Job Seekers Statistics By Resume, Recruitment, Internship, Behavior And Employer Strategies

Introduction

Job Seekers Statistics: Did you know that 40% of job seekers would be willing to take a lower salary to work from home? Job seekers are looking for better job opportunities that give them more flexibility and work-life balance. Searching for a new job can be tough, and I get it! Millions of people go through the challenges of the job market every day. As the workforce keeps changing, it’s important to know the latest trends and job seeker’ statistics.

This info is valuable whether you’re looking for a job or hiring new employees. Luckily, I’ve gathered some important statistics you should know about job seekers.

In this article, I’ll share the most current data on job seekers and discuss the trends shaping today’s job market. Whether you’re a job seeker aiming to stand out or an employer trying to attract top talent, this guide with useful insights will help you succeed in today’s fast-moving job market.

Editor’s Choice

• Job Seekers Statistics stated that only about one-third of job seekers feel that job ads provide clear salary details.
• In Nigeria, over 20% of young people dream of becoming traders or business owners by age 30. While doctors and engineers are also popular career choices, their goals are influenced by gender and financial background.
• Compared to last year, 38% of workers think it’s harder to find a job now. Meanwhile, 35% believe it will be easier to find a job in 2022.
• In the last year, 30% of job seekers were asked about their salary history, and 86% answered honestly.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 90% of people searching for academic jobs want full-time work, while 30% are also open to part-time positions.
• Singapore has seen a 96% increase in foreign job seekers, mostly from Malaysia (32%), India (16%), and the Philippines (7%).
• The top industries foreign job seekers are interested in within Singapore include administration (11%), technology (7%), management (5%), sales (5%), and manufacturing (5%).
• The countries that offer job-seeker visas the most are Germany, Austria, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, and Portugal. The United Kingdom has recently joined this group.

General Job Seekers Statistics

• Singapore has seen a 96% increase in foreign job seekers, mostly coming from Malaysia (32%), India (16%), and the Philippines (7%).
• The global job search software market was valued at $2.4 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to $4.3 billion by 2030, growing at a rate of 7.1% per year.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 24% of job seekers have used AI to help them search for jobs.
• Most workers (82%) want employers to include salary and benefits in job listings.
• Mostly, 81% of job seekers in the UK said they would not apply for a job with unrealistic expectations.
• The biggest frustration for job seekers during interviews is going through multiple rounds, with 64% saying it is the most annoying part.
• Job seekers often turn down job offers if they feel undervalued or unappreciated during the hiring process.

(Reference: jobera.com)

• Job Seekers Statistics stated that around 40% of American workers are actively looking for a new job.
• In the US, 60% of people are actively job hunting, while 40% are not actively looking but may consider a change.
• Around 76 million people in the Asia-Pacific region want a job but aren’t actively searching or are unavailable for work.
• In France, around 503,000 job seekers are over 50 years old.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that older workers (50+) focus on finding meaningful and challenging work, while younger workers (18-34) prioritize career growth and advancement.
• Job seekers are mostly motivated by career growth (52%) and the opportunity for flexible work or remote jobs (49%).
• In 2023, Asia-Pacific had 88.5 million unemployed people, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%.
• South Africa is expected to have the highest unemployment rate in Africa in 2024, with about 30% of its workforce without jobs.
• In Australia, employment is predicted to increase by 0.2 million people (1.41%) from 2024 to 2025, reaching 14.43 million people by 2025.

Job Seekers and Hiring Statistics

• On average, the job interview process lasts around 27.5 days.
• 76% of hiring managers say attracting high-quality candidates is their biggest challenge.
• 77% of hiring managers say attracting passive candidates is harder because they respond at a much lower rate.
• 70% of the global workforce consists of passive talent.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that nearly 75% of hiring staff say it’s easier to attract top candidates when they already know about your company, proving that employer branding is a key tool.
• The most effective tools for talent branding include company websites (68%), professional networks, and social media.
• Employers spend about 33% of an employee’s annual salary to replace them when they leave.
• 42% of companies say one of their top priorities is investing in tools to speed up the hiring process.

