Aussies willing to give up 'dream jobs' for security as dire work trend takes hold: 'Uncertainty'
People across Australia are pivoting away from their dream careers and are willing to give up working from home (WFH) rights to secure more stability. The job market at the moment has proven bleak for many, with new data showing that applications per role have hit record levels.
As a result, workers are changing their priorities to ensure they have a job and skills that will keep them employed for as long as possible. Amelia O’Carrigan, Randstad’s director of public sector and business support, told Yahoo Finance a "big shift" is underway.
"We'd all love to be doing something that we love, but there are realities at the moment in terms of economic uncertainty, interest rates, cost-of-living pressures, new technology, unemployment increasing, and people are thinking, 'What's that going to mean for me?'" she said.
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Yahoo Finance contributor Jason Murphy this week reported Australia had reached another unenviable milestone.
The number of long-term unemployed – those looking for a job for over a year – is now higher than the number of short-term unemployed - those out of work for four weeks or less.
Randstad has also released new research that found more than two-thirds (71 per cent) of people believe long-term employability is more important than being able to work remotely.
Working from home has been heralded as a major perk following the pandemic, and a poll last year of 8,400Yahoo Finance readers found 59 per cent would leave their job if they didn't have that right.
But because the market has become significantly more challenging across many industries, it's something many appear willing to overlook to ensure they have a job that allows them to make ends meet.
Additionally, 67 per cent also prioritised having stability and skills to be employable over doing a job that excited them.
Do you have a story? Email stew.perrie@yahooinc.com
Employability 'shock' causing people to ditch their dreams
Sydney university student Jin Han Lim recently experienced this trend after seeing what jobs were available in his dream career.
The 23-year-old has been doing a double degree of data science and accounting, and was very excited to explore a role in the first category.
However, he told Yahoo Finance he quickly realised he would have to be a one in a million candidate to get a look-in and that left him "shocked".
