KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 11): About one-quarter of American workers are looking to get a new job this year, with some wanting to move into technology-related industries such as information technology, business and finance.
A survey released last week by ResumeBuilder.com, a portal which offers resume templates, said it polled 1,250 currently employed American adults about their employment plans for 2022.
It said roughly one quarter of respondents declared their intentions of finding a new job in the new year, setting the stage for yet another year of turmoil in the labour market.
23% of workers plan to quit in 2022
The poll said 23% of workers plan to seek a new job with a different employer this year.
It said 9% of respondents would already have new jobs that they are starting in 2022, while another 9% plan on retiring this year.
One in four remote workers looking for new job in 2022
Individuals who work from home are most likely to look for a new job, with 24% of remote employees indicating they will seek a different employment situation.
By comparison, 23% of fully in-person workers and 21% of those with hybrid work arrangements will look for new employment in 2022.
One in two resignations would happen in first half of 2022
According to the poll, 61% of workers who are planning employment changes are already applying for new jobs, while 39% said they are waiting until after the new year to kick off their job searches.
Meanwhile, 26% of those who plan on quitting anticipate doing so between January and March 2022, with another 26% aiming to leave their current job between April and June 2022.
Another 18% said they will quit as soon as they have a new job lined up.
Of the remaining workers, 19% anticipate resigning from their current job between July and September 2022, and 11% would quit in the final months of the year.
Sectors
Staff turnover in 2022 would continue to hit the retail and food and hospitality industries the hardest in 2022.
About 31% of retail workers and 26% of food and hospitality workers intend to find new employment.
Other industries that would see about a quarter of their workforce seek new jobs include education (23%), office and administrative support (23%), and business and finance (22%).
ResumeBuilder.com career strategist and professional resume writer Carolyn Kleiman said the upcoming changes are the results of a confluence of factors.
“Workers often make shifts in employment after the new year.
“Employees may wait for end-of-the-year bonuses to make a change or see what new opportunities arise in the new year. Plus, as the [Covid-19] pandemic continues, people continue to evaluate their lives, and work is a large part of that,” she said.
Besides switching employers, some workers are seizing this moment to pursue whole new careers.
Kleiman said 32% of employees who are looking for new jobs are seeking employment in a different industry.
Another 31% are undecided about the specific industry they are seeking employment in, while 37% plan to hunt for jobs in their current industry.
The top industries that are attracting new talent include computer and information technology (11%), healthcare (11%), media and communications (9%), retail (9%), community and social services (8%), and business and finance (8%).
Kleiman also has some advice for employees who are looking to make an industry change during their job search.
“If you’re looking for a similar job in a new industry, focus your resume on skills that overlap.
“For example, if you’re going from hospitality management to a management role in media, focus on scheduling, coordinating, working under tight deadlines, supervising and other common job functions.
“Make sure your resume not only showcases skills but accomplishments as employers like to see quantifiable data like time saved or sales closed,” she said.