From: John Tserkezis 
Reply-To: Fidonet AVtech Echo 

Bob Lawrence wrote:

>  Yair... and I suspect that this new system is to automate the
> process. I assume the computer polls everyone's page and sneds out an
> automatic letter if you're not getting hits.

  I wouldn't think it even goes that far.  It's probably, smarter, that is, it 
fits people who have been on the dole for longer to jobs, the short term 
unemployed are low risk (to the govt as far as outgoing payments go) so they 
don't worry about them.  It's the long term they want to pay less, so they are 
more likely to give the few jobs they DO have to them.
  The 'work for the dole' scheme sounds plausable now, they only have a few 
shit-kicker jobs to share around, and give them to the long term unemployed- by 
forcing them, after all, they don't want the shitty jobs anyway.

>  So far, the system is totally fucked. I don't get any hits at
> all, despite possible jobs on the other job-net sites. It looks like
> no one uses Centrelink's jobsearch site.

>  BTW, do you know if jobnet.com.au for real? They always seem to have
> too many jobs to be real, and I've notice that the jobs hardly change
> - but the *dates* change. I suspect that they want job seekers to
> register, and thus build up their private database.

  Actually, they look pretty lame.  They appear to be jobs that haven't been 
filled after some time.  And as you've confirmed, they leave the ad the same, 
just update the date, so newcomers don't know that job has been unfilled for 
too long a time.

>  No. This is the flaw. People *in* jobs use their contacts to get the
> next job, or at the least they know where to look. But the labour
> market is volatile now, entire job-categories vanish (electronic
> engineer, for instance) and when someone tries to move outside the
> niche he has no contacts.

  It's been like that for a long time.  Only exception is during the IT boom, 
when there were imaginary vacancies being created willy nilly.

>  The job-nets have a definite function, from dopey labourers who have
> been laid off to engineers looking for part-time at the age of 65. 

  It however has never worked.  Even in the early days, looking for a job via 
the CES was usually pointless.  The local rag was by far more fruitful.

>  I know... I hired technicians as part of my consultancy. It's
> awkward for a boss trying to find someone who'll fit, especially when
> it's a tech. The CV is usually written by someone else,

  Dunno about awkward, but then again, I've never been exposed to any other 
type of industry, so don't know how easy (or difficult) it is to find types 
other than techs.

> I've never
> checked a reference, it's easy enough to tell if he's bullshitting,
> and if he's good enough to fool you, he's the man for the job!

  All the good bullshitters must have faded into the past.  I've never come 
across anyone who has even come close to bullshitting us.  They just don't put 
the effort into it anymore...

>  They get a percentage of the first-year's salary, paid after three
> months, usually.

  Yeah that's it, I remember now.

>  What I see as a better system, run by Centrelink, is no agents,
> just a database with all jobs and all job-seekers. The employer lists
> his job and immediately gets hits. The boss scrolls down and marks
> the likely ones - and Centrelink sends out the notification to those
> who have a hit.

  But then, they would have to become the headhunters, and, possibly have to 
actually do some work.  This way, they pay someone else to do that for them 
(and half-arsed at that).

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