Latest news with #ChrisField
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hidden reason behind Australia's growing job crisis: 'Breaking point'
Australian jobseekers have been warned of the critical understaffing in the recruitment sector as thousands of people desperately try to find their next gig. The job market is incredibly tight at the moment due to a variety of factors, and it's not uncommon to see hundreds or even thousands of people apply for a single role. Many are applying and not hearing anything back from the hiring managers or recruiters. Chris Field has submitted more than 40 applications in the last few weeks in the Sydney real estate sector and told Yahoo Finance it's an exhausting and brutal experience. "It bothers me a lot and hurts my confidence," he said. Common 'red flag' resume mistake job seekers are urged to avoid $4,400 ATO car tax deduction that most Aussies miss: 'Easy win' Centrelink $1,011 cash boost for Aussie farmers doing it tough: 'Get back on track' "The most frustrating part is not necessarily applying for it, but you spend all this time going to these interviews, spending time and fuel commuting there and back, and you just don't get anything from it." He has tried to remain positive and find the lesson in each experience, but said finding a job at the moment is a bit like shouting into the void. In some cases, he'll send off an application and get zero response. In other roles, he gets through a few rounds before they suddenly "drop all lines of communication". Sadly, his story is all too there might be many who apply for jobs they're not suited to, many well-qualified individuals are "slipping through the cracks" because there aren't enough people to sift through all the applications. JobAdder has revealed that the average recruitment agency in Australia is juggling more than 2,170 resumes in just one quarter. The workload is overwhelming recruiters and pushing some to "breaking point". 'The job market is challenging for both job seekers and recruiters," JobAdder CEO Martin Herbst said. "Applications are flooding in and recruiters are drowning. "There aren't enough hours to sift through hundreds of CVs, field candidates, consult with clients and keep all applicants updated. "Recruiters are only human, and they're stretched too thin. It's no surprise burnout is on the rise, and job seekers are getting the silent treatment. It's not about talent; it's about time." JobAdder's State of Recruitment report showed the average number of applications per role has jumped by 42 per cent year-on-year. In 2024's December quarter, recruiters were sifting through more than 41 CVs for every job, which is around 725 resumes every month. Over a quarter of recruiters reported a poor work-life balance as they tried to chip away at the growing workload, while 37 per cent said they're struggling with burnout. What's even more worrying is that some recruitment sectors are shrinking, with one in three recruiters admitting that their workload is only going to get bigger as the internal headcount drops. Paul Mitchinson, director of growth and partnerships Asia Pacific and Japan at recruitment and consultancy firm Think and Grow Inc, told Yahoo Finance the system needs to be fixed. "Application volume for roles is unprecedented right now," he said. "Significant layoffs over the past 18 months have created record levels of competition. "This is placing immense pressure on hiring teams, and traditional recruitment tools simply aren't equipped to manage the sheer volume of applications. "There might only be one talent acquisition manager in a business and let's say they've read through 100 applications, or even 50 and they've found 10 that they really, really like, and think are a great fit, what is the incentive to keep on reading another 200 or 300 applications? "That's the reality of the situation." But because there is little transparency about this "dehumanising" environment, jobseekers are left questioning what's wrong with them. He and Herbst said the problem could be fixed by implementing more artificial intelligence into certain workflows or processes, which could give additional spare time to look at more applications. "It's not about replacing recruiters; it's about keeping them," the JobAdder CEO said. "AI gives people tools and time to make better hiring decisions and offload some of the grunt work, so candidates don't get ghosted. "If we keep hiring the old way, great talent will keep slipping through the cracks, and recruiters will burn out. Everyone loses. Something has got to give.'Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
Washington Post
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Trump administration dismisses authors of key climate report
The Trump administration told scientists writing a congressionally mandated climate report that it was 'releasing' them from their roles and that the report's scope was being reevaluated, in an email sent Monday and seen by The Washington Post. Hundreds of authors contributing to the National Climate Assessment — a report documenting climate change in the United States that has been published every four to five years since 2000 — will pause work on the next report, which was planned for release by 2028. It could be delayed, or written in a way that downplays climate change, or not done at all, climate experts said. 'Not having the NCA is like driving a car with a dirty windshield,' said Chris Field, a professor of environmental studies at Stanford University. And 'like driving with a dirty windshield, it is hard to detect risks until they unfold as disasters.' The email from the Trump administration didn't outline what would happen to the next NCA report, only saying that 'there may be future opportunities to contribute or engage' for participating scientists and experts. The NCA's key functions include analyzing environmental changes, projecting what to expect in the next 25 to 100 years and providing localized information for each region of the United States. Users include the U.S. military, emergency responders, farmers, private companies and the U.S. government. The White House could not be immediately reached for comment. The move comes after the Trump administration slashed funding for the U.S. Global Change Research Program, which oversees and coordinates the writing and publication of the report. Trump officials canceled a contract with a company that provides most of the staff for the program. The Post previously reported that the Trump administration's termination of that contract would make it difficult, if not impossible, for the USGCRP to produce the next National Climate Assessment, which remains mandated by Congress under the 1990 Global Change Research Act. Monday's action — combined with the contract termination — means 'there is literally no one' left to do this work, said Mijin Cha, a environmental studies professor at the University of California at Santa Cruz, and one of the dismissed scientists. The NCA is a three-year process that requires rigorous research, Cha said. 'Without the staff and many volunteers, this work won't be done,' she said. During his first term, Trump attracted suspicion that his administration was trying to suppress publicity for the 2018 National Climate Assessment, by releasing it on the day after Thanksgiving. That assessment, and the most recent NCA released in 2023 under the Biden administration, warned Americans of the increasingly deadly effects of climate change, although U.S. emissions have fallen since peaking in 2007. Field, the Stanford climate scientist, said the administration should continue with the assessment, saying that would be the 'smart, cost-effective thing to do.'
