Canadian career confidence high

More say it would be easier to find similar job if laid off

Canadian employees are more confident about being able to find a comparable job if laid off than they were six months ago, according to a recent survey.

The survey of 520 full-time employees, the Right Management Career Confidence Index, conducted for career transition consulting firm Right Management, hit its highest level in the four years the survey has been conducted. The Canadian index reached 57.5, out of a possible 100, up from 54.8 last May.

More Canadian employees said it would be "somewhat easy" or "very easy" for an unemployed worker to find another job at the same salary — 33.5 per cent, up from 26.5 per cent last May. Fewer employees said it would be "very difficult" for an unemployed worker to find similar employment if laid off, 19.5 per cent, down from 27.5 per cent last May.

However, there was a slight increase in the number of Canadian employees who feel it is somewhat possible or very possible they could be laid off from their jobs in the coming year — 18.2 per cent, up from 17.5 per cent last May. Conversely, there were slightly fewer employees who feel there is little or no chance they could be laid off in the next 12 months — 78.7 per cent, down from 79.5 per cent last May.

"Canadian employees' overall career confidence continued to be on the upward trend that began earlier this year, with more workers feeling secure about being able to find comparable employment if laid off," said Bram Lowsky, senior vice-president and general manager of Right Management in Canada.

"However, employees are also more concerned about future economic conditions, so there was a slight increase in the number who feel they may lose their jobs in the coming year."

While fewer Canadian employees feel it would be "very difficult" to find similar employment if laid off, more say it would be "somewhat difficult" — 44.2 per cent, up from 41.6 per cent last May.

Even with a higher career confidence level, about two-thirds of respondents, 63.7 per cent, still feel it would be difficult to find a comparable job if laid off, although that has decreased from 69.1 per cent last May, and 70.7 per cent in November 2005.

According to Statistics Canada, the unemployment rate in Canada averaged 6.2 per cent in October. But this average number breaks down into quite a range across the provinces. While Newfoundland's October unemployment rate was quite high at 14.2 per cent, it was considerably lower in Alberta where the rate was three per cent. Central Canada sat in the middle with Ontario's unemployment rate at 6.4 per cent.

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