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CHAPTER 21.17. JOB SEARCH EXPERIENCE

INTRODUCTION

21.17.1 This survey provides information about the way people look for jobs, the methods they use and those which prove to be successful. Particular focus is on two key aspects: steps taken to find work, and barriers encountered in finding work. First conducted in 2002, the survey has been conducted annually in July. Data from the survey are used in formulating policies in areas such as labour market assistance, and control and review mechanisms for unemployment benefit payments.

21.17.2 The survey combined the annual survey of Job Search Experience of Unemployed Persons conducted from 1976 to 2001 (see Chapter 21.4), and the survey of Successful and Unsuccessful Job Search Experience conducted irregularly from 1982 to 2001 (see Chapter 21.13)

21.17.3 This section describes only those aspects of the methodology that are unique to this survey, and hence should be used in conjunction with Chapter 21, which outlines the survey methodology used in supplementary surveys.

SURVEY OUTPUT

21.17.4 Data from the survey are published in Job Search Experience, Australia (cat. no. 6222.0). More detailed data are available on request.

21.17.5 The main populations of interest are the employed (at the survey date) who had started a job in the last 12 months, owner managers who had started their business in the last 12 months, employed persons who looked for other work in the previous 12 months (while being employed), and the unemployed. Estimates include:

Socio-demographic information
Sex; age group; social marital status; state or territory of usual residence (including capital city/balance of state); region of usual residence (standard labour force dissemination regions); relationship in household; country of birth; year of arrival; number of children in family aged under 15 years; whether obtained a non-school qualification in Australia or overseas; and level of highest educational attainment.

All persons
Whether has been registered with a Job Services Australia provider; number of jobs started in previous 12 months; and number of jobs lasting two weeks or more started in the previous 12 months.

Unemployed persons
Whether looked for full-time or part-time work; preferred number of hours; duration of current period of unemployment; whether has been registered with Centrelink as a job seeker; steps taken to find work; offers of employment in the current period of unemployment (number of offers, whether turned down, reason for turning down); difficulties in finding work; number of spells of looking for work in the previous 12 months; time spent looking for work in the previous 12 months; whether had ever worked for two weeks or more; details of last job (status in employment, occupation, industry, full-time or part-time, duration, reason for ceasing); and whether had job to go to lasting two weeks or more.

Employed persons
Employment type in main job; and full-time or part-time status of current employment.

...who started their current job in the last 12 months
Details of current job (status in employment, employment type, month started, occupation); duration of looking for work before current job; whether preferred to work more hours than usually worked; whether first job ever held lasting two weeks or more; whether started or purchased a business; and reasons for starting or purchasing a business.
...who are employees (excluding owner managers of incorporated enterprises) and started their current job in the last 12 months
Whether had leave entitlements in current job (paid leave, sick leave, paid holiday leave); all steps taken to attain a job; whether job seeker approached employer; whether had prior knowledge that current job was available (including how person obtained this knowledge); role of Job Services Australia in job attainment; all steps taken to find work/attain a job; whether considered starting or purchasing a business in the last 12 months; and reasons for not starting or purchasing a business in the last 12 months.
...who have been employed for more than a year in their current job and who looked for work in the previous 12 months
All steps taken to find work in the previous 12 months; reasons for looking for other work while still employed; and difficulties in getting another job.

2002
Initial survey conducted, annual collection in July.

2003
The item 'All steps taken to find work' replaced the 2002 item 'Active steps taken to find work'. Categories that appear in both years can be compared directly.
The derivation of 'Whether out of work prior to starting job' was changed (with all persons employed in their own business shown in a separate category).

2004
Computer Assisted Interviewing (CAI) was partially implemented. The CAI method was used on a random sample of 70% of survey interviews in all states and territories. The remaining 30% of interviews were conducted using the traditional 'pen and paper' method.
The data item 'Level of highest educational attainment' used throughout the 2003 survey was replaced with the data item 'Level of highest non-school qualification'.
The category 'considered too young or too old by employers' for the data items 'all difficulties in finding work' and 'main difficulty in finding work' was split into 'considered too young by employers' and 'considered too old by employers'.
Estimates based on 2001 Census of Population and Housing population benchmarks.

2005
CAI implementation was completed. All interviews were completed using this technology.

2006
New data items 'Status in employment in current job', 'Whether had paid leave entitlements in current job', 'Whether entitled to paid sick leave in current job' and 'Whether entitled to paid holiday leave in current job' included.
The data items 'Owner manager of incorporated enterprise (OMIE) status (main job)' and 'Owner manager of incorporated enterprise (OMIE) status (current job)' were replaced with the data items 'Employment type in main job' and 'Employment type in current job' respectively.

2007
Owner managers and contributing family workers were excluded from a number of data items and table 12 of the publication. Therefore, the data items 'All steps taken to attain a job', 'Whether job seeker approached employer', 'Whether had prior knowledge that job was available', 'Role of Job Network in job attainment' and 'Whether first job ever held lasting two weeks or more' now relate to Employees (excluding owner managers of incorporated enterprises) only.
Occupation data were classified according to ANZSCO - Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, First Edition, 2006 (cat. no. 1220.0), replacing the ASCO - Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, Second Edition, 1997 (cat. no. 1220.0). Industry data were classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (cat. no. 1292.0), replacing the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 1993 (cat. no. 1292.0). Data classified according to the superseded classifications were made available on request.

2008
Data published separately for the population group 'Employees (excluding owner managers of incorporated enterprises) who started their current job in the previous 12 months'.

2009
A new data item 'Number of children in family aged under 15 years' was added.

2010
Following organisational changes to Government job search facilities in July 2009, the name 'Job Network' changed to 'Job Services Australia'. The 2009 publication used 'Job Network' and changes were incorporated for the 2010 cycle. These changes affect a variety of data items. For further information, see Job Search Experience, 2010, explanatory note 21 (cat. no. 6222.0).
Categories relating to Centrelink touchscreens were removed from a number of data items.
Country of birth data were classified according to the Standard Australian Classification of Countries (SACC), Second Edition (cat. no. 1269.0), replacing the Standard Australian Classification of Countries (SACC), 1998 (cat. no. 1269.0).
Occupation data were classified according to ANZSCO - Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, First Edition, Revision 1 (cat. no. 1220.0), replacing ANZSCO - Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, First Edition, 2006 (cat. no. 1220.0).
Estimates based on 2006 Census of Population and Housing population benchmarks.

2011
The survey was redeveloped to capture more information on a person's experience looking for work. This involved changes to the scope, populations and data items of the survey. The changes have resulted in a break in series across all populations and users need to exercise caution when comparing data from the 2011 publication with previous releases.
Scope was revised to exclude single jobholders who were contributing family workers in their current job, include persons who were employed for more than a year in their current job and looked for work in the previous 12 months, as well as include future job starters (who did not look for work).
Information was collected relating to two new populations: 'persons employed for more than a year in their current job who looked for work in the previous 12 months' and 'owner managers who started their business in the previous 12 months'.
There were various changes and additions to data items, primarily relating to the turning down of employment offers, starting/purchasing a business, and looking for additional work. For further information, see Job Search Experience, 2011, Appendix 1 (cat. no. 6222.0).

2012
Industry data were classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (Revision 1.0) (cat. no. 1292.0), replacing the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (cat. no. 1292.0).

2013
Half of the respondents were given the option to complete the survey online instead of interviewer administered. Interviewer collection (both face-to-face and via telephone) continued to be available to respondents who were unable to use the online option, due to operational, technological or personal reasons.

All data were collected using the ARA methodology. 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.