Skip to Content
Back to Press Room


Workers Reveal Plans to Land New Jobs in 2017, According to CareerBuilder Survey

CHICAGO and ATLANTA – December 29, 2016 – A new year means new beginnings, new opportunities, new resolutions, and for some workers, a new job. According to a new CareerBuilder survey, more than one in five workers (22 percent) are planning to change jobs in 2017, similar to last year (21 percent). Among younger workers, the numbers are even higher. More than a third of workers ages 18 to 34 (35 percent) expect to change jobs in 2017, compared to 30 percent last year. This compares to 15 percent of workers ages 35 and older.

The national survey — conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder from November 16 to December 6, 2016, and included a representative sample of 3,411 workers across industries — found 35 percent of workers are regularly searching for new job opportunities, even though they’re currently employed — a one-point increase since last year (34 percent).

“Whether it’s unemployed people trying to find their way back to the workforce or those who are currently employed attempting an upgrade to greener pastures, a new year makes many people set their sights on job hunting,” said Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer for CareerBuilder. “To keep your top workers, you need to keep a pulse on what they’re seeking. For example, poll your employees from time to time to learn more about their goals and motivations and how they want to be treated.”

This Year I Will…

Aside from finding a new job, the top New Year’s resolutions that workers say they’re making for the office this year are:

  • Save more of my pay: 49 percent (vs. 38 percent last year)
  • Be less stressed: 38 percent (vs. 28 percent last year)
  • Get a raise or promotion: 30 percent (vs. 26 percent last year)
  • Eat healthier at work: 28 percent (vs. 19 percent last year)
  • Learn something new (take more courses, training, seminars): 26 percent (vs. 17 percent last year)

When asked what extra perks would make them more willing to join or stay with a company, the most popular choices workers pointed to include:

  • Half-day Fridays: 40 percent
  • On-site fitness center: 27 percent
  • Being able to wear jeans: 23 percent
  • Daily catered lunches: 22 percent
  • My own office: 22 percent

4 Ways to Kick Start Your Career in the New Year

Haefner shared a few additional tips aimed at keeping job seekers informed and improving their chances on the career hunt.

  • Grow your network: Tired of collecting business cards at cocktail mixers and lunch-and-learns? It might be time to mix up your networking routine with some fresh new tactics. Try stepping outside your usual roster of groups and events to grow your professional circle even wider.
  • Polish your personal brand: By having a clear message of who you are, what experience you have and what direction you’re going in, you’re conveying your identity to the hiring manager instead of being a faceless part of the crowd.
  • Make social a priority: Follow companies you like on social media and engage with them. Consider starting a blog that is related to your career interests. While on social channels, make sure you clean up your own digital dirt. Nothing is truly private on the Web, and it would be a shame to miss out on a job opportunity because of some embarrassing photos from years ago. Also make sure your profile is relevant. Think through the eyes of a recruiter and keep your employment history and education updated.
  • Increase your profile: CareerBuilder’s free resume-building tool will rescue you from your resume writer’s block. It helps you build your professional job-search documents, including resumes, cover letters, thank-you notes and reference pages.

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder among 3,411 employees ages 18 and over (employed full-time, not self-employed, non-government) between November 16 and December 6, 2016. Percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions. With a pure probability sample of 3,411, one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.72 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

About CareerBuilder®

CareerBuilder is the only end-to-end human capital management company covering the entire candidate lifecycle and employee lifecycle for businesses. As the global leader in its industry, CareerBuilder specializes in cutting-edge HR software as a service to help companies with every step of talent acquisition and management. CareerBuilder works with top employers across industries, providing solutions for talent and labor market analytics, job distribution, candidate sourcing, tracking, onboarding, HRIS, benefits administration and compliance. It also operates leading job sites around the world. Owned by TEGNA Inc. (NYSE:TGNA), Tribune Media (NYSE:TRCO) and McClatchy (NYSE:MNI), CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, South America, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

Media Contact

Ladan Nikravan
312.698.0538 x70538
ladan.nikravan@careerbuilder.com
 http://www.twitter.com/CareerBuilderPR


CareerBuilder Media Contact
For all media inquiries and interview requests, contact:

Jennifer Grasz
(P) 773-527-1164
(E) jennifer.grasz@careerbuilder.com