Diesel_2000
Cancelled
Am about to hit the job market in search of a graduate job come March and with a nasty downturn for Australia in sight, am curious about how did Gen-Xers and Boomers out there go when finding a job during the last recession???
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Searching for employment during the early 1990's Recession
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I was at uni during the early 90s and so didn't have to look for a job, though I did some fruit picking, cotton chipping jobs during the holidays. As soon as I finished uni I didn't even bother trying to get a job in Australia. Went overseas teaching English. I was 35 years old before I had a full time job in Australia.
- Dec 17, 2006
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I left high school at the end of 1992 and it was very difficult to find jobs back then.
I studied various courses to improve my skills throughout 1993 & early 1994, did some temp work, and sent out resumes to prospective employers, eventually landing a job by doing this.
It was quite incredible to see how many experienced people couldn't find work back then - there were people from accounting & finance, trades, hospitality, sales, clerical, healthcare and transportation.
I studied various courses to improve my skills throughout 1993 & early 1994, did some temp work, and sent out resumes to prospective employers, eventually landing a job by doing this.
It was quite incredible to see how many experienced people couldn't find work back then - there were people from accounting & finance, trades, hospitality, sales, clerical, healthcare and transportation.
beez
A*mazing
Just be a public servant for a few years, get a bit of $$$ and some experience.
Wasn't worth trying.
When 1100 people turned up in a town of 75000 for the opening of a Target store (which was only replacing Venture, so most of the same people would get the jobs anyway) it was pretty obvious things were screwed. Over 500 turned up for the first Maccas in town as well.
Supermarkets sacked everyone as soon as they hit 18, fast food places didn't hire students (there were enough unemployed people without school/uni commitments which get in the way of flexible shifts), commerce grads kept their bar or pizza delivery jobs if they could (they weren't getting anything else, and if they weren't nobody else was).
I didn't bother looking when at uni, and barely bothered looking when Austudy rules became an issue and I was forced onto the dole. Just enough to keep DSS (now Centrelink) happy. It was a waste of time and money doing any more than that. No chance of ever receiving a response, much less an interview.
When 1100 people turned up in a town of 75000 for the opening of a Target store (which was only replacing Venture, so most of the same people would get the jobs anyway) it was pretty obvious things were screwed. Over 500 turned up for the first Maccas in town as well.
Supermarkets sacked everyone as soon as they hit 18, fast food places didn't hire students (there were enough unemployed people without school/uni commitments which get in the way of flexible shifts), commerce grads kept their bar or pizza delivery jobs if they could (they weren't getting anything else, and if they weren't nobody else was).
I didn't bother looking when at uni, and barely bothered looking when Austudy rules became an issue and I was forced onto the dole. Just enough to keep DSS (now Centrelink) happy. It was a waste of time and money doing any more than that. No chance of ever receiving a response, much less an interview.
Diesel_2000
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Hoping to score a graduate position as an auditor, so have my fingers crossed that the accounting firms don't begin a hiring freeze like they did back during the Keating recession
Word is they already have, though not yet at grad level.
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I didn't have any dramas, and I was living in Whoop Whoop for most of that period.
Diesel_2000
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I think the more pro-union IR laws during the last Labor government would have execerbated the hiring/firing issues during the last recession. With more pro-business IR laws being in place, I think businesses would be more reluctant to hire with the possibility of a recession on the horizon.
I was living in a small country town when we were retrenched in 1991..It had a far reaching effect on the whole town, but that is another story..
We were offered free courses and training for the first 12mths after we lost our jobs...these courses showed us how to present ourselves for interviews, to do resumes etc...
And we had preferential treatment if another job did come up, which after 4mnths for me, it did.....A part-time position....I got training for the job from my new employer..I had to wait 6yrs, and come down to melbourne, before I was able to find full time work again....
I haven't seen anything nearly as bad, so far in this so-called recession...Time will tell of course..
We were offered free courses and training for the first 12mths after we lost our jobs...these courses showed us how to present ourselves for interviews, to do resumes etc...
And we had preferential treatment if another job did come up, which after 4mnths for me, it did.....A part-time position....I got training for the job from my new employer..I had to wait 6yrs, and come down to melbourne, before I was able to find full time work again....