(Source: talentlyft.com)

• Almost 39% of recruiters spend 1 to 3 business days training new candidates.
• Around 41% of companies use mobility strategies to recruit talent from outside their region.
• 81% of companies using talent mobility strategies see revenue growth or surpass their targets.
• Nearly 84% of companies use social media for recruiting.
• 75% of companies use behavioural interview questions to evaluate soft skills.
• 80% of recruiters use references to screen candidates.
• Companies lose 89% of potential candidates because of a long screening process.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 55% of companies that recruit year-round say it reduces their time-to-hire, and 42% say it reduces cost-per-hire.
• 80% of Millennials want to work abroad.
• Only 2% of resumes make it past the first round of an application.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 57% of Millennials expect to switch jobs within two years, and 40% expect to leave within one year.
• 62% of Millennials believe they could find a better job within three months if they lost their current job.
• Nearly 93% of Millennials value ongoing skill development in their careers.
• By 2022, 7.6 million US workers will participate in the gig economy regularly.
• 82% of contingent workers have at least one knowledge-based contract job (e.g., writing, consulting, photography).
• Almost 67% of small and medium businesses offer flexible work arrangements.
• 96% of software and IT companies allow remote work in some form.
• Nearly two-thirds of US companies have remote employees, and remote work is predicted to match or exceed office-based work by 2025.
• 80% of job seekers research a company’s online reviews and ratings before deciding to apply.
• 84% of job seekers consider a company’s reputation crucial when choosing where to apply.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 50% of companies have seen an increase in candidates with a master’s degree for entry-level jobs.
• Over 5 million IT jobs will be created globally by 2027. (Finances Online)
• Millennials leave jobs for better offers (30%), misalignment of career goals (27%), or lack of opportunities (13%).
• Married employees are less likely to search for jobs than single people, but parents are more likely to job search.
• 64% of potential employees now use gig economy work to supplement income.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 40% of Millennials choose employers based on their health and wellness benefits.
• 51% of employers believe health and wellness benefits will become more important for talent retention in the next 3-5 years.
• 70% of employers have improved physical environments to encourage healthy behaviours.
• 60-78% of employees feel their job gives them purpose, with tech jobs having the highest score.
• 64% of Millennials would prefer to earn less at a job they love than more at a boring one.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that around 42% of job applicants say work-life balance is the most desirable benefit.
• 81% of working parents prefer work-life balance over higher pay.
• Allowing employees to work from home increases productivity by 13%.
• 66% of HR professionals say employee engagement has increased, but only 34% of non-HR employees agree.
• Employee burnout causes up to 50% of annual workforce turnover.

Resume Statistics

• Recruiters spend just 6-8 seconds looking at a resume.
• 40% of recruiters have hired someone just from their LinkedIn profile.
• Only 3% of resumes lead to an interview.
• Nearly 63% of recruiters like resumes that are customized for the specific job.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 41% of recruiters focus on skills first when reviewing a resume.
• 88% of hiring managers look for hard skills when reading resumes.
• Nearly 60% of recruiters say using too many buzzwords is a big mistake on resumes.
• 55% of recruiters think not tailoring your resume for the job is a big mistake.
• Around 50% of recruiters say that grammatical errors is a big problem.

(Source: cultivatedculture.com)

• 45% of recruiters dislike it when resumes use too much jargon.
• Around 40% of recruiters want to see quantifiable accomplishments on resumes.
• The average resume is about 489 words long.
• Less than 5% of recruiters spend more than 1 minute on a resume during their first review.
• Hiring managers spend 67% of their time looking at the work experience section of a resume.
• 83% of recruiters are more likely to hire someone with a resume tailored to the job.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 60% of hiring managers have found typos on resumes.
• 83% of recruiters prefer resumes that are easy to read and well-formatted.
• Normally, 63% of recruiters say the biggest mistake is not personalizing your resume for the job.
• 91% of recruiters like seeing soft skills listed on resumes.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 57% of recruiters say the most important soft skills are communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.
• 63% of hiring managers say education matters when making hiring decisions.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 45% of hiring managers are more likely to hire someone with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
• 73% of hiring managers are more likely to interview someone with a visually appealing resume.

