Workers Eye New Career Opportunities

Employees are apparently unhappy with their level of pay. The 2,646 workers polled by career Web site Yahoo! HotJobs said their top priority when looking for new digs is a satisfactory salary. The second most popular reason for looking elsewhere is the lack of potential career growth at their current company.

Those leaving are exiting with a bitter taste in their mouth. More than one-third of survey respondents said they would “absolutely not” or “possibly not” recommend their employer to others.

Asked what would keep workers with their present employers, employees listed the availability of a good benefits package as the number one reason they would stay put. The second and third reasons are flexible work schedules and convenient commutes, respectively. Yahoo! HotJobs said this indicates that a work-life balance is still important for employees.

“As the job market continues to grow, employers should be aware that the much discussed coming labor shortage could significantly impact their business,” said Dan Finnigan , executive vice president and general manager of Yahoo! HotJobs . “Not only will it continue to be a challenge for employers to find the best and the right talent, but it will be even more challenging to keep current talent as companies across the nation start opening their doors – with more attractive salary and benefits packages.”