23 Unbelievable Career Change Statistics To Get You Moving

Key Takeaways

It's no secret that the job market is changing. With technology evolving at an unprecedented rate, more jobs are becoming obsolete. But if you're feeling anxious about your career prospects, don't worry.

The good news is there are plenty of opportunities for people willing to think outside the norm and pursue a new career path. If you're looking for some inspiration, keep reading! We've got 23 unbelievable career change statistics that will get you moving in the right direction.

Who Wants to Change Careers?

Career changers abound in the United States! A new job is one way individuals move up the corporate ladder in the same field. Changing jobs can also take you from a current company that doesn't pay well into a different company bringing a salary increase for the same role!

And those completely changing careers into an entirely new field are also successfully making new career choices!

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So let's check out the statistics showing how many job seekers are out there!

1- "32% of workers between the ages of 25 and 44 are considering changing careers, and 29% actually have, according to an EdX poll!" (1)

This statistic helps us see that the average number of Millenials considering or making a career change is almost one in three. Statistical proof that you're not alone when seeking out the type of career that you want!

2- "Gen Zers, working parents, and employees who have been with their company for less than five years are the most likely to switch jobs in early 2023." (2)

If you fall into one of the above categories, you are more likely to be looking for a career change now! Check out our career change blog at Unmudl if you're unsure where to start.

3- "Globally, the share of [LinkedIn] members changing [job] roles was up by 25% in October 2021, compared with... October 2019" (3)

If you want to change careers, job change is not only normal; it's an everyday function of the overall workforce! Many individuals are making a career switch successfully, and with the right professional skills, you can too!

Download Checklist " 10 Simple Steps to Smooth Job Change"

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It's More Than Okay to Change Jobs

If you're worried you're being unloyal to your employer by seeking a change, stress no more! Read on for the statistics that prove job changing is the norm.

4- "The average person changes jobs 12 times in their lifetime, according to the latest available public survey data... The average employee stays with their employer for 4.3 years as of January 2022." (4)

Thebalancemoney.com reports that the average worker changes employment up to 15 times during their career!

With such a short median tenure with each current employer, job change is the new normal. So if you're ready to step out of a current career and make new career choices, there has never been a better time!

5- According to the GOBankingRates 2022 Year in Review survey, nearly 20% of respondents plan to pursue a new full-time job or career in 2023. And nearly 14% said they plan to find a new side gig or part-time work. (5)

This statistic goes to show that when it comes to job change and career shifts, there are plenty of options. You're in good company whether pursuing a new full-time job or side gig. Now is the time to make your move.

Check out our working learner resources at Unmudl to learn more about making a successful career change! Or find all the steps to a successful career change in our Ultimate Guide to Career Change.

Reasons for Job Change

People make career changes for many reasons, including boredom, long hours, bad pay, difficult co-workers or boss, or lack of promotion. Valid reasons to change jobs could come from almost any struggle or even a simple desire to improve your life!

6- "Perks like better pay (34%), being able to switch schedules (34%), and the opportunity for careers that weren’t around in their younger years (34%) encourage... the switch to a new sector." (6)

We all want perks! And the only way to get them is by taking action in your career journey until you get what you want. Check out the next statistic if you want to know why others are changing jobs.

7- "The top three factors for searching for a job were a change in career interests, the need for higher pay, and the search for better benefits." (7)

So, interest, money, and benefits are the three most common motivations many pursue job change.

In the past, a person's lifetime might include one job that eventually brought a retirement pension. But with the average job tenure down to around four years, both employers and employees know that regular job changes are here to stay.

Some employers are getting savvy about retaining their workforce by investing in their employees. One way to do this is by offering the benefits and pay that employees desire, along with furthering employees' educational goals.

If you want to increase your salary or switch gears to a new field, you can make it happen with enough dedication and motivation. Start to further your educational growth at Unmudl with our online on-demand courses that take you to the next level!

Satisfied inventory manager posing holding tab — Photo by Tiger Lily

Is Upskilling Necessary for Career Growth?

Next, let's look at statistics about how to grow into a career or job change.

8- The average American is willing to put themselves through two years of education to make a career switch. Some respondents are willing to spend even longer upskilling: nearly one-quarter (24%) would be willing to do more than three years of training if it opened more doors in their career search. (8)

Often, your employer may help you get the training you need if you want to stay but level up in the world!

When employers invest in their workforce with educational and advancement opportunities, they retain their employees longer! Isn't it nice to hear about employees and employers both benefiting?

9- "Businesses that offer their employees growth paths and professional development opportunities — including upskilling when required — can increase employee retention and satisfaction." (9)

If you're switching careers for more money or flexibility, your current employer may be open to helping you gain the skill set you need to move up the career ladder.

Whether you're seeking analytical skills or need more training for service occupations, your career options explode with learning new skills! Learn new skills while staying in your current position with our courses, especially for worker learners!

10- A survey of 2,000 adults finds that while 33 percent of respondents are likely to switch jobs within the same sector, 26 percent of employees are looking to change careers entirely. (10)

A hiring manager wants to know that your career choice is more than a whim. Gaining a certificate in a new field or making a life change that shows your dedication to a career change can help you stand out from the crowd!

