6222.0 - Job Search Experience of Unemployed Persons, Australia, Jul 1999  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/12/1999   
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MEDIA RELEASE

December 22, 1999
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
155/1999

Age still an obstacle for job seekers

In July 1999, 15% of unemployed people said that being considered too young or too old by employers was the main obstacle to finding work, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. For those aged 45 years and over, 47% reported this as the main barrier to finding work. The other main difficulties reported among all unemployed were: too many applicants for available jobs (12%); lack of necessary skills or education (11%); or no vacancies at all (10%).

The survey of Job Search Experience of Unemployed Persons, Australia found there were 591,000 unemployed people in July 1999 (excluding those who were stood down from work).

The survey also found that 65% of unemployed people were registered with Centrelink. This continues the steady decline in registration with CES or Centrelink from a high of 83% in July 1993.

Some 77% of unemployed people were looking for full-time work, a drop of 5 percentage points since July 1998. Unemployed people looking for full-time work were more likely to be registered with Centrelink than those looking for part-time work. Three in four (78%) unemployed people in search of a full-time job were registered with Centrelink compared to only 20% of unemployed people in search of a part-time job.

In July 1999, almost one in three (32%) unemployed persons were considered long-term unemployed, that is, they had been unemployed for one year or more. Most of these people (89%) were seeking full-time work, and the majority (86%) had not received any offers of employment in the previous 12 months. A quarter (26%) of long-term unemployed persons reported that being considered too young or too old was the main barrier to finding employment.

Details are found in Job Search Experience of Unemployed Persons, Australia, July 1999 (cat. no. 6222.0) available from ABS Bookshops.

If you wish to purchase a copy of this publication telephone 02 6252 5249.