Voters have a clear message for the Coalition as it looks to curtail spending in its first budget: don't do it if it could harm jobs growth.

With the government railing against accumulated deficits left to it of $123 billion over four years and a potential debt of $667 billion over the decade, a nationwide Fairfax-Nielsen poll has found more than three-quarters of voters think fostering employment should be Canberra's focus rather than returning the budget to surplus.

The overwhelming preference for jobs over cuts was expressed in the survey of 977 voters taken between March 13 and 15, even though more than half of all voters still want the budget balanced.