6245.0 - Successful and Unsuccessful Job Search Experience, Australia, Jul 1998  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 09/02/1999   
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MEDIA RELEASE

February 09, 1999
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
15/1999

ABS survey shows how jobseekers fare

Some 1,695,200 Australians or 69% of all jobseekers were successful in obtaining a job in the 12 months to July 1998, 10% fewer than for the same period to July 1996, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Results from the survey Successful and Unsuccessful Job Search Experience, Australia show that 60% of successful jobseekers were out of work prior to starting their job, while 40% were changing employers.

An estimated 771,200 people had unsuccessfully looked for a job in the 12 months to July 1998, an increase of 3% from July 1996. Some 74% of these people (or 570,300) were still in the labour force at the time of the survey.

Younger jobseekers tended to be more successful than older jobseekers, with 73% of those aged 15-34 years being successful compared to 56% of those aged 45 years and over.

Successful jobseekers changing employer were more likely to obtain their preferred occupation than those who were out of work prior to starting their job (78% compared to 62%).

The survey showed that 20% (339,500) of successful jobseekers spent less than four weeks looking for work. A further 15% had not looked for work at all, having been approached by employers about the job they started.

The occupations in which most successful jobseekers obtained work were intermediate clerical, sales and service workers (21%) and labourers and related workers (17%). There were more part-time than full-time jobs obtained in these occupations.

Other survey findings show that:
    • registering with Centrelink or the Commonwealth Employment Service (CES) was the first step taken by 2% of successful jobseekers;
    • the number of successful jobseekers who had started their first job was 190,300; and
    • 59% of people starting their first job obtained their preferred occupation.

During the reference period of this survey, the 12 months to July 1998, the Commonwealth Government made significant changes to the manner in which employment services were provided to the community. Estimates relating to active steps taken to find work and the role of Centrelink/CES in job attainment may not be directly comparable with those from previous surveys and should be used with caution. Further information about the changes to employment service arrangements can be found in the publication.

Copies of the publication Successful and Unsuccessful Job Search Experience, Australia, July 1998 (cat. no. 6245.0) are available from ABS Bookshops. A summary of the publication may be found on this site.