You can find excellent options for earning a certificate or other top-notch educational distinctions with our career-changing network at Unmudl.

You're going to need to upskill anyway to stay competitive according to the next statistic!

11- "LinkedIn members’ skills for the same occupation changed by about 25% from 2015 to 2021. At this pace, we expect members’ skills will change by about 40% by 2025" (11)

So go ahead and learn more in your chosen field and upskill your life! Build transferable skills to get ahead of the crowd!

Do Transferable Skills Matter in a Career Change?

Transferable skills are those abilities you have that can help you move into a new career.

For example, suppose you're a finance professional for a loan company. In that case, you can take your knowledge from that field and apply it toward your own entrepreneurial goals. Perhaps you could open a financial advisor and planning consultancy.

Don't be like the displaced workers in the next statistic!

12- "The national survey of displaced workers found: 57% (20.8 million) can't identify their transferable skills with a high degree of confidence. 58% (21.1 million) aren't sure how to include transferable skills on their resume." (12)

If you're lacking in the types of skills employers look for or feel unsure of what you're good at, consider a course from Unmudl to build your attractiveness as a candidate!

According to Forbes, there are seven crucial transferable skills to develop for career changes throughout your lifetime.

Technical
Communication
Critical Thinking
Multitasking
Teamwork
Creativity
Leadership (13)

There are other crucial skills you need to develop too, namely soft skills. Let's check out what those are next.

Two man working on laptop — Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

What About Soft Skills?

It's wise to develop your soft skills for successful career change. Soft skills include areas of professional development that can help you succeed no matter what the job description says!

According to thebalancemoney, soft skills include such crucial abilities as:

Adaptability
Communication
Compromise
Creative thinking
Dependability
Leadership
Listening
Work ethic
Teamwork
Positivity
Time management
Motivation
Problem-solving
Critical thinking
Conflict resolution
Negotiation (14)

Building your soft skills is crucial for your development as a hireable employee! Consider the next statistic to understand why.

13- "Only 31 percent of... employers reported that their entry-level job candidates have satisfactory soft skills. And only 53 percent of survey respondents thought that their current employees had satisfactory soft skills." (15)

Start by building your soft skills if you want to switch careers successfully. Then, for a rewarding future, identify your best soft skills and add them to your cover letter and resume!

Is It Valid to Want Work-Life Balance?

We all crave a life outside of the 9 to 5. Even if you enjoy your work, other aspects of life are crucial to your well-being.

Perhaps you have a creative hobby you enjoy or a side gig you use to earn extra spending money. You may volunteer with the homeless or have a family or spouse at home each night waiting for you.

No matter what you go home to, companies are beginning to understand that happy employees want to stay at their job. With the cost of retraining new employees consistently high, companies that consider how to retain employees keep more of their bottom line safe.

14- "81% of executives are changing their workplace policies to offer greater flexibility to their workforce." (16)

It's natural to want job satisfaction and a better work-life balance than workers expected 20 years ago. Times are changing, with more individuals expecting their working lives to provide a balance they can happily live with.

In fact, many workers today want to work remotely!

15- "43 percent of employees expect more employers to offer remote work after the pandemic has ended, with certain occupational groups reaching as high as 75 percent... Remote workers have higher rates of reporting job satisfaction and lower rates of reporting job-seeking behavior. Remote workers earn higher pay on average compared to non-remote workers." (17)

While some individuals' idea of a dream job is remote work, others enjoy flexibility to come and go. If your employer is up to date on trends, they'll see almost half of employees expecting the possibility of remote work!

If you're looking for a position that offers you more flexibility, consider the skills at your current job that may help you transition into a new career. Then get the new skills you need to excel in a new career at Unmudl!

Black woman typing on her commuter — Photo by Microsoft Edge on Unsplash

Is the Labor Market Open for New Employees?

Statistics show that the labor market is still open for new employees, as evidenced by the next statistic.

16- The unemployment rate declined to 3.8 percent during February of 2022, a marked improvement from the 6.4 percent rate at the beginning of 2021. Going forward, the unemployment rate is expected to decline further in 2022 and 2023, falling to an annual average of 3.6 percent during 2023. (18)

With a declining unemployment rate predicted in 2023, that means opportunities abound for new hires! The possibilities are endless.

And no matter what field you choose, it's likely that a new job could be just around the corner, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics!

17- "The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projected that from 2019 to 2029, employment in most occupations will grow at a faster than average pace." (19)

So 2023 is looking like an excellent time to take a chance on a new career! More about 2023 next!

18- For 2023, "an unemployment rate of 4.5 percent and employment losses of 900,000 would still be relatively low... In October 2009, the unemployment rate reached 10 percent, and job losses totaled 8.6 million during the Great Recession; in April 2020, the unemployment rate reached 14.3 percent, and job losses summed up to 22 million during the COVID-19 recession." (20)

So the outlook for 2023 is excellent, with predictions that the unemployment rate may stay fairly steady, giving workers financial security.

