Most laid-off workers are finding new jobs

CHICAGO, ILL.
February 3, 2010 8:10am

Unemployed Americans continue to be resilient in their job searches as 58 percent of those laid off in the last twelve months have secured new positions, according to a new survey paid for by the online jobs site CareerBuilder.com.

Just over half (51 percent) of workers who were laid off from full-time jobs in the last twelve months have found new full-time positions, up from 48 percent in June 2009. An additional 7 percent found part-time positions, up from 3 percent six months ago.

“Despite one of the most competitive job markets in decades, nine-in-ten workers say they have not given up on their job searches, and the amount of workers who have found work is evidence that their drive and determination are paying off,” says Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America. “Although this good news reflects a healing economy, it also shows that job seekers are exploring career options in new industries and locations.”

Looking at workers who were laid off in the last 12 months and found new jobs, 61 percent reported they were able to negotiate comparable or higher pay for their new position. Thirty-nine percent of workers took a pay cut.

Workers reported they are applying their skills to new areas. More than half (51 percent) of workers who were laid off in the last 12 months and landed new jobs said they found work in a different field than where they were previously employed, with a third having said they really enjoy their new positions.

Workers are no longer just looking for positions in their own backyards. More than a quarter of workers (26 percent) who were laid off in the last twelve months and found jobs relocated to a new city or state, up from 20 percent in June, according to the survey.

Of those who are still looking for employment, 37 percent reported they would consider relocating for a job opportunity, down from 44 percent in June.

An increased number of job seekers have adopted an “if you can’t find a job, create one” way of thinking. Nearly three-in-ten workers (29 percent) who have not found jobs are considering starting their own business, on par with findings from the June survey.

Laid-off workers are using every technique possible to secure new positions. The survey says 22 percent of workers who were laid off in the last 12 months and found new jobs say they found their new roles through personal referrals. Twenty-one percent found new jobs using online job boards, 11 percent through newspapers and other print classifieds, 8 percent through recruiting/staffing firms, 5 percent through career fairs and 4 percent through social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn.

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive and paid for by CareerBuilder among 1,004 U.S. workers who were laid-off from full-time jobs in the last 12 months ages 18 and over between Nov. 5-23, 2009. Percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions. With a pure probability sample of 1,004, one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 3.09 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

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