(Source: cultivatedculture.com)

• 68% of hiring managers would reject a candidate because of a messy resume.
• Always proofread your resume—errors can make you seem unprofessional.
• 63% of hiring managers prefer resumes that are just one page long.
• 88% of hiring managers say the work experience section is the most important part of a resume.
• 75% of hiring managers want to see accomplishments and results listed in the work experience section.
• 75% of hiring managers want to see specific accomplishments in the education section.
• 68% of hiring managers would reject a candidate because the education section is poorly written.

Job Application Statistics

• 50% of job seekers find the application process stressful due to a lack of pay and benefits information, as well as changes in the interview schedule.
• On Glassdoor, job postings get an average of 250 resumes, but only 4-6 applicants are invited to interview, and one gets hired.
• Nearly 67% of job seekers think job ads should include details about salary, benefits, location, commute time, and employee reviews.
• 76% of job seekers want to know how long it will take to complete an application before applying.
• 70% of job seekers think online applications should have five steps or fewer, while only 40% of employers agree. Only 40% of employers have tested their application process.

(Reference: zippia.com)

• 60% of job seekers say they can’t finish online applications due to tech problems.
• 76% of job seekers are more frustrated by not hearing back after applying than by not hearing back after a first date.
• Almost 63% of job seekers would turn down a job offer due to a poor candidate experience.
• 72% of job seekers who had a bad experience will share it online or with others.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that nearly 72% of job seekers need to fully understand a company’s work culture before accepting an offer.
• 66% of job seekers will move on to other jobs after waiting 2 weeks for a callback.
• Around 82% of employers say that the candidate experience is key to attracting top talent.
• 64% of job seekers would stop buying from a company with a bad hiring experience.
• Nearly 79% of job seekers consider a company’s mission statement before applying.
• Companies with strong employer branding get 50% more qualified applicants.
• 39% of women and 33% of men find a company’s brand very important before applying. On average, candidates read six reviews before forming an opinion about a company.
• LinkedIn found that 72% of recruiters believe employer branding plays a big role in hiring, and 80% agree it helps attract quality candidates.
• Small and medium-sized businesses say their top employer branding tools are their company websites (69%), online networks (61%), and social media (47%).
• A strong employer brand can cut cost-per-hire by 50%.

(Source: zippia.com)

• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 86% of HR professionals say recruitment is becoming more like marketing, and 86% of Glassdoor users read company reviews before applying.
• 55% of job seekers say reading a negative company review would make them less likely to apply.
• On average, a job seeker gets one interview request for every six applications they send. They typically apply to 27 companies before getting an interview.
• 81% of recruiters say virtual recruiting will continue after the COVID-19 pandemic, and 74% say video interviews make their work easier.
• Phone screenings usually last 15 minutes, and face-to-face interviews (whether in person or by video) last 40 minutes to an hour.
• Candidates are 1.4-2.5% more likely to accept a job offer if the interview includes a skills test and 1-2.3% less likely if it includes an IQ or personality test.
• Candidates are 2.6% more likely to accept a job offer if they find the interview process challenging but not too hard.
• Candidates rejected offers due to low compensation (27%), accepting another offer (12%), and lack of career development (6%).
• 35% of job seekers say they would turn down a job offer if the company doesn’t offer remote work options.
• LinkedIn users say the most important things when accepting job offers are compensation (49%), professional growth (33%), and a better work-life balance (29%).

Job Seekers and Recruitment Statistics

• 70% of job seekers use Google to find job openings and learn about companies. It’s their main tool for job hunting.
• 83% of millennials, 68% of Gen-Xers, and 53% of Boomers turn to Google when looking for a job, and this number will likely grow as Gen-Z enters the job market.
• Up to 94% of job finders look for job ads through social media, with 73% of them being millennials.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 43% learn about job openings through word of mouth.
• 80% of job openings are never advertised to the public.

