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Aerotek Job Seeker Survey: Searching for Stability and Better Pay

Promotional graphic for the Aerotek Job Seeker Survey titled ‘SEARCHING FOR STABILITY & BETTER PAY’. It depicts a pixelated figure in a red shirt seated at a desk, working on a laptop. The survey is attributed to ‘©2024 Aerotek, Inc.

In the spring of 2024, we surveyed 1,433 job seekers. We then compared these results to our previous surveys, dating back to spring 2023, to learn more about how the motivations and concerns of job seekers are impacting their job search. 

Over the last year, pay has remained the most important motivator for job seekers when deciding to accept a new job. Over 40% of respondents indicated pay as the most important motivator in our latest survey. However, job security is the next leading motivator and has increased in importance over the last four surveys dating back to spring of 2023 — increasing over 5% from a year ago.

An infographic titled ‘Pay vs. Job Security in Gaining Importance’ displays two bar graphs comparing the importance of pay and job security as motivators for job seekers across four seasons in 2023 and 2024. The graph for pay shows percentages of 36.5% in Spring 2023, 36.8% in Summer 2023, 30% in Fall 2023, and 40.6% in Spring 2024. The graph for job security indicates percentages of 14.3% in Spring 2023, 18% in Summer 2023, 18.8% in Fall 2023, and 19.6% in Spring 2024. Data source: Aerotek, copyright ©2014 Aerotek.

Our survey also asked job seekers how they felt about their financial situation compared to a year ago. 81% of respondents indicated they felt the same or worse about their financial situation, including 48% of respondents who reported they felt worse off.

An informative graphic presenting survey results on workers’ concerns about the economy and their financial situation. The main visual focus is on two pie charts against a dark blue background. The left chart, shaded in blue, indicates that 81% of workers feel the same or worse about their financial situation compared to spring 2023. The right chart, in orange, shows that 48% of these respondents feel worse off. The text emphasizes the contrast between hourly wage gains and persistent economic worries. The Aerotek logo is displayed at the bottom, denoting the source of the survey.
Of the 486 respondents that received a raise in the last year, 71% stated they felt the same or worse about their financial situation. 
Infographic presenting survey results from Aerotek. It shows two pie charts against a dark background, highlighting respondents’ feelings about their financial situation after receiving a raise in the last year. The larger chart on the right, predominantly yellow, shows 71% of respondents feel the same or worse compared to the spring 2023 survey. The smaller chart on the left, mostly blue, indicates 65% feel the same or better. Text above the charts states, ‘Of the 486 respondents that received a raise in the last year.’ The Aerotek logo is present in the bottom right corner with the copyright notice ‘© 2024 Aerotek.
A trend we highlighted in our Fall 2023 Job Seeker Survey continued, as the number of job seekers who felt their job search experience has slowed down over the last three months increased over 5%. Furthermore, the number of job seekers that said they completed over 100 applications to find a job rose from 9.9% to 13.7% over the same period. 
An informative graphic depicting the increasing challenges in the job search process. It features a dark blue background with orange accents and presents key statistics: a rise from 9.9% to 13.7% in job seekers who submitted over 100 applications, a growth from 53.6% to 59.0% in individuals feeling their job search has slowed, and 71% reporting slower employer response times. The graphic is branded by Aerotek® and dated 2024.

About The Research

Aerotek’s Job Seeker Survey: “Searching For Stability and Better Pay” was conducted as an independent online survey. 1,433 job seekers were asked about their career ambitions and employer preferences. Respondents were located in the U.S. and completed the survey between April 22 and May 3, 2024. The survey targeted job seekers who have applied for work since March 1,2024 and were seeking jobs in the sectors Aerotek serves, including manufacturing, robotics and automation, facilities and maintenance, distribution and logistics, construction and other industries.

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