3 in 10 millennials have already had 5 jobs or more

There was a time when everyone thought a job was for life. New research confirms what an outdated concept that has become.

A survey by Tempo has revealed that three in ten millennials have already clocked up at least five jobs in their career so far. The poll discovered that the average millennial (those aged between 18 and 34 years) has worked in 3.4 jobs. By comparison, workers aged 55 years or more have had 5.9 jobs.

Employees in Northern Ireland have made the greatest number of job moves – 16% of those questioned have had at least ten jobs.

Millennials are well-known for their desire to learn and progress within a role – something the research confirmed. 52% of 18-34-year olds said they were planning to move jobs within the next two years, and 34% planned to do so in the next 12 months.

According to the survey, millennials are not just looking for new jobs – they want multi-disciplined, diverse careers that allow them to work in different sectors.

Salary has often been a key factor in choosing a role, but this might be changing too. While 83% of over-55s said it was one of their top three motivators, among millennials this figure dropped to 67%.

Other differences included flexible working being more important for women than men (46% v 29%), and career progression higher on the agenda for men than women (23% v 15%).

Speaking about the research, Ben Chatfield, CEO and co-founder at Tempo stated: "There are multiple advantages to have a diverse job background.

"People who embrace variety are more adaptable, likely to have a range of soft skills, and a wider pool of professional contacts. Employers must realise the opportunity they present and do more to attract them."

If you're looking to attract people with diverse job backgrounds, get in touch with the team at Stopgap today.