2015 Job Seeker Nation Study
A recovering economy has placed job seekers in the driver’s seat.
Half of employed job seekers see their current position as only temporary.
It’s been a long road to recovery, but the economy is finally bouncing back after the Great Recession. Businesses are growing, companies are hiring and quality talent is in high demand. For the skilled worker, the job market has shifted in their favor, and professionals everywhere are taking advantage. The findings of the sixth annual Job Seeker Nation Study explore the progression of the job market, the modern job seeker’s approach to job hunting, and what this means for the workforce in 2015.
What you need to know:
- The job market is looking up: compared to 2013, fewer people in 2014 said it was difficult to find a job.
- Everyone has their eye out for a better opportunity: 45% of workers will jump ship for a new job even though they are happy in their current position.
- Job seekers are surfing the wave of career opportunities. Technology sees the highest short-term turnover, but no industry is exempt from job-hopping.
- Over a quarter of job seekers view their current position as a stepping-stone, another indicator that
- people see their jobs as a growth experience rather than an endgame.
- Money talks: it’s the most influential factor both in deciding to leave a job and in choosing a new one.
- Men and women agree on one thing: both genders (38%) value work/life balance equally when considering a new job.
- Job seeking is now a 24/7 activity: job seekers search for new positions on mobile during their commute (38%), on the job (30%) and even in the bathroom (18%).
Satisfaction is no guarantee of employee loyalty.
45% of job seekers are satisfied in their current job, but open to a new one.
No company is exempt from restless employees eager for a better opportunity.
Millennials are twice as likely as 30-somethings to leave a job after just three years — and this gap only widens with age.
Q. How frequently do you change jobs?
50% of employed job seekers see their current position as a placeholder.
Younger job seekers in particular consider their positions temporary growth opportunities.
Q. How would you describe your position at your current job?
Minimal pay and lack of growth make leaving a job inevitable.
Job seekers primarily leave for higher compensation and better growth opportunities.
Perks are great, but money talks.
One size does not fit all — every job seeker shops differently.
Q. Which of the following is important to you when applying for a job?
All social networks are NOT created equal in the job search.
For some job seekers, honesty isn’t the best policy on Facebook and Twitter.
Mobile is gaining traction fast in the job hunt.
Millennials are fueling the workforce, and 47% of them are using mobile in their job search.
Q. Which of the following activities have you completed during your job search on a social network and on which device: mobile or desktop?
Job searching is no longer taboo.
Job seekers are devoting time on mobile to find their next job.
When it comes to interviewing, job seekers must be prepared for anything.
While face-to-face interviews remain the most popular choice, employers are using a variety of other methods to vet the best candidates:
Research is now a job-seeking prerequisite.
Younger, highly educated people are most likely to use social media to look up information about the skills/experience of current employees at a company of interest.
Job seekers use a plethora of networks to assess a company’s culture, but overall, Facebook is the top choice at 18%.
