John MacDonald: The "overqualified" jobseekers behind the dole numbers

There’s no doubt the news that the number of people on a benefit in New Zealand is up to the 400,000 mark will have some people tut-tutting.   

But before we start ripping into the so-called “benefit bludgers”, we need to be very careful.  

Because at the same time that we’re finding out that benefit numbers are up —and the number of people on the dole in particular— 10% compared to last year, we’re also hearing about people over-50 being knocked back time-and-time again when all they’re doing is just trying to find work.  

So the number of people on the Jobseeker benefit is up right around the country.   

The biggest increase has been in Northland but overall, there are 216,000 people on the dole. Which is just over half the overall number of beneficiaries.  

That’s with 81,000 people off a benefit and into work thanks to moves made by the Government, which had former WINZ boss Christine Rankin all excited when she was on Newstalk ZB this morning.   

Social Development Minister Louise Upston also said this morning that thousands of jobs are on the way with the big infrastructure projects in the pipeline.   

Which is all very well, but not everyone works in construction. And the prospect of these big projects coming online won’t provide any reassurance to the over-50s who are over the hill in the eyes of many employers.   

Which is why we shouldn't make assumptions that everyone on the Jobseeker benefit is not in the least bit interested in working.  

Because there are plenty of people —thousands of people we’re being told today— who desperately want to work but can’t because of their age.  

Or, more to the point, they desperately want to work but can’t because some employers are only interested in hiring younger people.  

The founder of a website for people over-50 seeking work has been saying this week that thousands of people have contacted them with stories of being sidelined just because of their age.  

Ian Fraser is the founder of the Seniors at Work website, and he says employers need to change their thinking about these so-called older workers.  

For example, he says not everyone over-50 struggles with technology. He says that excuse comes up all the time. Not that that’s what comes through in the rejection letter – if you do get a rejection letter.  

Then there’s the old line about being over-qualified. But we’re not talking here about people all that long in the tooth, we’re talking about people my age.   

I’m in quite a privileged position of having a job for the next two years. All going well, that is. Providing I don’t completely blow it.  

I’ve got a contract that says, “we want you for the next two years”.  

But I’m as aware as the next person that, when contracts expire, that can be it.  

Which means in two years time I could very well be joining these thousands of people in their 50’s who are finding it impossible to get work because employers aren’t interested in them because of their age. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Kerry Wood and Morning's podcast from
News Talks, he'd be.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
I think we can say there's no doubt that the
news that the number of people on a benefit in
New Zealand is up to around four hundred thousand, there's
no doubt some people right now will be tap tarting
over the keep cups. Ah. But before we start ripping
into the so called benefit bloods, I think we need
to be careful because at the same time that we're

(00:33):
finding out that benefit numbers are up, and the number
of people on the dole in particular is up ten
percent compared to last year, at the same time we're
also hearing about people over fifty being knocked back time
and time again when all they're doing is just trying
to find work. Trying to find a job. So the
number of people on the job seeker benefit is up

(00:53):
right around the country. The biggest increase has been in Northland,
probably not that surprising, but overall there are two hundred
and sixteen thousand people on the doll which is just
overhalf the overall number of ben fisheries in the country.
That's despite the fact that eighty one thousand people are
off of benefit and into work thanks to moves made
by the government, which you might have heard had former

(01:15):
WINS boss Christine Rankin positively frothing about when you spoke
to hear the a couple of hours ago.

Speaker 3 (01:22):
You've got to give this government credit, and this minister
in particular, for putting in the reforms that are in
that system. No government for decades has done anything as
courageous as this, and to get eighty one thousand people
back into work is a big deal. It's a big
deal for the people who were left to rot on
there with the last government, and it's a big deal

(01:44):
for the taxpayer. So while there are huge numbers, they
are I'm not sure if they're being cycled through, but
I suspect they're going into jobs and they're not lasting
very long for some of them, and they're going back
on benefit again. But I'm afraid that's part of a
process that is desperately needed and has been for years.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
And Social Development Minister Louise Epston also said this morning
that thousands of jobs are on the way with the
big infrastructure projects in the pipeline, which is all very well.
I mean, that's brilliant, but not everyone works in construction,
do they? And the prospect of these big projects coming
online won't provide any reassurance at all to the over fifties, who,
as we're being told by the people in the know,

(02:25):
are seen as being over the hill and the eyes
of many employers. Which is why I'm saying today that
not everyone on the doll wants to be on the doll,
and it's why I'm saying that we need to calm
the farm a bit before we make assumptions and before
we label everybody on the job seeker benefits people not
in the least but interested in working, because there are
plenty of people, thousands of people we're being told today,

(02:47):
who desperately want to work but can't because of their age.
Well more to the point, they desperately want to work
but can't because employers are only interested in hiring people
younger than them. Now, the founder of a website which
exists for people over fifty seeking work, he says this week,
or he's been saying this week, that thousands of people

(03:09):
have contacted them with stories of being sidelined just because
of their age. Ian frases his name, and he's the
founder of These Seniors at Work website. He says employers
need to change their thinking. How about these so called
older workers, For example, he says, not everyone over fifty
struggles with technology. He says that that excuse comes up

(03:29):
all the time. Bet it does not that that's what
comes through in the rejection letter. If you're over fifteen,
if you do get a rejection letter quite often, you don't,
do you. Then there's the old line about being overqualified.
That's probably fair to say that employers do think that
someone who's been around a while might be stuck in
their ways, that they might struggle working for a manager

(03:53):
younger than them. But you know, we're not talking We're
not talking here about Methusela. We're talking about people my age.
Now I'm in quite a not quite. I'm in a
privileged position of knowing that I've got a job for
the next two years and when that's all going well,
providing it don't completely blow it. But I've got a
contract that says we want you for two years. You

(04:15):
got a job for two years. But look, I'm as
aware as the next person that when contracts expire, that
can be it, which means in two years time. And
this is the scary bit for me. Anyway, in two
years time, I could very well be joining these thousands
of people in their fifties or saying they're finding it
impossible to get work because employers aren't interested in them

(04:37):
because of their age. Now, this could be a possibility
for me in two years time or so. You know
who knows, But is it a reality already for you
or for someone you know.

Speaker 1 (04:48):
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