Two-thirds of workers approached by other companies with job offers: Survey

Up from 54 per cent in 2010

Many workers report getting approached with job offers from other companies during the past year, according to a new poll of more than 600 United States and Canadian employees by Right Management.

Two-thirds (64 per cent) of survey participants said they were approached either directly (48 per cent) or indirectly (16 per cent) about a possible job offer over the past 12 months. Only 36 per cent said they had not.

“Despite a continuing tough job market, a majority of employees claim to be getting approaches from other companies,” said Monika Morrow, senior vice-president of career management at Right Management.

In 2010, 54 per cent of workers reported being approached by another company about a job.

But the indirect job feelers may have been little more than workplace gossip such as hearing of an opening from a co-worker, said Morrow.

People may be hearing about job opportunities through social networking as well, with more and more people being approached by recruiters through sites such as LinkedIn, she said.

The latest findings are consistent with other Right Management workplace polls.

“Late last year a great majority of workers told us they were going to look for a new job in 2013, and more recently a similar majority admitted to cruising Internet job boards during work hours. So I think that’s the trend — that a lot of people are dissatisfied or bored with their current position,” said Morrow.

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