This past year and a half, we’ve all experienced everything from boredom to crazy “what the heck is happening?!” on the rollercoaster of life. Things are starting to shift again, including the behavior of job seekers. And it seems to be happening en masse. But what gives? Why are so many people switching things up in the job market after that rollercoaster ride we all just went through? Why are so many job seekers changing careers now?
We talked to job seekers and found a few key things driving job seekers changing careers:
Competition Drives New Opportunity
Now is a great time to make a shift. So, if someone wants to, why wouldn’t they? Businesses are doing anything but pulling back, and with unemployment perks, so many industries are finding it hard to keep at full staffing capacity. Companies that previously experienced certain limitations due to the pandemic are starting to hire again, giving people plenty of choice in where they wish to work. Beyond that, some businesses are offering up some serious bucks to those they hire. Even fast food places are offering more than minimum wage these days to come and work for them.
It’s not just those who lost a job during the pandemic that are making a shift. It’s those who currently have a job as well. All this job switching was coined the “Great Resignation” by Anthony Klotz, Associate Professor of Management at Texas A&M University. So, not only are a lot of businesses looking to hire, but there will be many job hunters as well, driving up competition and opportunity.
Values Driving Decisions
Being stuck at home for a year in sweatpants didn’t just protect us from a nasty virus. It also gave people an opportunity to assess their values. Meaning, it wasn’t all just a date with Netflix and a pint of Ben and Jerry’s, but a time of reflection on what matters most to people. If an old job didn’t fit those values, a lot of people decided that it wasn’t worth it anymore. Combined with new opportunities out there, choosing a job based on values has helped lead to that “great resignation” as people switch it up.
The “Where” It Matters
There are a few instances in life where people love something or hate it, and there is seemingly no in-between…kind of like how polarizing the Patriots football team is. But how does this relate to jobs and job seekers? People have now had a taste of remote working, and it seems that most people either love or hate it.
Getting to experience working from home makes a difference in the job people want to have. Some people love the ability to work from home or have a hybrid option, and if their current job doesn’t give them that ability, they will most likely search for a new job. The same is true for those who love in-person work. If their place of employment has decided that it’s cheaper to not pay for an office building and have everyone work remotely, then the employee who loves being in an office environment will up and leave.
Generational Approach
Baby Boomers were offered incentives to stick with the “Man,” creating a sense of loyalty to a company through long-term benefits that would pay out in retirement. However, Gen X developed a stronger sense of independence and began questioning whether the incentives were worth staying in a job they didn’t like. Fast forward to today, Millennials and Gen Z are dominating the workforce and changing the face of it. Loyalty is less important to these newer generations; they are looking for new opportunities and experiences and will go after them, regardless of where they come from.
Today’s job seekers are not willing to compromise. They’re in the driver’s seat and can go after the next big thing. They’re hitting the reset button in a BIG way. What we’re seeing is a mass shift in the workforce, and the ripple effects are just beginning to show up as job seekers continue to change careers.
These changing times will alter the workforce as we know it, causing major shifts in almost every company, every department, and every team. It’s now more important than ever to make the right hire the first time and ensure your changing workforce consists of the right people. Hire for culture alignment and contact Workzinga today!
