By Fiona Blackwood
Publication Date: 2025-11-23 22:01:00
Hairdresser Lisa Seeger is feeling the difficult labor market situation.
“I only earn one income, am a single parent and pay my mortgage alone,” Ms. Seeger said.
“If I don’t get a (better paying) job, I’ll have to start getting my house ready to sell.“
Declining career mobility is making it harder for many Australians to secure better-paying jobs and advance their careers.
There are also concerns that the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) could lead to even greater changes in the Australian workforce.
After running her own salon for 16 years, Ms. Seeger wants a job that is less physically demanding and better paid.
She is looking for roles in sales, customer service and local government.
Lisa Seeger fears that the use of AI by employers will limit her chances of changing careers. (ABC News: Peter Drought)
But in the six months she spent trying to find work, she faced a series of rejections.
“I thought I had a lot to offer, I thought I had a lot…