(Reference: zippia.com)

• Around 45% of job seekers check a company’s online reputation before applying for a job.
• 67% of candidates visit the company’s career page before applying, and 68% of millennials do this to get a sense of the company’s brand.
• 54% of job seekers read employee reviews, and 55% would decline a job offer if they found negative reviews.
• Job seekers spend 37% more time on career websites that include video testimonials, and job applications increase by 34% when job ads feature video testimonials.
• 89% of job seekers use their mobile phones to look for job opportunities.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 45% use their phones at least once a day to check new job listings.
• 93% of employers are recruiting in 2022, up from 82% in 2021.
• 63% of companies are open to hiring candidates with soft skills and then training them in the necessary job skills.
• 80% of employers say it’s hard to fill job openings due to a skills gap among applicants.
• 68% of job seekers have stopped an application halfway because it was too long or complicated.
• 59% of job seekers have abandoned an online application because of bugs or problems with the application process.
• 83% of job seekers believe the hiring process could improve if employers provided a clear timeline of what to expect.
• 31% of job seekers want personalized messages about job opportunities instead of generic emails.

(Reference: adaface.com)

• Hiring managers and recruiters usually spend only 6-8 seconds looking at a resume.
• 52% of recruiters say the toughest part of hiring is sorting through a large number of applicants.
• 44% of recruiters use public social media profiles to speed up finding candidates.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 83% of companies use social media to recruit.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that nearly 50% of job seekers say it’s frustrating when salary and benefits aren’t listed in job ads.
• 46% of candidates dislike it when job ads don’t explain the job duties clearly.
• Almost 50% of candidates are unhappy when interview schedules get changed unexpectedly.
• 47% of job seekers don’t like slow responses from employers.
• Nearly 73% of job seekers say looking for a job is one of the most stressful things in life.
• 69% of job seekers who have a bad experience with a company won’t apply there again.
• 73% of recruiters say it’s difficult to find candidates with specific skills.
• Almost 86% of potential candidates are hired by competitors.
• Top talent can be off the market in as little as 10 days.
• 70% of potential candidates are passive, meaning they’re not actively looking for work and can be hard to find using traditional recruitment methods.

United Kingdom Job Seekers Statistics

• It takes an average of 28 days from applying for a job to getting hired.
• Hiring managers and recruiters spend just 6-8 seconds reviewing a resume.
• Around 12.7 million people in the UK are looking for jobs every day.
• In 2021, a low-skilled job vacancy in the UK received about 506 applications.
• 98% of large companies use automated systems to scan resumes.
• 49% of recruiters believe people in the UK expect unrealistic salaries.
• Due to Brexit, there was an 11.4% drop in the number of EU workers searching for jobs in the UK.
• Millennials will spend 46 months of their life applying for jobs, 21 months less than Baby Boomers.
• Graduates will apply for about 29 job openings but only attend 3.3 interviews, costing around £505.
• After the pandemic, 65% of workers now want jobs that give them a sense of purpose.
• As of April 2024, the unemployment rate in the UK was 4.4%, which equals over 1.65 million people.
• In March 2024, 74.5% of adults in the UK had jobs, which is over 33 million people.

(Source: statista.com)

• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 77.4% of men were employed in March 2024, compared to 71.6% of women.
• As of April 2024, there were about 3.5 redundancies for every thousand workers, down from 3.9 per 1,000 in December 2023 to February 2024.
• From March to May 2024, there were 904,000 job openings in the UK, a drop of 12,000 from December 2023 to February 2024.
• Job vacancies in February 2024 were 19.8% lower than in February 2023, when there were 1,132,000 job openings.
• The arts and entertainment industry saw the largest decrease in job openings, with a 23.7% drop compared to March 2023.
• The real estate sector had the biggest increase in job openings, rising by 29.1% in February 2024 compared to the previous period (September- November 2023).
• By April 2024, it was estimated that there were about 1.7 unemployed people for every job opening, up from 1.5 in January 2024.
• 79% of job seekers use social media (like LinkedIn) at some point during their job search. This number goes up to 86% among Generation Z (ages 18-24).
• Around 9 out of 10 employers use social media to recruit employees, which is good for job seekers.
• Recruiters say that cold messaging candidates on social media work about 47.5% of the time.

