1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2002  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 25/01/2002   
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Contents >> Labour >> Job search experience

Two key aspects of a person's search for work are the steps taken to find work, and barriers they encounter in obtaining work. Characteristics such as age, sex and education can often influence the person's job search experience and outcomes.

Table 6.16 shows the steps taken by unemployed persons to find a job. The most common step taken was registering with and/or using Centrelink services (545,500), followed by contacting prospective employers (509,700) and answering a newspaper advertisement for a job (200,900).

6.16 JOB SEARCH EXPERIENCE OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS(a), All Active Steps Taken - July 2000

Males

’000
Females

’000
Persons

’000

Registered with and/or used Centrelink services
368.5
177.0
545.5
Contacted prospective employers
301.8
207.9
509.7
Answered a newspaper advertisement for a job
124.9
76.0
200.9
Checked factory noticeboards
38.1
13.9
52.1
Contacted an employment agency
118.5
67.9
186.4
Advertised or tendered for work
26.9
17.8
44.7
Contacted friends or relatives
118.5
69.4
188.0

(a) Excludes persons who have been stood down.

Source: Job Search Experience of Unemployed Persons, Australia (6222.0).

Difficulties encountered by unemployed persons in finding work are shown in table 6.17. The most commonly reported main difficulties were 'considered too young or too old by employers' and 'too many applicants for available jobs' (both 13%) and 'lacked necessary skills or education' (12%).

The main difficulties in finding work most commonly reported by the long-term unemployed (unemployed for at least one year) were 'considered too young or too old by employers' (23%), 'lacked necessary skills or education' (13%) and 'Own ill health or disability (12%).

6.17 UNEMPLOYED PERSONS(a), Main Difficulty in Finding Work - July 2000

Duration of current period of unemployment (weeks)

Main difficulty in finding work
1 and under 8

’000
8 and
under 26

’000
26 and
under 52

’000
1 and under
2 years

’000
2 years
and over

’000
Total


’000
Average
duration

weeks

Considered too young or too old by employers
12.6
11.1
13.8
8.8
26.7
73.0
91
No vacancies at all
10.7
10.5
10.9
5.4
7.8
45.3
55
No vacancies in line of work
15.9
10.6
*5.0
*3.3
*4.8
39.6
36
Insufficient work experience
17.0
10.3
12.3
5.2
9.8
54.6
44
Too many applicants for available jobs
18.7
23.0
15.7
*4.8
9.2
71.3
39
Lacked necessary skills or education
19.2
13.9
10.8
10.7
9.6
64.1
58
Too far to travel, transport problems
8.1
8.0
6.3
6.9
7.1
36.4
55
Own ill health or disability
6.2
5.7
*4.5
6.6
12.0
35.1
87
Language difficulties
*2.3
*2.2
*3.0
*1.9
*4.3
13.7
83
Unsuitable hours
9.6
7.0
*3.9
*1.0
**0.4
21.9
16
Difficulties with childcare, other family responsibilities
*4.9
*2.0
*1.2
*0.9
*2.9
11.8
69
Other difficulties(b)
9.1
*4.0
5.6
*2.3
*3.1
24.0
61
No difficulties reported
36.3
12.0
*3.0
*1.5
**0.7
53.5
11
Total
170.5
120.3
96.0
59.1
98.3
544.3
53

(a) Excludes persons who have been stood down.
(b) Includes persons who reported difficulties because of ethnic background.

Source: Job Search Experience of Unemployed Persons, Australia (6222.0).

Information about methods of job attainment for successful jobseekers is shown in table 6.18. Successful jobseekers are persons who obtained a job for wages or salary in the 12 months to July 2000. The majority (77%) of successful jobseekers approached their employer. Most of this group (60%) had prior knowledge that the job was available. The main sources of this knowledge were friends, relatives or company contacts (42% of those with prior knowledge) and newspaper advertisements (35%).

6.18 SUCCESSFUL JOBSEEKERS, Method of Attainment - July 2000

First job ever held

’000
Had worked before

’000
Total

’000

Jobseeker approached employer
187.1
1,313.0
1,500.1
Had no prior knowledge that job was available -
78.4
519.1
597.5
First step taken -
- Tendered or advertised for work
*3.0
28.6
31.7
- Contacted likely employers
47.3
253.8
301.1
- Contacted friends or relations
12.4
82.9
95.3
- Registered with or used Centrelink services
*3.2
25.0
28.1
- Other steps taken
12.5
128.8
141.3
Had prior knowledge that job or work was available -
108.7
793.9
902.6
- Knowledge was obtained through
- Centrelink
*4.7
21.0
25.7
- Employment agency
*3.2
61.0
64.2
- School programs
*3.1
5.2
8.2
- Newspaper advertisements
25.6
292.6
318.2
- Internet sites
*1.1
13.4
14.5
- Friends, relatives, company contacts
53.9
323.5
377.4
- Sign or notice on employer's premises
7.5
23.1
30.6
- Other source
9.5
54.3
63.9
Employer approached jobseeker
45.4
393.7
439.1
Total
232.5
1,706.7
1,939.2

Source: Successful and Unsuccessful Job Search Experience, Australia (6245.0).



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