lot more moxie than I had before. You really have to push,” she said.

“It’s not culturally Australian to big-note yourself and not be so self-deprecating.”

She also found success by giving her email account a good workout.

“Don’t be shy about cold emailing companies; it gets a response,” she said.

“Send a short, snappy, funny email and comment on the work they are doing. That’s a good in. They like the chutzpah.”

But Ms Raphael advises other Aussies not to expect to be given the thumbs-up or thumbs-down after applying for a position.

“Get used to not hearing back from anybody, even if you had 10 interviews, even if you think the interview has gone so well,” she said.

“It’s kinda like dating in New York.”

The Aussie accent can be an asset when job-hunting in the US.Source:Supplied

‘YOU CAN DO IT, BUT YOU’VE GOT TO DO IT SMART’

Former Sydney resident Nick Peacock-Smith, 35, said the biggest shock to him in the US was just how long the process took from application to job offer.

It’s not uncommon for applicants to sit through a phone interview and four face-to-face interviews — and then not hear a thing.

“The New York job process and hiring process is a lot longer than Australia’s, especially in big, established companies,” said Mr Peacock-Smith, who works in corporate event management.

“I’ve heard people saying, ‘I could get a job in three months.’ That’s bollocks because three months sometimes is the hiring process over here.

“Big companies, they take forever through HR. You get forgotten about.”

He advised job seekers that an Australian phone number on a resume was enough to put your application in the “no” pile.

“There’s no point applying for jobs until you are here,” he said.

Mr Peacock-Smith also warned Australians against stretching the visa rules or overstaying.

“Something that Australians should definitely realise is that US immigration, they don’t mess around. It’s way better to play safe.

“They will kick your butt and it hampers any chance.

“If you do get some sort of red flag here, that means they can’t even visit.”

Overall, he said the job search was “definitely not easy, but it’s doable”. And “the accent helps”.

“You can do it, but you’ve got to do it smart. Do your research.”

Hannah Collins managed to score a job in the States within 90 days.Source:Supplied

‘THERE WERE DAYS WHEN I WOULD BURN OUT’

South Australia native Hannah Collins, 31, is one of the Aussies who managed to land a job within 90 days of arriving in the States — but she did so by giving herself a headstart.

“I was lucky but I started to apply for jobs from day one and I didn’t muck about,” Miss Collins said.

For starters, a one-page resume is crucial.

“Australians don’t understand how to cut it down,” Miss Collins said.

“Recruiters over here want to see a really simple design [that can] pinpoint the most important parts of your career.”

Miss Collins went so far as to pay a friend to design an “Americanised” one-page resume.

“The recruiter told me she stopped when she saw mine based on the design of it,” she said.

“If you can spend the money making it stand out from the crowd and make them look at yours from 20 seconds longer than some else’s then you are already on the right page.”

When it came to the job hunt, Miss Collins applied early and applied often, sending off as many as 70 applications in her first three months in the country.

“I started applying for jobs the morning I got here — after I slept for 16 hours of course,” she said.

“Hunting for a job is a full-time job.

“There were days when I would burn out.”

She also said networking is a key way to get a foot in the door.

“Go to American-based events and talk to people. Just hanging out in the corner with your friends with a wine isn’t going to get you a job,” she said.

Starting a new life in New York is a dream many Aussies hold. Picture: Michael Heiman/Getty Images/AFPSource:AFP

Australians are known for being hard workers, so play that up.

“You need to be able to brag about what you’re doing and pinpoint your achievements,” Miss Collins said.

“Let some of that genuineness come through. An American once told me, ‘I haven’t met an Australian I don’t like.’

“We have a reputation for having a good work ethic, and New York calls for that because there are a lot of late nights.”

If you’re willing to give the States a go, check out some of the helpful guides on Australian expat sites such as The Australian Community and Advance.