Especially in metropolitan areas, job growth continues to occur!

19- "...Employment increased in 95 metropolitan areas and was essentially unchanged in 294 areas from October 2021 to October 2022." (21)

Now is the perfect time to make the leap if you're considering a career change in a metropolitan area.

20- "The latest government data... showed that 2022 was the second-best year on record in terms of raw job growth, behind only 2021."

Things just continue to get better for job changers. With job opportunities and open positions for new employees expected to rise, there's no better time than today to explore your options and find the best fit for you!

At Unmudl, our goal is to help you identify transferable skills, gain new skills needed for your next career and make a successful transition into the job of your dreams.

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What Are the Careers People Are Leaving?

Some jobs are just less popular than others. Few people enjoy taking trash out or getting dirty in a sewer!

Even though they may initially look appealing, other seemingly prime jobs may be equally distasteful to most people. Whether they require more overtime, working with impossible goals, or dealing with difficult people, some careers come with more pains in the neck.

And when it comes to our dream job, we all have deal breakers.

21- According to data by PayScale, the following are the jobs people are most likely to quit in 2023!

Software development manager
Creative director
Controls engineer
Customer success manager
Production manager for manufacturing
Public relations specialist
Human resources specialist
Medical coding specialist
Senior customer service representative
Human resources assistant

So before hanging your hat on one of the above career fields, do your research. Talk to those who work in the field, or visit Glassdoor and see why employees want to leave!

With a gig economy allowing individuals to find jobs working from home or in bursts, why stay at an unfulfilling job?

If you need direction for your career change, look no further than our Unmudl network of ready-to-hire businesses and learning opportunities. Our network of community colleges stands ready to help you get the upward mobility traction you need to succeed!

Consider Certificate Courses or Bootcamps

While college students with a bachelor's degree can often make a living upon graduation, finding lucrative careers is possible without a large outlay of time and money for education.

Consider this hot list of careers requiring no degree!

Or consider taking a certificate course of study to get qualified quickly!

Certificates Make a Difference

22- According to Forbes, "Regardless of which type of certificate you pursue, there’s a good chance that it will lead to higher pay and more opportunities. In general, when you earn a certificate, you can expect anywhere from a 13 to 25% boost in your annual salary. And given that they require fewer courses to complete, most people can complete a certificate program in under a year. In fact, most schools that offer certificate programs cater to working professionals and offer courses online, in the evenings, or on weekends."

Enrolling in a certificate program is easy with Unmudl! Consider these certificate programs to get started taking your next steps!

Bootcamps Help You Level Up

23- In a recent survey, "80% of respondents say they've worked in a job requiring the technical skills they learned in the bootcamp. So if you have aspirations of becoming a software developer or data scientist, or a tech-adjacent job like a product manager, a bootcamp may be worth it." (22)

Before going for a 4-year degree or graduate degree, consider whether earning a certificate or taking a bootcamp could bring greater job fulfillment and opportunity for less monetary output! For example, you can become a software engineer with the right program in a few short months.

Consider these Bootcamp options from Unmudl:

Finding a Career Path: What Are the Hot Careers?

It makes sense to know the hot careers before taking an educational leap. Knowing where there is a talent shortage before laying out the money for a long course of study is wise.

Bonus Statistic- The most popular sectors job seekers want include "information research and analysis (15%), information technology (15%), and business, consulting, or management (14%). Furthermore, respondents are most interested in the technology (34%) and engineering (24%) sectors of STEAM." (23)

Check out hot skills courses at Unmudl and find out how you can get started moving into your new path today!

We Can Help

So if you're considering a career change, now could be your time. In fact, “the number of professional opportunities is still much higher than in 2019, which is a strong indication of a competitive job market and hints that there’s a good chance that it will continue to be a candidate’s market moving into 2023.” (24)

With Unmudl's Skills to Jobs Marketplace, our network of nine community colleges across the US provides the courses you need to move forward. No more wishing you could find what you need at one college. With our network, find the instruction you're looking for!

Then land the interview with one or more of our 69 networked businesses!

Looking for New Skills?

Bootcamp Style Courses: Learn specific skills (such as coding) in mere weeks and then land that interview! Our business network hires directly from our courses!
Unmudl Skills to Jobs™: Fast tracks you straight into an interview after successful completion. Most courses of study take only weeks to finish and come with reimbursement!

Wanting to Level Up in Your Career or Achieve a Degree?

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Certification or Licensing: Get the credentials you need to work now!
Degree: Work toward an Associate's or Bachelor's Degree

Choose from on-demand online, scheduled online, or in-person classes and get started meeting your career goals!

Want to understand more about how Unmudl can benefit you?

Call us at +1 512-669-5624, reply to this email, or email us at hello@unmudl.com if you need help deciding where to go next!

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Contributor(s)

Lori Amato

Lori is the head of Unmudl’s Career Change Team and Director of Customer Success. She has over 20 years of experience helping individuals identify their strengths and passions to make a meaningful career change.