According to a study by LinkedIn and Microsoft, more workers are looking to leave their jobs now than during the Great Resignation. The study surveyed 31,000 individuals across 31 countries and found that 46% of people want to quit their jobs in the year ahead, higher than the 40% in 2021. Burnout, lack of learning opportunities, and artificial intelligence were identified as reasons behind the increase in workers seeking new opportunities. Employers should prioritize employee retention and provide learning opportunities to address these concerns. Additionally, three in four workers are using generative AI in the workplace, with 46% starting to use AI in the last six months. Workers reported that AI saves them time and boosts creativity, but some have concerns about being replaced by AI. Despite these concerns, business leaders value AI skills and are willing to hire less experienced candidates with AI knowledge.
According to job posting data, while overall job postings have declined, there has been a 15.7% increase in AI-related job postings. This presents an opportunity for talented workers but poses a challenge for companies with AI skills gaps. Companies like Meta and OpenAI are competing for top AI talent, offering highly inflated salaries. Job seekers with AI skill sets are in high demand.
Washington, DC, has emerged as a leading tech hub, surpassing Silicon Valley and New York City in total tech job postings, according to CompTIA’s latest breakdown of the jobs market. The presence of the federal government, local contractors, and major corporations like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft have contributed to the growth of the tech scene in the area. Other tech hubs across the country, such as Texas cities, have also seen robust hiring by attracting startups, incubators, and investment from larger tech companies.
And for job seekers, I’ll highlight a piece in Business Insider that discusses the impact of moving away from big cities on one’s career. It highlights that living in large labor markets improves job opportunities and career growth, while smaller markets can limit career options. The pandemic-induced remote work trend initially gave professionals the freedom to move away, but the decline in remote job opportunities has put those who left big cities at risk. The article emphasizes the benefits of being in a big city, such as access to professional networks and knowledge spillovers. It suggests that the departure from big cities may slow down as career opportunities draw people back.
It’s AI all over the place right now, isn’t it?
I offered yesterday that training was a key opportunity – it remains so. That said, I will also note that being a place for employees to acquire AI skills is an opportunity too. With every organization scrambling to find those people now, if you’re offering a way to gain those skills – which your organization likely needs too – there’s opportunity there too.