6222.0 - Job Search Experience, Australia, July 2012 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 16/01/2013   
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SUMMARY OF FINDINGS


OVERVIEW

The July 2012 Job Search Experience survey found there were 589,400 persons (317,800 males and 271,700 females) who were unemployed (Table 1). Of these unemployed persons:

    • 83% had not started a job in the previous 12 months (Table 1);
    • 82% of unemployed males were looking for full-time work; and
    • 61% of unemployed females were looking for full-time work (Table 3).

In July 2012, there were around 1.7 million job starters (employed persons who had started their current job in the previous 12 months). Of these job starters:
    • 61% searched for work for less than 1 year before starting current job;
    • 34% did not look for work;
    • 66% were working full-time;
    • 29% were aged 25-34 years; and
    • 20% were aged 45 years and over (Table 10).


UNEMPLOYED PERSONS

Duration of unemployment

The majority (80%) of persons unemployed in July 2012 had been unemployed for less than one year. The percentage of unemployed persons who had been unemployed for one year or more was not statistically significant between 2012 (19.6%) and 2011 (19.2%). The proportion of unemployed persons who were unemployed for two years or more was 10% in 2012. The median duration of current period of unemployment as at July 2012 was the same in 2012 as it was in 2010 and 2011, that is, 14 weeks (Table 2).


Difficulties in finding work

In July 2012, the most commonly reported main difficulty in finding work for unemployed persons was too many applicants for available jobs (15%), and insufficient work experience (10%). An additional 11% of unemployed persons reported having no difficulties in finding work.

The difficulties in finding work for unemployed persons varied for age, sex, duration of unemployment and the type of work for which they were looking (full-time or part-time).

For long-term unemployed persons (persons unemployed for 1 year or more), the most commonly reported main difficulties in finding work were:
    • own ill health or disability (18%); and
    • too many applicants for available job (14%).

For persons who had been unemployed for less than 1 year the most commonly reported main difficulties in finding work were:
    • too many applicants for available jobs (16%);
    • insufficient work experience (10%); and
    • no vacancies in line of work (9%).

There were 64,500 unemployed persons who reported that they had no difficulties at all in finding work. Of those reporting no difficulties, 69% had been unemployed for less than eight weeks (Table 7).

The most commonly reported main difficulties in finding work for persons aged 15-19 years were too many applicants for available jobs (18%) and insufficient work experience (15%) whereas, the most commonly reported main difficulty in finding work for persons aged 45 years and over were considered too old by employers (18%) and own ill health or disability (15%).

UNEMPLOYED PERSONS, Main difficulty in finding work - By sex
Graph: UNEMPLOYED PERSONS, Main difficulty in finding work—By sex


For unemployed males, the most commonly reported main difficulties in finding work were:
    • too many applicants for available jobs (16%); and
    • own ill health or disability (12%).

For unemployed females, the most commonly reported main difficulties in finding work were:
    • too many applicants for available jobs (14%); and
    • insufficient work experience (10%) (Table 8).


All steps taken to find work

In July 2012, 72% of unemployed persons were looking for full-time work (Table 2).

The most common steps taken to find work (both full-time and part-time) reported by unemployed persons were:
    • wrote, phoned or applied in person to an employer for work (84%);
    • looked at advertisements for jobs on the Internet (82%);
    • looked at advertisements for jobs in a newspaper (69%); and
    • answered an advertisement for a job on the Internet (66%) (Table 6).


Older and younger unemployed

In July 2012, 39% (228,700) of unemployed persons were aged 15-24 years compared to 25% (145,900) of unemployed persons who were aged 45 years and over (Table 5).

The most common steps taken to find work reported by those aged 15-24 years were wrote, phoned or applied in person to an employer for work (85%) and looked at advertisements for a job on the Internet (84%). The most common steps reported by those aged 45 years and over were wrote, phoned or applied in person to an employer for work (81%) and looked at advertisements for a job in the newspaper (78%) (Table 6).


ALL JOB STARTERS

In July 2012 there were 1.7 million job starters (employed persons who started their current job in the previous 12 months). Of these job starters 91% were employees (excluding owner managers of incorporated enterprises (OMIEs)) (Table 10).


EMPLOYEE JOB STARTERS (EXCLUDING OMIES)

In July 2012 there were 1.5 million employee1 job starters, of whom 42% did not have paid leave entitlements in their current job. Of those without leave entitlements:
    • 45% were aged 15-24 years;
    • 18% were aged 45 years and over; and
    • 52% were females.

The majority (90%) of employee1 job starters had worked in a job for two weeks or more before. Of those job starters who had worked before:
    • 38% were out of work prior to starting their current job; and
    • 30% were aged 25-34 years (Table 13).


All steps taken to attain a job

Of employee1 job starters, the most commonly reported step to attain a job was by having an interview with an employer (66%). For those who had worked before and were out of work prior to starting a job, 73% reported having an interview with an employer, compared to 63% who had worked before and changed employer to start a job.

Over a quarter (26%) of employee1 job starters who changed employers did not take steps to attain a job, compared to 15% who had worked before and were out of work prior to starting a job, and 22% who attained their first job. Those who were out of work prior to starting a job were also more likely to be registered with Centrelink as a job seeker (21% compared to 5% who changed employers and 9% who were first job holders).

Those who were out of work prior to starting a job or first job holders were more likely to contact friends or relatives to attain a job (32% and 31% respectively) compared to those who changed employers (23%) (Table 14).

Around 136,500 employee1 job starters had either considered or had actually started or purchased a business in the last 12 months. Of these, 32,800 had started or purchased a business but had not continued with it (Table 11).


OWNER MANAGERS

In July 2012, there were 156,000 owner managers who started their current business in the previous 12 months. The most common reasons reported for starting or purchasing a business were:
    • 28% wanted to be their own boss;
    • 27% wanted financial gain; and
    • 14% wanted control over working conditions (Table 11).


PERSONS EMPLOYED FOR MORE THAN A YEAR IN THEIR CURRENT JOB AND LOOKED FOR WORK

In July 2012, there were 596,300 persons employed for more than a year in their current job who looked for work in the previous 12 months. Of those employed for more than a year:
    • 53% were males;
    • 62% were full-time workers;
    • 29% were aged 25-34 years; and
    • 90% were employees (excluding OMIEs).

The main reasons for looking for work were:
    • wanted better pay (40% males and 34% females); and
    • wanted a change (31% males and 30% females) (Table 15).


END NOTE

1. Excludes owner managers of incorporated enterprises (OMIEs).