Survey: 71% of Workers Open to New Job Opportunities

Nearly three-quarters (69%) of job seekers feel optimistic going into 2024, and 71% say they are open to new job opportunities, according to a recent survey from Indeed. As workers seek out their new roles, more than half (54%) say they research every company before applying and 56% say they update their resumes at least once per year or only when gearing up for a job search. When it comes to what is holding workers back in their job search, 49% say that most job application processes are too long and complicated, and 38% say they will stop or abandon an application if the salary range is not disclosed.  

Many workers are open to new opportunities offering higher pay, better benefits, and greater flexibility. More than one quarter (26%) are content with their employment status, while 19% are looking to change jobs within the next six months, 10% are looking to switch jobs within the next 12 months, and 20% are occasionally browsing in case they see something that they like.  

Those who are looking for a new job are often looking for hybrid work (40%), folowed by remote work (34%), any type of working arrangement (29%), and in-office work (23%). Millennials prefer hybrid work more than other generations (42%), followed by Gen X (40%), baby boomers (38%), and Gen Z (33%).  

More than half of workers (56%) say they regularly consult employee reviews when searching potential employers, while 60% are always keeping their eyes open for new opportunities, and 49% think job applications are too long. When researching a potential company, job seekers are looking for salary information (74%), benefits (70%), employee happiness (58%), overall rating (50%), workload (38%), employee reviews that match employer claims (34%), interview tips (28%), information on leadership (25%), and demographics and diversity (24%).  

Job seekers still face barriers in their job searches, including anxiety and nervousness when it comes to finding a job (27%), lack of prior work experience or the right work experience (26%), unsure if they have the necessary skills (21%), unable to find job postings for what they want (21%), difficult or lengthy job applications (18%), interviewing difficulties (17%), not knowing where to start (17%), not sure how to tell if one job is better than another (14%), resume issues (14%), nervous about working with new people (12%), not having the technology needed for the job (8%), and difficulty with language (8%).  

Read the full Indeed report here.