I just thought I'd do a bit of research into the job market in Brisbane, and suddenly it's 3 hours later and I'm even more confused than when I started!

Everything I'm reading tells me that Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra are all better for IT Security jobs than Brisbane. That doesn't mean to say there aren't any IT Security jobs in Brisbane, there are - they're listed on www.seek.com.au and www.jobserve.com.au, there's just not as many as in the other cities.

I'm also getting the picture that the agencies aren't quite as efficient as the ones in the UK. Apparently in Oz many recruitment agents don't see it within their role to keep you updated - you have to chase them - constantly!

The general consensus is you're either lucky, and pick up work straight away, or you'll end up applying for about 100 jobs and have to wait 4 months before landing one. I just hope it's the former, because if it gets to 4 months I'll be starting to twitch and Rach will be in full-blown panic mode!

Contracting doesn't to be as lucrative either, so it looks like I may have to go back to being a permie (heaven forbid!), and permanent rates don't look that attractive either. Oh well, money isn't everything.

No seriously, it is standard of living, not income, that counts. All I'll need in Oz is a bit of petrol money to get down to the Gold Coast every weekend, or up to the Sunshine Coast, or over to North Stradbroke Island. Oh, and the big house with swimming pool, and sailing yacht moored at the bottom of my garden of course. I can but dream!