Single mum's desperate search for a job after hundreds of knock-backs

A single mum searching for a job for two years is worried her savings are going to run out leaving her desperate to provide for her family.

Vicky Stevens, once a successful real estate agent selling waterfront properties on Sydney’s Circular Quay, says she is competing against hundreds of other applicants for jobs in Perth and is constantly being turned away due to her being out of the workforce for about 10 years.

Ms Stevens has two children, aged 9 and 11, and quit work to focus on raising them while also travelling around with her ex-husband who was in the hotel business.

But following their divorce, Ms Stevens’ mum was diagnosed with breast cancer and she moved to Perth to help care for her about three years ago.

Having been out of the workforce for a decade, the 46-year-old claims she is continually turned away from jobs because she does not have recent experience.

“The Perth economy is not great, but I did not expect to be looking for a job this long,” she told Yahoo News.

“Every job I apply for there are 200 applicants plus. I’ve been lucky enough to get job interviews but they always choose people who have been in the workforce for a while.

“The line I’m getting at the moment is I don’t have recent experience but what do you do with that? I’ve been out of the workforce looking after my kids but I’m keen, eager, well-presented and well spoken.”

‘My savings are being eaten up’

Ms Stevens completed a real estate course last year, updating her skills in an attempt to make herself more employable. She has been applying for retail and administration roles, and is willing to be flexible with work hours, despite having two children.

“I can’t be too fussy,” she said.

“I’m relying on my savings that are being eaten up. I’m very worried about getting to a point where I don’t have savings to rely on.”

Ms Stevens said she was not making excuses and also does volunteer work helping elderly people improve their computer skills.

“I’m surprised it has been this hard,” she said.

Ms Stevens said she was just “waiting for that lucky break”.

“What about giving somebody a chance?” she said.

WA unemployment rate at 17-year high

Western Australia’s unemployment rate spiked to a 17-year high in January, going against the national trend, which is holding steady.

The jobless rate in WA jumped to 6.8 per cent, up from 6.4 per cent in December. It’s the second worst result, behind Tasmania at seven per cent.

The figures, released last month by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, came a day after the state government spruiked a plan to create 150,000 new jobs over six years.

“That means absolutely nothing to the nearly 100,000 Western Australians who are unemployed right now,” opposition treasury spokesman Dean Nalder said.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA said more than 130,000 people remain underemployed and want more work.

Treasurer Ben Wyatt said full time jobs growth, on an annual basis, was rising.

“The fact is, these figures go up and down but the underlying data shows things are heading in the right direction,” Mr Wyatt said.

with AAP