Eye Opening Career Change Statistics (2023 Data)

The reasons behind people's choices for career change vary. These reasons go beyond higher pay or bigger jobs. Changing jobs allows individuals to explore other avenues and become more creative. This invariably improves one's self-worth and gives a sense of purpose in a new role.

Undertaking a change in career path may take quite a while for some people, but afterward, coming to a decision brings the long-desired happiness and job satisfaction in the new role. Many opportunities are available for people considering a career change, and this write-up aims to provide information about the trend.

General Statistics1. In 2020, 37% of the Workforce in the United States Lost or Changed Jobs.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, over one-third of workers in the United States lost or changed jobs, twice the number recorded in the past ten years. 26% of persons who lost their careers in 2020 got a different job, and 11% became unemployed.

2. The Typical Person Uses 90,000 Hours Working in a Lifetime.

The average American employee spends about 90,000 hours working in a lifetime. This analysis represents one-third of a lifetime.This affects the general happiness and life outcomes of people.

3. A Major Career Change is Most Likely to be Made By Middle-Aged Employees.

Major career change is more likely to be taken at 39 years. Research reveals personal stress and reduced financial risks as the major reasons persons at 39 seek career shifts. This represents a third of workers. The pandemic changed the mindset of some employees and brought a sense of urgency to the evolving jobs.

4. 53% of Workers Consider Leaving Their Employers.

According to a survey conducted by WTW, 53% of employees are open to changing jobs. 44% actively searched for a new job in the last quarter of 2021.

5. 64% of Working-Class Parents Considered Changing Careers.

Since 2020, 64% of parents have considered changing careers or quitting.55% gave reasons for their employers not addressing their concerns during the pandemic. However, 62% of respondents said certain circumstances have been reviewed, and there has been an improvement in childcare benefits, making them more likely to keep their jobs.

Career Change Demographics

6. Men Stay 10% Longer Duration With Their Employer Than Women.

According to labor statistics in 2020, the average worker in the United States spends about 4.1 years at a place of employment. This, however, varies depending on the gender. The diverse workforce includes women and men worldwide; here, women tend to stay for 3.9 years compared to men, who can keep their jobs for 4.3 years.

7. Non-Whites Have Higher Workplace Turnover.

White workers have a 32% probability of working in a company for over ten years; 26% of Asians, 22% of Hispanics, and 23% of African Americans are likely to work for 10 years or more. Employers' attentionto non-white employees can reduce the change rate in workplace jobs.

8. Employees in the Private Sector are More Likely to Change Careers Than Workers in the Public Sector.

Workers in the public sector are likely to stay at an average of 6.5 years, while private sector workers tend to remain at an average of 3.7 years. Federal employees have the longest median tenure at 8.2 years, state employees at 5.6, and local government employees at 6.6 years.In the private sector, the manufacturing sector has the longest median period at 5.1 years, and the hospitality industry is the lowest at 2.3 years.

Age Statistics of Career Change

9. Youths and the Middle-aged Have a Higher Propensity to Change Jobs Than Older Workers.

With the COVID-19 pandemic came the consciousness of other job options. 22% of employees across the United States considered changing jobs. 30% of persons aged 18 to 39 considered changing jobs, compared to just 12% at 50 years and beyond. Meanwhile, 21% of workers aged 40 to 49 years considered a career change. This implies one out of three workers in the United States considered changing jobs at the start of the pandemic.

10. Younger Americans are More Likely to Change Career Paths.

The desire to move to a new environment and experience a better living standard is one of the major reasons younger Americans change careers.41% of persons aged 18 to 39 considered changing location during the Covid-19 pandemic. 24% of persons were between 40 and 60 years old, while 11% were 65 years and above.

11. Employees Below 24 are Likely to Change Jobs 3.8 Times More Than Persons Over 45.

Persons between the age bracket of 18 and 24 in the United States change jobs an average of 5.7 times.Persons between the ages of 25 and 34 change careers about 2.4 times, people within the age bracket of 35 and 44 years change jobs around 2.9 times, and employees between 45 and 52 years change jobs roughly 1.9 times.

Benefits and Reasons: Job Change Statistics

12. Workers' Benefits, Financial Inducements, And Flexibility Are Why People Change Jobs.

According to CNBC, people change their jobs by bargaining for a well-paid salary and better flexible working conditions, including working remotely.

13. Employees in the United States Are Likely to Change Jobs After a Birthday or Anniversary Celebration.

6% to 9% of people tend to commence job hunting after a celebration of their work anniversary. After celebrating a milestone birthday, many people tend to switch jobs, raising the statistics by 12%.

14. Many Leave Their Current Job in Search of Higher Pay.

Research shows that employees who stay in a company in the United States for two or more years are likely to earn around 50% less than employees who go job hunting. Employees who quit their companies for another job in the same field often get a 20% to 50% increase in pay. Employees staying at their current job get a yearly 1.3% to 4.5% raise in payments.

15. Most Employees Take Job Searching As a Beneficiary Career Tactic.

75% of employees in the United States below the age of 34 consider job hunting as a beneficiary in the long run.

Career Change Predictions and Trends

16. Over 50% of United States Workers Considered a Career Change in 2020.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic shook the employment market,52% of employed considered changing careers in 2020, and 44% of Americans had plans to change jobs. 59% of middle-income workers earning an annual income of $50,000 and $75,000 are likely to change careers.

