How to establish a career in tech as an ambivert Asian immigrant in Australia?

It's been 11 years since I first migrated to Australia from Vietnam by myself without any support. I still vividly remember all the challenges I had to overcome to build my career from the ground up. There have been many tough decisions with trade-offs and costs that I had to make.

Reflecting on this journey, I've learned a few things that have shaped who I am today, and I want to share them with everyone, especially newcomers to Australia.

1. Prioritise long-term bets over short-term gains

I've seen many of my friends take the path of short-term gains by working in hospitality and retail for a steady income. It's okay to work part-time or a few hours in those jobs to make a living, but it can become addictive and draining, much like a drug.

"Failing to consider second- and third-order consequences is the cause of a lot of painfully bad decisions, and it is especially deadly when the first inferior option confirms your own biases. Never seize on the first available option, no matter how good it seems, before you’ve asked questions and explored." - Ray Dalio

As Ray Dalio mentioned, it's crucial to think through problems to the second, third, and nth order—or what we call second-order thinking. Before making any decision, consider not just the immediate consequence but also the second and nth consequences.

The immediate consequence of working part-time in unrelated jobs is a steady income, but the second consequence is that it consumes your time and drains your energy physically and emotionally. This time and energy could be better invested in growing your knowledge, acquiring relevant experience, and expanding your network.

There are alternatives, such as using your skills to help others on platforms like Airtasker or working on projects on Freelancer and Upwork. Anything that exposes you to the local network, provides you with more experience and brings you closer to your goals. Opportunities abound, especially with AI.

In 2013, without any working experience locally, I chose to do letterbox dropping on Airtasker , earning $200-$300 per job, enough for a week of rent and groceries in 2013. While it typically takes someone 12 hours or 2 days to complete the job, it only took me 6 hours. I packed all the flyers in my luggage, which served as a good workout, eliminating the need for multiple trips home. Thus, I only needed to do one job on Airtasker per week to cover my living expenses.

Another strategic choice was related to my working visa and PR. Most of my friends and people I know pursued extra points for the Skilled Independent visa, which involved acquiring additional qualifications in language translation or obtaining a higher score in the English test. These endeavours often took them 1-2 years to accomplish, and they still had to wait another 1-2 years for the invitation after submitting their applications.

In my view, this equates to a 2-4 year period devoid of gaining any working experience or making career progress. Instead, I invested in my career and work experience. By delivering impactful results for businesses, I was fortunate to have companies sponsor my work visa and PR.

[ Dean Jones is my good mentor, manager and support throughout the early stages of my career]

Time is your most valuable asset here. Work smarter and harder!

2. Make friends and build support networks outside your bubble

This may sound intimidating for Asian immigrants or introverted individuals who were taught not to talk to strangers. Even for those willing to venture outside their comfort zone, knowing which events are happening, when, and where can be a challenge.

Some events are publicly listed on Meetup and Eventbrite, but most can only be found if you know the URL. These events are primarily shared by key community figures and influential networkers on LinkedIn, through company/community newsletters, within university alumni networks, and within specific Slack communities like Earlywork , which didn't exist ten years ago. Fortunately, more community leaders and venture capitalists, such as Annie Liao ???? , Folklore Ventures , Blackbird , and Airtree , have been organising and promoting events recently.

The other half of the challenge is knowing who to talk to and who can introduce you to others. It takes courage to approach strangers, shake hands, break the ice, and genuinely engage in conversations. This may come naturally to some, but not to all. Even now, I still struggle with this reluctance and self-doubt.

"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you." - Dale Carnegie

This is one of the wise advice from Dale Carnegie to build relationships and make friends. In any conversation, I'm more interested in listening and encouraging others to talk about themselves, as I can learn more about them and gain new perspectives.

During my first three months in Sydney, I attended an event almost every weeknight. This was how I spent the majority of my week. The topics ranged from startups to marketing, design, data, product, and engineering. There were numerous hackathons back then, with every company wanting to host its own, including Facebook, Google, Optus, Coca-Cola, Sydney Opera House, Rackspace, and Freelancer.

As a curious and nerdy person, I wanted to learn and absorb all the knowledge I could in my new country. Events and networking played a pivotal role in landing my first full-time job within three months, as well as my second and third job opportunities.

[I'm still forever grateful to Frederic Chanut, GAICD who trusted me and gave me the first full-time job opportunity in Australia]

This is when you can leverage the Exposure Effect.

People tend to develop a preference for things because they are familiar with them. The more we are exposed to something, the easier it is to recall in our minds. Potential managers, employers, and recruiters are more likely to remember and recommend you when they are familiar with you and keep you at the forefront of their minds due to regular exposure.

It takes time, consistency, and persistence. Remember, it's about who knows you, not whom you know.

3. Have diverse groups of friends from different countries, backgrounds, and sectors. Leave your comfort zone.

It's tempting, comforting, and natural for us to gravitate toward people who are similar to us or share our backgrounds and interests. However, having friends with different backgrounds and professions can provide you with new perspectives, help you absorb various schools of thought, expand your worldview, and reduce confirmation bias by seeking evidence that challenges your beliefs and opinions.

The first step in breaking out of your comfort zone is to understand what your comfort zone consists of. Begin by listing what you are familiar with and where you feel comfortable in one column. Then, in the second column, list what challenges or terrifies you.

If you work in tech and business, be open to making friends with nurses, pharmacists, realtors, accountants, educators, artists, bodyguards, and lawyers. Embrace the differences and absorb the strengths of others.

Besides professional events, I also attend other meetups for hiking, picnics, and social networking with locals, expats, and backpackers. You can also join outdoor sports, activities, and hobbies, especially if you work in professions with fewer professional events to attend.