Job Board Statistics

• Almost 55% of how we communicate comes from body language, while 38% is from the tone of voice. This shows how important your appearance and the way you speak are during an interview.
• Career growth (33%) and work-life balance (29%) are the top things job seekers consider when looking for a job.
• 70% of workers in the US feel they have more skills and education than their current job requires, suggesting there’s a gap between what people can do and what they’re actually doing.

(Reference: zippia.com)

• LinkedIn is the most popular platform for finding jobs, followed by Facebook. However, word of mouth is still the preferred method for 50% of job seekers.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 35% of job seekers prefer applying for jobs using their phones, so it’s important to make sure the application process is mobile-friendly.
• Feedback is very important. 80% of job seekers say they wouldn’t apply again if they didn’t hear back about the status of their application.
• 94% of HR professionals say using an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) has improved their hiring process. Also, 73% of recruiters say that focusing on people analytics and internal hiring will be a priority in the next few years.
• Networking is key. 85% of job opportunities are found through personal connections, so networking is very valuable.

(Reference: zippia.com)

• Candidates who are recommended by someone already working at the company have 40% more chances of getting hired.
• For 49% of job seekers, money is the most important factor when deciding to accept a job offer. The second most important factor is career growth opportunities.
• Only 25% of companies have specific gender diversity goals, but 66% have diverse hiring practices in place.
• 76% of job seekers and workers say that having a diverse workforce is an important factor when evaluating companies or jobs.
• Around 32% of workers would avoid applying for a job at a company that lacks diversity.
• 80% of experts believe that soft skills, like communication and teamwork, are more important than technical skills for a company’s success.
• 92% of hiring managers look for candidates who have good people skills, communication abilities, and problem-solving skills.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that nearly 89% of HR professionals say that having employees from different generations helps improve a company’s performance.
• 35% of hiring managers won’t hire candidates unless they know about the company beforehand.
• Nearly 60% of recruiters value candidates who are active in regional or national organizations on their social media profiles and may give them extra points.
• Using industry-specific keywords and strong phrases on your resume can increase your chances of getting hired by 29%.

(Reference: clutch.co)

• Nearly 98% of businesses use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) or other software to help with recruitment.
• Due to the pandemic, 84% of recruiters now conduct phone interviews, and 85% use video interviews.
• Job opportunities have increased by 23% since January, while hiring has only grown by 3%.
• Companies with racial and cultural diversity in their workforce are 35% more likely to earn higher returns compared to the industry average.
• Black and Hispanic women earn 38% and 46% less than white men, respectively, for full or part-time work.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 87% of recruiters think having a four-year degree makes you more competitive for entry-level jobs.
• 47% of interviewers say they won’t hire candidates who don’t know anything about the company.
• Asian women earn 74.8% of what Asian men make or 93 cents for every $1 earned by Asian men.
• Gen Z employees are 135% more likely to have a part-time job compared to Baby Boomers.
• Job postings that require a video interview get 34% more applicants.
• 1/3 of recruiters say 50% or more of their open jobs are filled remotely.
• After efforts to fight racial inequality, job recovery has improved by 55%.
• 40% of job rejections happen because candidates have inappropriate or revealing photos on their social media.

