A new poll said half of Canadian job-seekers are looking to switch careers, either by entering a completely new industry (56%) or changing what they do within their field (47%).
The recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey found more than half of job-seekers (56%) had already switched careers at least once and a majority (73%) believed it is never too late to switch.
In contrast, only 16% responded that they had never switched careers and do not plan to.
Although they have been in the job market for a shorter period of time, generation Z (57%) and millennial respondents (54%) are almost as likely to say they switched industries at some point in their careers as gen-Xers (55%) and baby boomers (66%).
The poll found about a third of both gen-Zers (31%) and millennials (28%) said they had already switched careers multiple times and both gen-Zers (27%) and millennials (26%) were more likely to say they are interested in switching careers than gen-Xers (25%) and boomers (21%).
“In an era where career paths are increasingly non-linear, it’s essential to cultivate a workplace that values adaptability and continuous growth,” said Bill Stoller, Express Employment International CEO, in a statement.
“This mindset not only attracts top talent, but also drives long-term success.”
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The poll found the vast majority of job-seekers (84%) would switch careers if they had the resources and about three-quarters (74%) said seeing others working in non-traditional settings, like from home, influences their desire to pursue similar opportunities.
Other common reasons for a career switch included a desire for more flexibility (55%), a lack of advancement/fulfilment (52%), looking for a more positive work culture (34%), inadequate compensation (33%), transferring skills to faster-growing industries (27%), skills better suited for another career (27%) and a desire for more time off (24%),
The Job Seeker Report was conducted online within Canada by the Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from Nov. 21 to Dec. 6 among 505 adults ages 18 and older.