Movers and slakers - statistics on young people who change jobs

American Demographics, July, 1997 by Berna Miller

Young adults change jobs a lot, but not because theyre restless whiners. Most workers aged 15 to 31 would rather stay with one company throughout their careers. But most dont because they have trouble finding jobs that are related to their career goals and that pay what they perceive as a fair wage. Many struggle to find a job at all. Four in ten say they had a difficult time finding a decent job, according to a 1996 survey by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance.

Almost seven in ten of the young adults surveyed by MassMutual think it is better to stay at one job than move around to get ahead. However, almost half expect to be at their current job for less than two years, and one-third expect to be there for less than one year. Fifty-one percent of teenagers aged 15 to 19 planned to stay at their current job for less than one year, probably because they are working in low-skill, low-pay positions. The share is much lower for 26-to-31-year-olds, at 17 percent.

These differences may be due to the greater educational attainment and work experience of 26-to-31-year-olds. Those who say their job directly connects with their career goals and those who believe they are fairly compensated are more likely to say they will remain at their jobs for five years or longer. College graduates are also more likely than less-educated young adults to plan a lengthy stay with their current employer. This is partly because people with college degrees are more likely to have jobs related to their career goals.

For more information on work and career attitudes of young adults, contact MassMutual at (413) 744-2365.