SUMMARY OF FINDINGS


OVERVIEW

The July 2013 Job Search Experience Survey found there were 657,000 persons (363,100 males and 293,900 females) who were unemployed (Table 1). Of these unemployed persons:

• 84% had not started a job in the previous 12 months (Table 1);
• 83% of unemployed males were looking for full-time work; and
• 64% of unemployed females were looking for full-time work (Table 3).

In July 2013, 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;
• 64% were working full-time;
• 27% were aged 25-34 years; and
• 21% were aged 45 years and over (Table 10).

UNEMPLOYED PERSONS

Duration of unemployment

The majority (79%) of persons unemployed in July 2013 had been unemployed for less than one year. The percentage of unemployed persons who had been unemployed for one year or more increased by 1.2 percentage points between 2012 and 2013 (19.6% and 20.8% respectively). The proportion of unemployed persons who were unemployed for two years or more was 10% in 2013. The median duration of current period of unemployment as at July 2013 was 17 weeks compared to 14 weeks from 2010 to 2012 (Table 2).


Difficulties in finding work

In July 2013, the most commonly reported main difficulty in finding work for unemployed persons was too many applicants for available jobs (17%), and no vacancies in line of work (9%).

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:

• too many applicants for available jobs (16%);
• own ill health or disability (13%); and
• considered too old by employers (13%).

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 (17%);
• no vacancies in line of work (10%); and
• insufficient work experience (9%).

There were 66,400 unemployed persons who reported that they had no difficulties at all in finding work. Of those reporting no difficulties, 66% 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 (17%) and insufficient work experience (16%) whereas, the most commonly reported main difficulties in finding work for persons aged 45 years and over were considered too old by employers (20%) and too many applicants for available jobs (17%).

For unemployed males, the most commonly reported main difficulties in finding work were:

• too many applicants for available jobs (16%); and
• no vacancies in line of work (10%).

For unemployed females, the most commonly reported main difficulties in finding work were:

• too many applicants for available jobs (17%); and
• insufficient work experience (11%) (Table 8).

All steps taken to find work

In July 2013, 75% of unemployed persons were looking for full-time or full-time and part-time work (Table 2).

The most common steps taken to find work (both full-time and part-time) reported by unemployed persons were:

• looked at advertisements for jobs on the Internet (84%);
• wrote, phoned or applied in person to an employer for work (84%);
• answered an advertisement for a job on the Internet (68%); and
• looked at advertisements for jobs in a newspaper (66%). (Table 6).

Older and younger unemployed

In July 2013, 35% (232,300) of unemployed persons were aged 15-24 years compared to 24% (156,200) 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 looked at advertisements for jobs on the Internet (85%) and wrote, phoned or applied in person to an employer for work (82%). The most common steps reported by those aged 45 years and over were wrote, phoned or applied in person to an employer for work (86%) and looked at advertisements for jobs on the Internet (79%) (Table 6).


ALL JOB STARTERS

In July 2013 there were 1.7 million job starters (employed persons who started their current job in the previous 12 months). Of these job starters 90% were employees (excluding owner managers of incorporated enterprises (OMIEs)) (Table 10).


EMPLOYEE JOB STARTERS (EXCLUDING OMIES)

In July 2013 there were 1.5 million employee¹ job starters, of whom 45% did not have paid leave entitlements in their current job. Of those without paid leave entitlements:

• 46% were aged 15-24 years;
• 19% were aged 45 years and over; and
• 51% were females.

The majority (89%) of employee¹ job starters had worked in a job for two weeks or more before. Of these job starters who had worked before:

• 41% were out of work prior to starting their current job; and
• 29% 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 (65%). For those who had worked before and were out of work prior to starting a job, 68% reported having an interview with an employer, compared to 62% 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 19% who had worked before and were out of work prior to starting a job, and 19% 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 (18% compared to 5% who changed employers and 10% 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 (36% and 35% respectively) compared to those who changed employers (26%) (Table 14).

Around 156,000 employee¹ job starters had either considered or had actually started or purchased a business in the last 12 months. Of these, 28,900 had started or purchased a business but had not continued with it (Table 11).


OWNER MANAGERS

In July 2013, there were 169,900 owner managers² who started their current business in the previous 12 months. The most common main reason reported for starting or purchasing a business were:

• 25% wanted to be their own boss;
• 24% wanted financial gain; and
• 13% wanted control over working conditions (Table 11).

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

In July 2013, there were 509,600 persons employed for more than a year in their current job who looked for work in the previous 12 months. Of these:

• 52% were males;
• 59% were full-time workers;
• 26% were aged 25-34 years; and
• 89% were employees (excluding OMIEs).

The most common reasons for looking for work while still employed were:

• wanted better pay (36% males and 32% females); and
• wanted a change (29% males and 32% females)
• 30% of employees aged 15-24 years wanted more hours (63% of whom were females); and
• 40% of employees aged 35-44 years wanted better pay (52% of whom were males) (Table 15).

END NOTE

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

2. Includes owner managers of incorporated and unincorporated enterprises.