Say yes to invitations for meals, gatherings, and activities with locals. Start doing things outside your comfort zone, taking small and gradual steps. This could include exploring new places, joining new social groups, pursuing new hobbies, or taking actions that bring you closer to achieving breakthroughs in your life.

4. Volunteer, be helpful, and give back

'Give before you get' is a philosophy I have embraced throughout my life. To be a decent human being, we should aim to help others without expecting anything in return and without making relationships transactional.

The challenge in this equation is what you can give when you are new to a country and just starting your career. What you can offer is your time, which is your most valuable asset, your knowledge, and your network. This may not be the first thing that comes to mind, and shyness can also be a barrier.

During my first 3-4 years, I volunteered to support, co-host, and organise many events, such as AngelHack Sydney, StartupGrind Sydney, where I met Cheryl Mack and Brendan Yell , and Startup Weekend Sydney. These events offered opportunities to showcase your abilities, help others, learn new things, connect with new people, and provide reasons to engage with speakers and businesses for sponsorship and venues.

In 2017, I set a goal to give back by sharing my knowledge at events, meetups, and workshops. These were also opportunities for me to challenge myself and improve my public speaking skills. It was daunting to step onto the stage for the first time, and sometimes it still is. However, I managed to achieve my goal with 10 different talks within 12 months of setting it.

In 2021, I took a break to focus on my mental health. In 2023, I resumed giving back by mentoring other founders globally and in the Blackbird program. I thoroughly enjoy seeing the startups I've mentored grow, make significant progress, and achieve breakthroughs and milestones.

You can also leverage your skills and experience to volunteer for NGOs, NPOs, and local churches.

5. Identify your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Play to your strengths

Strength comes in various forms, including soft skills, hard skills, knowledge, and background.

As an international student, immigrant, or expat, you possess unique advantages that locals may not have. Your understanding of your home country's market, including its demand, labour market, culture, behaviour, regulations, consumer segments and preferences, competitors, and distribution channels, gives you an edge.

You may be aware of untapped markets for expanding businesses, suitable go-to-market strategies to increase success rates, or offshoring opportunities to reduce costs for your home country or neighbouring countries.

I've noticed an increasing number of roles in Australia requiring knowledge of the Asian market or proficiency in a secondary language such as Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. On the other side, there are also many Asian startups that want to expand to the Australian market. Research and identify Australian companies operating or expanding into the Asian market and Asian companies expanding into Australia.

How do you do this, you ask?

• Stay updated with local business, tech, and investment news
• Gain insider knowledge from connections, networks, and events
• Research company websites, blogs, social networks, and news sources

Organisations like Haymarket HQ and Duco van Breemen are at the forefront of promoting this space. These organisations support Australian startups looking to expand into Asia and vice versa. seedplanet is another noteworthy organisation.

6. Invest early. Live below your means but beware of opportunity costs

It took me seven years to learn the first part of this lesson. I've always been inclined to save more and earn more. However, I made a major investing mistake, as many do, when I invested in mining stocks in 2017 just before they crashed a few months later.

This mistake affected my confidence in investing until 2020 when I started working with Nick Nicolaides and Ana Kresina at pearler and Simply Wall St, which introduced me to ETFs, DCA and value investing. Since then, I've been investing around 10-15% of my income regularly in ETFs.

"You have to figure out what your own aptitudes are. If you play games where other people have the aptitudes and you don’t, you’re going to lose. And that’s as close to certain as any prediction that you can make. You have to figure out where you’ve got an edge. And you’ve got to play within your own circle of competence." - Charlie Munger

When investing in the stock market, stick to companies and sectors within your circle of competence, as suggested by the wise investor Charlie Munger. Additionally, only invest what you are willing to lose. It doesn't have to be stocks; there are alternative assets like properties, cryptocurrencies, and bonds. This is not investment advice.

Instead of residing far from the city in common suburbs for Vietnamese, I have consistently chosen to live in reasonably sized places that cost less than 30% of my income but are convenient and close to the city. This allows me to invest my time in attending events and networking. Living in a suburb popular in your community can make you feel at home and reduce homesickness, but be cautious of the opportunity cost of missing out on chances to network and meet new people outside your bubble.

Except for since March 2023, when I had to move to a suburb 45 minutes away from the city to reduce costs due to the rental crisis, I have never owned a car. I consider it a depreciating asset and find it stressful and harmful to the environment compared to public transport. I also enjoy spending time on the train to daydream, reflect, and plan.

7. Enjoy the nature that Australia has to offer

Unlike in Asia and the US, Aussies are a relaxed bunch who prioritise a healthy work-life balance. They know: you've worked hard, you've earned it!

Time to unwind, recharge, and savour the fruits of your labour. Give your prefrontal cortex a breather and create space between stimulus and response. This mental space helps you think through problems, consider all available options, employ second-order thinking, and make the right decisions.

Sydney boasts an impressive array of over 100 beaches, some of which are recognised as the world's finest. You can conveniently access the nearest beaches, mountains, or national parks within just an hour by using public transport. Two of my favourite activities include coastal and bush walks, as well as practising yoga by the sea.

I purposefully schedule time in nature every 2-3 weeks to connect with my thoughts or listen to audiobooks. Being an ambivert, I find that I need moments of solitude and personal space to recharge my energy and social battery.

If bushwalking isn't your preferred activity, you can engage in sports, have a beachside barbecue, or read books in the park. Just remember to apply sunscreen!

Building a career in Australia wasn't easy, but the real reward wasn't just reaching the goalpost, it was the journey itself. Every challenge, every connection, every sunset by the sea - they all shaped who I am and opened doors I never imagined. So, embrace the journey!