NOTES
ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION
The statistics in this publication were compiled from data collected in the Job Search Experience Survey, conducted throughout Australia in July 2013 as a supplement to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) monthly Labour Force Survey (LFS).
This publication presents information about the experiences of unemployed persons in seeking work, in terms of the steps they have taken to find work and the difficulties they have encountered in finding work. It also presents information about employed persons who started their current job in the previous 12 months. For this group, information on the steps taken to attain work and current job details are provided.
Additional information is presented about persons employed for more than a year in their current job who looked for work in the previous 12 months, including steps taken to find work and difficulties in finding work. Further, the survey provides information about owner managers who started their current business in the previous 12 months including the reasons for starting or purchasing their business.
Demographic information is provided for all of these groups.
CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE
For the July 2013 survey, all data was collected from any responsible adult (ARA) in the household at the time of interview. The ARA responded on behalf of all people in the household who had taken steps to find work. Prior to 2013, information about job search experience and steps taken to find work was obtained via a personal interview with each relevant person in the household. As a result of this change, there has been no observable statistical impact on the data.
From December 2012 to April 2013, the ABS conducted a trial of online data collection for the LFS. Respondents in one rotation group (i.e. one-eighth of the survey sample) were offered the option of self completing their labour force survey questionnaire online instead of via face-to-face or telephone interview. From May 2013, the ABS has commenced the expansion of the offer of online collection to each new incoming rotation group. For more information see the article in the April 2013 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0).
A measurement strategy was used to identify impacts on the LFS data. No statistical impact has been identified to date.
ROUNDING
As estimates have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals.
INQUIRIES
For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Labour Force and Supplementary Survey Section on Canberra (02) 6252 7206, email <labour.statistics@abs.gov.au>.