17. About 50% of the Workforce in the United States Changes Jobs Once Every Five Years.

51% of Americans in 2018 reportedly change jobs once every five years. In 2017, 42% of employees changed jobs once every five years, while only 34% changed careers in 2016.

18. About 57% of Employees Surveyed Stated that Financial Security is the Major Barrier to Making a Career Change.

Though there has been a rise in career change, some Americans hesitate to switch jobs. These workers give reasons of uncertainty, finance, and lack of skills as the main reasons they cannot make a career change. 40% are unsure of the next field to enter, 37% do not have a formal education to change jobs, and 31% feel too old to change careers.

19. Millennials and Gen Zs are More Likely to Change Jobs.

In the United States in 2018, 6.5% of employees below 35 changed jobs, while 3.1% between 35 and 54 years switched positions in the same year.

20. 7% of Employees Consider Their Job Great.

93% of the United States workforce are unsatisfied and unhappy with their jobs. Before the pandemic, some workers considered leaving their jobs due to unhappiness. A happy work environment produces better productivity at a work environment.

21. 52% of Workers Place More Emphasis on Work Flexibility Over Pay.

Contrary to many's belief, employees prefer a flexible work environment over higher remuneration. Though increasing workers' salaries is crucial, providing flexible work schedules increases an organization's likelihood of retaining workers.

22. 62% of Workers Need Improved Stability in the Workplace.

Over 60% of employees searching for new jobs prefer big establishments over startups. This indicates the desire for stability in the workplace after the Covid-19 pandemic. Startup companies with a stable product and staff welfare package can attract and retain top talent.

23. 80% of Workers Desire to Work Remotely At Least Twice Weekly.

Giving flexibility to workers to work remotely some days of the week builds the trust and loyalty of employees, thereby reducing the shift of employees to other careers.

24. 15% of Employees Change Careers for Better Mobility.

Employees' dissatisfaction in their workplace makes them desire to seek promotion opportunities outside the workplace. Employees seek job satisfaction because it is important for mental health. This brings the initiative to invest in training and development programs to advance careers.

25. 15% of Employees Change Jobs Due to Poor Management.

Poor management is the reason 15% of workers change careers. A proper management system keeps employees' loyalty.

Teacher Career Change Rate

Like every other profession, the teaching profession was greatly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

26. About 50% of Teachers in the United States Considered Switching Careers After the Pandemic.

The survey reveals that about 50% of participants considered changing career paths during the pandemic-12% considered taking a break from teaching.

27. United States Principals and Teachers Experience Stress As Much As the Total Working Population.

In the United States, principals are stressed the most on staffing. Teachers took more students into their classrooms and covered more classes than usual due to a staff shortage. Also, stress affected Hispanic, female, and mid-career teachers the most.

28. In January 2022, About 182,000 People Quit Their Jobs in the Educational Sector.

Teachers in the United States quitting their jobs has been on the rise. From January 2021,33.3% of persons in the educational sector left their jobs. According to a Joblist poll, 40% of teachers quit their professions, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as the cause, with 26% citing insufficient benefits and pay.

Statistics of Career Change in 2022

29. 32% of Laborers in the United States Switched to Another Career.

One-third of American workers planned to quit their jobs in 2022 to switch to other careers. 37% of workers search for employment in the same sector, while 31% are unsure whether to change careers.

30. 48.3% of Employees Left Their Jobs in 2021 For Another Industry.

According to data, 50% of workers who switched occupations in 2021 went to work in a different sector. 4.2% of workers who found new employment stayed with the same company, whereas 49.5% of those who left their jobs changed careers.

31. 83% of Brazilian Teachers Are Unwilling to Teach Online.

The COVID-19 pandemic's limits had an impact on the Brazilian educational system. 83% of Brazilian teachers expressed reluctance to deliver lessons online during the pandemic. 10% of the teachers who responded to the study who felt weary said they would be open to teaching and workingfrom home.

Conclusion

Career change is fast becoming an activity in various professions across the globe. Charting a new career path can be quite uneasy as financial obligations are the major concern of persons considering switching careers. The younger generation tends to be more adaptable to career mobility as they have a greater drive for financial security.

FAQsHow many times does the average person change careers?

The average American holds 12 jobs over their lifetime, varying by age and gender.

How often do successful change jobs?

Three to five job changes are common among successful people. On changing careers, there are no set rules, though.

How do you know when to change careers?

If you are to change careers when you do not enjoy your work, you are negatively affected by your work environment or are not duly compensated for the work done.

Sources

• AVERAGE NUMBER OF JOBS IN A LIFETIME [2023]: HOW MANY JOBS DOES THE AVERAGE PERSON HAVE
• One-third of your life is spent at work.
• Nearly half of workers have made a dramatic career switch, and this is the average age they do it.
• A new study highlights that one in three U.S. workers changed or lost jobs in the past year.
• Nearly a third of U.S. workers under 40 considered changing careers during the pandemic
• Share of individuals in the U.S. changing jobs every one to five years from 2016 to 2018
• Most Americans Desire a Career Change But Face Key Barriers
• Employee Tenure Summary
• How job-hopping in this tight labor market can help you snare a fatter paycheck
• Why I Encourage My Best Employees to Consider Outside Job Offers
• Employees Who Stay In Companies Longer Than Two Years Get Paid 50% Less