If you regularly drive through the intersection of Wanneroo Road and Royal Street in the Perth suburb of Tuart Hill, you've almost certainly seen an older man sitting on a folding chair next to a sign that reads "Any work 4 me".

That man is Leslie Devlin, a 56-year-old labourer who is determined to overcome the instability of the job market and find work.

Mr Devlin doesn't have a full-time job, but he refuses to apply for Centrelink benefits because of the hassle, and because he says it's too easy to get caught in a cycle of doing nothing.

His unusual job-seeking method has had mixed success — some days he gets a bit of work, sometimes he doesn't.

"I find that's the way I can advertise, people can see that I'm really able to work," Mr Devlin said.

"I'm not just going to sit at home and say 'oh there's no work outside'. If I just sit out there, like today someone's offered me to do a bit of gardening."

Mr Devlin said he was not internet-savvy so he could not advertise online, and advertising in newspapers cost money he did not have.

'It's no good sitting at home'

He said people often told him they had work for him but then did not follow through.

Instead of being deterred, Mr Devlin said it gave him more motivation to show how keen he was to work.

"It's no good sitting at home. Even at home I put my sign outside and just see what happens," he said.

Mr Devlin picks up gardening and handyman work when he can. ( Supplied: Madison Snow )

Mr Devlin said he had tried Centrelink in the past but found it was too difficult.

"You've got to look for 20 jobs a week — well there's not 20 jobs a week I could apply for, because I just do labouring," he said.

Although the unemployment rate is relatively low at 5.8 per cent, the latest data from the Bureau of Statistics shows a strong trend toward casualisation, with 37,000 new part-time jobs created in April.

Full-time employment decreased by 11,600 positions in the same month.

Council of the Aging CEO Mark Teale said age discrimination was prevalent in Australia.

"About 27 per cent of people aged over 50 reported that they're experienced discrimination in the workforce," he said.

"Of those about a third, when they were job hunting, just gave up job hunting completely."

In anonymous survey of 1,352 Australian employers conducted by recruitment company Hays, 70 per cent admitted age was a factor when hiring or selecting employees.

'I'm an honest worker'

Mr Devlin knows his age is against him, but hopes he can win employers over with his strong work ethic.

"I'm an honest worker, you won't get me on the phone playing games like the younger guys do, I'm fit, plus I even suggest things to make it easier," he said.

"I don't sit there (and think) what do I do next, you know?"

Mr Devlin said he dreamed of winning the lottery and retiring with his cat Audrey.

"If I win I'm going to the country, buy a few hundred acres," he said.

In the meantime Mr Devlin is continuing his quest for full-time work.

"I like outdoor work, gardening, labouring, digging holes, filling up holes, a bit of painting," he said.

"That's what I need so I don't have to sit out with my sign."