Employment agencies and the unemployed

The ABC's Four Corners has recently investigated the fraudulent and corrupt activity going on in job agencies like ORS and not for profits such as the Salvation Army.  It was alleged that ORS filled out forms fraudulently in order to gain government funding.  Several job seekers were featured as being disgruntled and disenfranchised.  They were concerned that ORS and Job Services Australia simply didn't really care about placing them in employment.  There was reference at the beginning of the story to generational unemployment in areas like the South Australian town of Elizabeth where Holden's factory is situated.

There are a few questions this report does not actually ask.  It blames the agencies for people's inability to find jobs and it blames the lack of jobs for unemployment.

Let's look at a few things.  I will however acknowledge that there are shortages of jobs in some areas and in some industries work simply does not exist.  This being said, if there are not jobs in a particular area or industry there are actions you can take to ensure you are more likely to find a job.

1. Relocate to a place where there are jobs.
2. Undertake study to develop skills that will make you more attractive to employers.
3. Take casual employment until you can find permanent employment.
4. Apply for as many jobs as you can.

Without sounding like a mouthpiece for the Government, if there are not jobs where you are living then look at relocating to a place with better employment prospects.  Before you say, it's not that simple, it can be.  When I was working in Auckland I, and the entire department I were in was given notice that it was going to be sold to the competitor so I made plans to relocate and begun applying for jobs in Sydney before I moved across.  In the end i was able to get a transfer to Sydney in my current job while I looked for other jobs.  I know other people who have been back and forth between cities, myself included since 2008, until they found employment. While this is not an option for everyone, technology does make things a lot easier.  While once upon a time you would have had to physically attend an interview, people can now be interviewed via Skype.  Maybe Centrelink and job agencies should look into providing computers so that people can do this and apply for jobs in other locations.

Undertaking study is a no brainer really.  If you have an education you're more likely to have the communication skills required to undertake employment and will be more likely to have the intellect to adapt to different situations.  By having an education employers will see you as better prepared.  This education could also be in terms of experience.  While this is not possible for everyone, the more skills you have, the better.  For example, if you're a qualified journalist those skills can probably be transferred to copywriting or public relations.  If you are in sales then you could become a customer service representative/professional and vice versa.  If you have been a team leader or manager in one industry then it's probable that you could become a manager in another area.  Do you see what I'm saying?  You can simply transfer your skills.  In today's economy this is essential.

Nobody wants casual employment.  Casual employment is tough.  I was casually employed all of last year and it was a nightmare.  There were times when I didn't know when I was going to be working beyond that particular shift and cases where I'd only find out I was working that day.  Still, casual employment is better than no employment and it is much easier to find employment while you are employed.  If you can't find casual employment then work for free to have something on your CV and to gain new skills.

When watching the Four Corners report there was one thing that was very clear to me, and it's entirely possible that some of the story was not told so there may be some people who are in fact doing what they can to get jobs.  Four Corners made it appear like some of the job seekers were only relying on the agencies and that they were effectively being told they were useless.  The solo mother, if she was given some positive reinforcement could go into customer service or modelling.  The man who had an accident worked out so he could become a personal trainer.  The one question that the report did not answer was, why weren't the agencies looking outside of the square?  And the other question, were the unemployed job seekers looking for employment elsewhere?

I'm not saying it's easy if you're caught in a cycle of poverty but it appeared to me like the people interviewed were quick to blame the Government and the job agencies without expecting the job seekers to take any responsibility themselves.  There is certainly more to the story, and instead of employment agencies sending people on silly courses that won't help, why aren't people being taught real skills to gain employment?  When I was in school we would have careers days, do these still happen?

There's more to the story and the job seekers must take some responsibility for their situation rather than just blaming the Government.