I haven't seen anything nearly as bad, so far in this so-called recession...Time will tell of course..
i got the arse 1 week after completing my plumbing apprenticeship, along with 14 others that also finished at that time, Oaks Day 1991. we went down to a pub in st.kilda and got smashed and i remember ringing my dad and saying "guess what?", he just said "oh no, you didn't did you?" it took me 13 months to find another full time job out of that industry. it almost ruined my life to that point, lost a long term girlfriend, cash flow problems, self esteem issues etc and planned on moving to queensland to start again, working the holiday islands up there as a barman. saw a job in the local paper and sent in a half-hearted application not expecting to hear anything. a week later i got asked to come in for an interview. i was due to fly to qld, had packed my bags, bought my ticket, cancelled all cards and rearranged another licence and checked out and organised accomodation up there when 2 days before i was due to go i got a call saying that i got the job. i hesitated for 2 seconds before accepting (ungrateful little prick) because i was so excited about starting a new life again. thinking i'd hang around for 3 months before taking off, i stayed at that job for 13 years, met my wife, had 3 kids and bought a house. i'm glad i hung around but often wonder whether my life would've turned out this good if i had've said no to the job initially?
anyway, the 1991 recession sucked for me, i am worried this time but a lot wiser, unfortunately i am in the position where i've had to put people off which only makes me feel as though the axe will come swinging for me sometime soon.
Diesel_2000
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Definately worries me about what's ahead. Had a few mates who got graduate positions at a Big 4 firm for this year and found out a few months ago their positions had been axed. Is not the end of the world, but definately puts you on your arse.
Out of interest, is that in Perth? And do you know what divisions they would have been in?
Diesel_2000
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No they lost their graduate positions from the Sydney offices. Most of them had advisory positions lined up, but since the demand and $$$ for consultancy has disappeared, they were no longer needed.
that's very harsh, especially if you've knocked back other positions, then had your job taken out from underneath you...
I'd imagine they'd already signed contracts..? did they get anything for the termination of their contracts?
Just further to my earlier post, one thing I have found since being retrenched, is not to be a job snob..I have noticed a lot of people are....they will sit around waiting for "their" job, rather than taking whatever comes along..
IMO it is more admirable to have A job, regardless of what it is, than NOT to have a job at all..
Be willing to have a go at anything..
IMO it is more admirable to have A job, regardless of what it is, than NOT to have a job at all..
Be willing to have a go at anything..
Diesel_2000
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Definately agree with you there. My No. 1 job after uni was to work in business advisory, but will have to put that on hold for a few years due to there being bugger all openings in this area for graduates. Will now have to look at applying to work in audit or insolvency.
Your first priority should be finding a job - as Dr Phil once said
I went overseas - unfortunately this probably isn't an option for graduates this time around as it would seem most overseas locations are in worse strife than us (this wasn't the case in the early 90's).
ChrisFooty
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Since I was not old enough in 1991.....
Was seeing somebody over 25 working at a fast food chain (i.e. Maccas or Hungry Jacks) considered having the same stigma it does today, that you were in a lowly paid job with few employment prospects? Or did people acknowledge it was good to have employment in a tough market?
Did the term dole bludger slowly lost its effect? As after the 1991 recession, there would have been a large number of people with a great work ethic seeking employment assistance.
Did the so called 50% youth unemployment rate cause massive social problems?
Australia and America avoided a recession after the 1987 stock market crash. How?
When did businesses regained confidence to start hiring freely again? 1993-1994?
Was seeing somebody over 25 working at a fast food chain (i.e. Maccas or Hungry Jacks) considered having the same stigma it does today, that you were in a lowly paid job with few employment prospects? Or did people acknowledge it was good to have employment in a tough market?
Did the term dole bludger slowly lost its effect? As after the 1991 recession, there would have been a large number of people with a great work ethic seeking employment assistance.
Did the so called 50% youth unemployment rate cause massive social problems?
Australia and America avoided a recession after the 1987 stock market crash. How?
When did businesses regained confidence to start hiring freely again? 1993-1994?
Diesel_2000
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- #21
Spoke to my father who remembers the situation fairly well. Being from Victoria where Kennett took the blade to the public service, my dad remembers things being 'pretty dire'. Lots of families, especially people we knew were torn apart as a result of the recession.
I think a lot of Gen Y are a bit too precious to take a job at McDonalds and would rather sit it out on the dole (am a Gen Y myself).
There were a lot of highly-educated, hard-working people who were retrenched during the 1990's recession. When Pyramid building society collapsed, there were obviously a few unemployed brains with MBA's, JD's, CA's etc.
The 50% youth unemployment convinced many to have another look at the union-employer arrangement and find a way to tackle what is unimaginable today (ie greater casualisation of the workforce has created millions of jobs for australian youths). There were a few cases of youth suicide back then, which highlights how dire things were back then.
