Jobseeker website Even It Up! is collecting information from jobseekers about what it’s like to look for work in the current economic climate.
“We have two active surveys at the moment. One survey is collecting data about what sort of experience jobseekers have when they apply for work direct to employers. The other survey is looking at the jobseeker experience when they search for work through recruitment companies,” said Diane Lee, Founder and Director of Even It Up!
“There is a lot of anecdotal evidence out there saying that both direct employers and recruitment companies treat jobseekers in a less than satisfactory way. Our survey will be able to ascertain if in fact this is true, and if it is, we then have hard evidence to take to recruitment companies and direct employers – and government – to lobby for a better jobseeker experience.”
There is an attitude among some recruiters that jobseekers are a disposable commodity, says Ms Lee, and this should be of concern to the government who is spruiking its Fair Work agenda. This attitude is magnified as the unemployment rate rises. “Unfortunately, jobseekers aren’t really protected in the marketplace until they start work. Until they actually sign a contract, jobseekers are at the mercy of the employing organisation and have no real comeback if they are treated unfairly.”
Ms Lee acknowledges that legislation protects jobseekers from overt discrimination when applying for work. “Unfortunately, anecdotal evidence suggests that discrimination has now gone underground and is now covert, and much more difficult to prove. Ageism and even ability discrimination are much more commonplace than the government would have us believe.”
The Jobseeker Experience Survey is open until the end of August, 2009.