Job Seekers’ Behavior and Employer Strategies (Salary Transparency)

• 85% of Gen Z job seekers don’t pay attention to job ads that don’t include salary information.
• Job listings that have salary details get 30% more views.
• More than 50% of employers wait until the interview to share salary details.
• 40% of states have laws that require pay transparency, and more states are likely to follow.
• From August 2023 to August 2024, job ads showed a 16% drop in vague phrases like “competitive salary.”
• 12% of employers are now adding salary ranges in job ads to follow the law and build trust with applicants, and this number is growing.
• Job ads that list salary information get 30% more views on CareerBuilder.
• However, 55% of employers still don’t share salary details until later, and only 8% include it upfront.
• 6% of workers believe that salary information should be shared openly at work.
• However, only 48.2% say their workplace is open about pay, which shows there’s a gap between what workers want and what employers provide.

(Reference: coolest-gadgets.com)

• Almost 62.7% of workers have quit or considered quitting a job because they felt they weren’t paid enough.
• 61% of workers have lied about their salary to co-workers, showing they care about getting fair pay.
• Younger workers and those in their 30s to 40s are the most supportive of pay transparency.
• Workers in their 60s to 70s are the least supportive.
• Employees making between $25,000 and $149,000 also want more salary transparency, especially those earning between $25,000 and $49,000.
• Despite the support for open pay, 13% of workers say their bosses don’t follow through with pay transparency.

• Gen Z, the newest group in the workforce, really wants to know about salaries.
• A large 58% of them prefer working at places where everyone’s pay is shared openly. They care a lot about fairness, especially for women and minorities.
• Gen Z employees feel left out if they find out they’re being paid less than others, showing how important fair pay is to them.

(Reference: zippia.com)

• With 33% dealing with debt, knowing their salary is especially important.
• Millennials also want to know what everyone is making.
• About 54% believe companies should share salary details. They value fairness and want to make sure they are paid correctly.
• The pay gap between men and women is still a big problem. In 2022, full-time women earned only 83 cents for every $1 a man made.
• Women of color face even bigger pay gaps, with Black women earning 70 cents and Hispanic women earning 65 cents for every $1 a man makes.
• The pay gap is bigger for women working from home (79 cents per dollar) compared to those working in the office (89 cents per dollar).
• Women who are planning to change jobs soon have a smaller gap (84 cents per dollar) than those not planning to switch jobs (80 cents per dollar).

Internship Statistics

• Nearly 31% of Gen Z graduates begin looking for jobs during their senior year of college.
• 35% expect to get more than one job offer.
• Despite this, 36% of Gen Z graduates are anxious about finding a job.
• Almost 53% of students believe their degree will help them get a good job.
• 34% of students think they will graduate with the skills needed for the job market, and 36% think they’ll have the skills to succeed in the workplace.
• Around 90% of graduates say their job is directly connected to their education.
• 47% of women and 37% of men are underemployed (working in jobs below their qualification level) after graduation.
• Underemployed workers earn, on average, $10,000 (27%) less than those in jobs that match their qualifications.
• Some fields with high underemployment rates include security and law enforcement (65%), parks, recreation, and fitness (63%), and engineering/computer science (30%).
• 70% of employers who hire interns offer them full-time jobs, and up to 80% of interns accept these job offers.
• 81% of graduates who completed an internship say it greatly influenced their careers.
• Job Seekers Statistics stated that almost 53% of graduates say their current job was secured through an internship.
• 60% of employers are more likely to hire a candidate who has done an internship.
• The top benefits offered by employers include medical insurance paid by the company, company-matched 401(k), and family-friendly policies.
• Many big companies, like Google, Facebook, and Apple, hire a large number of their permanent staff from their internship programs.
• 24% of internship candidates would prefer their first job to be remote, while 38% don’t have a preference, and 38% feel they’d miss out if it weren’t in-person.

Conclusion

In summary, job seekers today are focusing more on pay transparency, fairness, and equal opportunities. As younger generations like Gen Z and Millennials enter the workforce, they want clear salary details and fair pay. The gender pay gap, especially for women of color, is still a big issue, showing that more needs to be done to make sure everyone is paid equally for the same work.

Being open about pay helps companies attract good employees and builds trust and loyalty. Businesses that adopt these values are likely to have a happier, more diverse, and motivated team. We have shed enough light on Job Seekers Statistics through this article.