I think the recession after the 1987 crash was avoided due to interest rate cuts in the US, plus the Fed pumping huge amounts of liquidity into the market. At home the RBA decided our economy was strong enough to weather the 1987 crash without a stimulus. Budget was in surplus just like today, however inflation was out of control in 1987 and the RBA had no room to cut interest rates like today.
Between 1993 and 1994 the All Ordinaries had a bulllish year, before the market tanked again. Didn't reach it's 1994 peak again until 1998. Although he may have been hated by all and blamed with the recession itself whilst treasurer, Keating didn't too bad a job with the economy as prime minister (when you ignore his record as treasurer). Budget was out of control, but with huge numbers out of work was expected. Removed some of the worse elements from IR laws, introduced Superannuation, kept education spending strong, whilst trying to get some growth out of the economy.
With interest rates at 4.25% this time rather than 10+% in the 1991, I think this recession won't reach the depths of 1991.
Kennett wasn't responsible in any shape or form for the recession and mass unemployment that was around in 1991....
Keating (Labour) lowered the tariffs on the manufacturing industries e.g....food, textile etc (and other factors)....hundreds and hundreds were losing their jobs daily, australia wide, whole factories were being completely closed (as mine was) without notice...
An example.....at 3.30pm we were happily working away, by 3.45p.m we were without a job, the factory closed..the big knobs walked in, called us into our big lunchroom, and said sorry folks, job gone, over and done with, so and so is at the door with your cheque when you go out!!... just like that.... that is exactly what happened!!....that was happening everywhere..
Didn't hear one word from the union....they were in on the redundancy agreement, but no word to us from them
As a result, I have no love whatsoever or faith in the unions..
Keating (Labour) lowered the tariffs on the manufacturing industries e.g....food, textile etc (and other factors)....hundreds and hundreds were losing their jobs daily, australia wide, whole factories were being completely closed (as mine was) without notice...
An example.....at 3.30pm we were happily working away, by 3.45p.m we were without a job, the factory closed..the big knobs walked in, called us into our big lunchroom, and said sorry folks, job gone, over and done with, so and so is at the door with your cheque when you go out!!... just like that.... that is exactly what happened!!....that was happening everywhere..
Didn't hear one word from the union....they were in on the redundancy agreement, but no word to us from them
As a result, I have no love whatsoever or faith in the unions..
I was retrenched in '92 along with a few of my friends. Took about 6 months to get a "real" job. I received a decent payout but most of it went on a mortgage (which wasn't too high) but a girl had to eat. It was degrading for someone who has been in the work force for a long time to toddle into Centrelink to hand in the form once a fortnight and be treated llike a 2nd class citizen. What pi$$ed me off the most was the welfare witches and their numerous offspring treated the place like a social club.
I did the slog of sending off my CV to just about every place who advertised some sort of job that I thought I could do. It can get very frustrating when responses are, you're too experienced and we'd have to pay you more, you might find it too boring after your last job, we were looking for someone younger, blah blah blah. And as for those 15 year olds (well they look it) at the recruitment agencies straight out of their HR course at uni who have no idea of what it's like working in the REAL WORLD....well, don't get me started...grrrrr Back then getting an interview was almost like getting the job. Sometimes I'd not bother trying to look for a job on Mondays and would go through the 'phone book and pick a large company or two and put them on the centrelink form as having applied for jobs.
I finally landed on my feet at a good place (the first 6 years were) where I stayed for 9 years til they decided to restructure the place but by then I hated my job and the place - too many changes in management - and the mega pay out I received was worth sticking it out. Scored a new job not soon after...
I did the slog of sending off my CV to just about every place who advertised some sort of job that I thought I could do. It can get very frustrating when responses are, you're too experienced and we'd have to pay you more, you might find it too boring after your last job, we were looking for someone younger, blah blah blah. And as for those 15 year olds (well they look it) at the recruitment agencies straight out of their HR course at uni who have no idea of what it's like working in the REAL WORLD....well, don't get me started...grrrrr
Back then getting an interview was almost like getting the job. Sometimes I'd not bother trying to look for a job on Mondays and would go through the 'phone book and pick a large company or two and put them on the centrelink form as having applied for jobs. I finally landed on my feet at a good place (the first 6 years were) where I stayed for 9 years til they decided to restructure the place but by then I hated my job and the place - too many changes in management - and the mega pay out I received was worth sticking it out. Scored a new job not soon after...
Recession proof industries like law, health, sex, beer, tax and of course the public service is where to look.
Don't be too choosey in a recession. If you want to work, then work anywhere as you dont know when the next offer is going to come along. I saw too many last time say 'nah something better will come along' or 'nah I am not moving there'.
Gaso
Gaso
