One-Third of Sales Workers Plan to Leave Their Jobs in 2006, CareerBuilder.com Survey Finds

CHICAGO, January 19, 2006 - One-in-five sales workers are not happy in their current positions and 33 percent say they plan to change jobs by the end of the year, according to a recent CareerBuilder.com survey. Workers cite dissatisfaction with pay, increased workload and the lack of career advancement opportunities as the leading factors influencing their decisions to look for new opportunities this year. The survey, “Job Forecast 2006 - Sales,” was conducted from November 15, 2005 to December 6, 2005.

The biggest concern on the minds of sales workers continues to be compensation. Fifty-five percent of sales workers say they were not given a raise last year and 67 percent did not see a bonus. It is not surprising that 53 percent are expressing dissatisfaction with pay.

Sixty-one percent say their workloads have increased in the last six months, while 43 percent feel their workload overall has become unmanageable. Juggling the additional work and at-home commitments is proving problematic for sales workers. Thirty-six percent report dissatisfaction with their work/life balance, an increase from 27 percent last year.

Moving ahead in the company is proving to be a challenge for sales workers. Eighty-two percent say they were not given a promotion last year while 35 percent say they are dissatisfied overall with the advancement opportunities available to them in their current positions.

“Top sales performers know they are in demand and are more likely to join a company that is offering them a better deal,” said Mary Delaney, Chief Sales Officer at CareerBuilder.com. “To manage the increased competition for top sales workers, employers need to be more creative with their recruitment and retention strategies. In an attempt to strengthen their sales forces, sales workers can expect to see companies offering more attractive packages including increased pay, and flexible work schedules.”

CareerBuilder.com on average sees more than 4.5 million job searches in sales every month and offers sales executives multiple touch points to connect with potential employees. CareerBuilder.com powers the online career sites for more than 800 partners reaching national, local, industry, diversity and niche audiences. These include Sales and Marketing Management, SellingPower Magazine, and SalesVault.com.

Survey Methodology
The new CareerBuilder.com survey, "Job Forecast 2006 - Sales," was conducted from November 15 to December 6, 2005. Methodology used to collect survey responses totalling more than 130 sales workers for this study involved selecting a random sample of comScore Networks panel members. These Web Panel members were approached via an e-mail invitation, which asked them to participate in a short online survey. The results of this survey are statistically accurate to within +/- 8.52 percentage points (19 times out of 20).

About CareerBuilder.com
CareerBuilder.com is the nation’s largest online job site with more than 20 million unique visitors and over 1 million jobs. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI), Tribune Company (NYSE:TRB), and Knight Ridder, Inc. (NYSE:KRI), the company offers a vast online and print network to help job seekers connect with employers. CareerBuilder.com powers the career centers for more than 800 partners that reach national, local, industry and niche audiences. These include more than 170 newspapers and leading portals such as America Online and MSN. The nation's top employers take advantage of CareerBuilder.com's easy job postings, 15 million-plus resumes, Diversity Channel and more. Millions of job seekers visit the site every month to search for opportunities by industry, location, company and job type, sign up for automatic email job alerts, and get advice on job hunting and career management. For more information about CareerBuilder.com products and services, visit http://www.careerbuilder.com.

Media Contact:
Michael Erwin
773-527-3637
Michael.Erwin@careerbuilder.com

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