Over Half of Americans Are Planning for Major Job Changes in 2024
Written by
Jake Safane
Edited by
Gary Dudak
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Over the past few years, the job market has gone through some notable twists and turns. As pandemic restrictions eased in 2021, the balance of power seemed to shift toward employees. Many businesses couldn’t hire workers fast enough, while employees were quitting their jobs at record-high rates. More recently, however, the job market in the U.S. has been cooling down.
In 2024, more change could be coming, but not necessarily in terms of workers finding new jobs or careers. In a recent GOBankingRates survey of more than 1,000 American adults, the majority — 57.65 % — said they’re planning a major job change next year, similar to the response rate from a year prior. In 2022, however, the most common way that Americans said they planned a job change for the following year was to pursue a new full-time job or career. In 2023, when planning for 2024, the most common planned change is pursuing further education or training. Here’s a breakdown of the responses:
What’s Driving These Changes?
While workers can have varying motivations to make job changes, some of these drivers might still be related to the pandemic. For instance, employers and employees are still figuring out issues like what the right balance of remote vs. in-person work is.
“It still feels like the world of work hasn’t stabilized since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, so it’s not surprising that professionals are looking to further their education or training to ensure they are competitive and excited about the work they are doing day to day,” said Kimberly Brown, founder of Manifest Yourself, a leadership development company.
“I strongly believe that the pandemic also influenced many professionals to seek joy in their work so they are much more open to pivoting or making significant career transitions no matter what phase of their career they are currently in,” she added.
Recessionary Fears Could Also Be Driving These Changes
“It’s likely that more people are improving their skills and furthering their education in preparation for a recession. When the economy worsens and competition for open roles gets more fierce, you can lean on your skills and education to set yourself apart from other applicants,” said Dr. Kyle Elliott, founder and tech career coach at CaffeinatedKyle.com.
“During a recession, many professionals look internally at their current company for advancement opportunities. Some people also turn to side gigs and part-time work, whether as their primary source of income or to supplement their day job, to make ends meet during a recession,” he added.
Tech advances like improvements in artificial intelligence (AI) could also be prompting more workers to prepare.
“I think it’s possible that people feel they are staring down the barrel of change because of AI, and in an effort to future-proof their career, they are looking to get new skills, become a leader instead of an individual contributor, or do something on their own,” said Jess Sweet, career coach and licensed therapist at Wishingwell Coaching LLC.
How To Prepare for Job Changes in 2024
Wanting to make these types of changes is one thing, but how do you actually go about doing so?
Knowing the right person or being the person that comes to mind has always been “the easiest way to get a job,” said Sweet. “This means networking and being clear about your brand — what you do, and why someone should hire you.”
You might be able to pursue more education or training to grow your network and clarify your personal brand, though Sweet still advises caution here so you don’t end up wasting money. Rather than signing up for every course possible, carefully consider what’s likely to help your career.
“Look at possible educational opportunities with a critical eye to be sure that you get a good ROI and that you’re investing in something you actually want,” said Sweet.
You don’t have to take out student loans to learn more, either. For some skills development, like gaining a basic understanding of AI, you can often do so at low or no cost through platforms like LinkedIn Learning or YouTube, explained Dr. Elliott.
Also, make sure you know why you’re making a change. It can be easy to think that a change will fix whatever is lacking at your current job or career — but change doesn’t solve everything on its own.
“Many times, professionals may ‘leap’ ‘into a new role or industry in hopes that it will be better than their current situation, but it’s key that time is taken to research and prepare for any upcoming career moves,” said Brown. “I teach my clients that intentionality and a strong career strategy are key.”
“Whether you’re reaching out to your network to help inform your choices, investing in a career and leadership coach, or investing in attending industry conferences and events, it’s key that there is some preparation prior to making any larger career moves to ensure a much more likely positive outcome,” she added.
Lastly, if you’re looking for a new job, customize your applications to improve your odds.
“Make it easy for the recruiter to understand how your experience is relevant,” said Dr. Elliott. “Please don’t make them do the work of connecting the dots between your work history and their requisition. Use relevant language from the job posting in your resume and customize it for each application.”
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