As a boutique recruiting consultant, the majority of my candidates (roughly 70%) are not actively applying and have not even worked with a recruiter before. Over the past year, here are the top 5 reasons – in order – of why my passive candidates (those currently employed) are open to a change:

1. Unknown state of their current company (due to restructuring, corporate acquisition/merger, a struggling business line, etc.)
2. Lack of growth opportunity / undefined career outlook
3. Simple interest in a change (after 5 to 10+ year tenure)
4. Poor work/life balance
5. Misalignment with management

A couple follow-up points to note:

• Notice “salary dissatisfaction” is not listed.
• “Reduction in commute” comes in at a close #6.

So what does this mean to EMPLOYERS:

• If you as a company are experiencing change, keep communication open with your employees. I hear reason #1 and reason #5 together very frequently. It’s fair and natural for an employee – at any level – to question their job security during corporate change. However, I’m astounded at how often people tell me that it’s not the actual state of the company that’s a pain point; it’s that management doesn’t make an effort to keep them “in the know.” And that’s why they’re looking elsewhere. They tell me: “I can deal with some change, but they just don’t care about us anymore.”
• Focus on career development and career pathing with your employees. Make it part of your employer brand, and you’ll attract motivated go-getters. Is your company solely focusing on driving topline and are you not paying enough attention to the folks making it happen?
• Watch your employees for burnout or disengagement.
• If you haven’t, consider anonymous surveys to make sure your employees are heard. You will gain crucial information about these items, and your people will also appreciate the gesture.

What it means to THOSE CONSIDERING A CHANGE:

• You’re not alone. Others are struggling with you and leaving for similar reasons.
• At the same time, to set yourself apart, work on the skill areas of being flexible, being comfortable amidst ambiguity, and leading (not faltering) through change. This could be especially beneficial if you really like your current company, and deep down wish you weren’t having to look elsewhere.
• Before you look elsewhere, have you truly made efforts to see if your situation can be improved where you are? Have you had those conversations? Explored your internal options?
• You might be well-aligned with 4SIGHT SEARCH’s approach. We match strong talent with well-fitting companies and opportunities . . . when the timing is right and the iron is hot. You are always in the driver’s seat making thoughtful decisions about whether or not to consider our opportunities, how you’re feeling throughout the interview process, and if in the end the job makes sense for you to take.

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