Survey of 1,520 job seekers shows what talent is prioritizing as we approach the midyear
U.S. job seekers who take the time to research the hiring company value a positive and supportive company more than pay, research from trusted staffing and workforce management solutions partner Aerotek shows.
Aerotek’s Spring 2023 Job-Seeker Survey of 1,520 workers who applied to jobs this year revealed how light industrial and skilled trades job seekers are considering new opportunities and what they are expecting from employers. Job seeker preferences on job descriptions, pay information and hours provide insight at a time when employers are struggling to find skilled talent.
Top 4 important motivators when deciding to accept a job (all job seekers [1,453])
Motivator | Percent of those surveyed who viewed the motivator as important
|
Pay |
88.34 % |
|
Job Security |
85.44 % |
|
A Positive and Supportive Company Culture |
84.55 % |
|
Potential for Career Advancement |
81.07 % |
Top 4 important motivators when deciding to accept a job (those who research jobs before applying [948])
Motivator | Percent of those surveyed who viewed the motivator as important
|
A Positive and Supportive Company Culture |
91.1 % |
|
Pay |
90.37 % |
|
Job Security |
89.83 % |
|
Potential for Career Advancement |
87.76 % |
According to Aerotek research, 88.34% of recent job seekers identified pay as an important motivator. However, of those that research companies before applying, 91% say a positive and supportive company culture is slightly more important when deciding to accept a new job.
Job Seekers Still Want a 40+ Hour Work Week
According to a recent Monster survey of 868 workers in March, 61% of workers say they’d rather have a four-day workweek, and 33% say they’d quit their job for one with a shortened week.
Aerotek’s survey, on the other hand, found demand for a 40+ hour work week remains strong among its job seekers. Aerotek serves sectors including manufacturing, robotics and automation, facilities and maintenance, distribution and logistics, construction and other industries.
Preference for a 40+ hour work week is strong across all ages:
- 18-24 = 61% of respondents in favor
- 25-54 = 69% of respondents in favor
- 55+ = 68% of respondents in favor
Pay Information and Detailed Job Descriptions Matter, but a Company’s History of Layoffs Is Less Important.
Not listing pay information in a job posting (40.86%) led the reasons why a job seeker would avoid applying for a job. However, job descriptions that don’t provide enough information wasn’t far behind (37.5%).
While 23.29 percent of respondents said they had been laid off in the past six months, only 33.41 percent state that they agreed they would avoid applying to a job with a company that has a history of layoffs.
