Tips
Some of my tips would include:
1. You will hear pilots bad mouthing their operator and/or other operators. Stay out of the gossip as a job seeker and when working as a pilot. Assume all rumours as being untrue and works of art until proven to you otherwise.
2. Always be ready. If you just moved up, read part 135, the AIP, part 91, CAO 48.1, 210L, M, N POH, complete the SEA questionnaire, BOMs aviation met course, met theory on the dry/wet season, fuel requirements. Every few weeks sit down and review knowledge.
3. Stay healthy - exercise, eat fruit and veg, ensure fibre and protein intake. Socialise and recreate. Be the top of your game. Not only will you be better prepared for a interview/check flight, you will be mentally prepared to breeze through ICUS as well.
4. Do not let lack of reception depress or demotivated you. It may be more than a year of waiting. Stay up to date with your knowledge though. You are one in a couple dozen looking for a job in Darwin at any one time. The lack of job offers is a reflection of saturation, nothing personal. Luck and being in the right place at the right time is what you are waiting for.
5. Have more than just high school/uni and a job at Maccas/the pub on your resume. An interesting and varied work history will set you apart from the other 20 year old males - plus will give you character, the ability to hold an interesting conversation and to work effectively as part of a team.
6. An extension of 4 - don't sweat it. There's a whole world of opportunity outside top end GA. Don't put all your chips in on getting your start in the top end. You can build up to ~500,~750~1000hrs in lots of different types of operations round the country, it requires a bit of searching though. If you leave the top end after 6 months and no job, it's not an indictment if your ability or character. Look elsewhere for a start.
7. This is just my opinion, because I've never worked ground crew - but if you are offered a ground position with a view to eventual line training/ICUS, don't work yourself to the bone. You're a pilot. Really you should be employed to fly a plane. Washing them and doing paperwork/occasional pilot maintenance in addition is fine. But being strung along for 6 months - 1 year in a ground position does not sit well with me. If your company employs you in that capacity, by all means pull your weight and do your job well but don't run around like a headless chook giving the company 200% of your effort for 6 months. It sets the precedent for people after you, a bit like working for free does
Lastly the very short piece of advice once given to me whilst I was doing it tough at a low point in the job search - you have to really want it.