Career Mobility Among Young and Mid-Career Professionals Accelerates: 46.9% of Those in Their 20s and 30s Express Positive Attitude Toward Job Changes

Raguxas Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Osaka City; President and CEO: Seijiro Fukushige, hereinafter referred to as 'the company') has conducted a survey via its recruitment agency service 'HUGAN' targeting 3,000 individuals aged 20 and above but under 39 across Japan. The survey participants were full-time employees, contract or dispatched workers, and public servants (excluding educators) currently employed in these roles. The survey focused on their job transition experiences within the past three years, current job change intentions, reasons for considering a job change, and re-job-hopping tendencies based on the number of prior transitions.

Survey Background

In recent years, values regarding work styles and career paths have significantly shifted, particularly among young and mid-career professionals in their 20s and 30s. Increasingly, people are no longer adhering strictly to the traditional model of lifelong employment at a single company. Instead, many are reevaluating their opportunities for growth, salary and benefits, work-life balance, and job-role fit, aiming to choose careers that offer greater personal satisfaction.

On the other hand, companies continue to face challenges in hiring young and mid-level talent. How organizations perceive the risks of early employee turnover and potential re-job-hopping after hiring has become a critical issue.

To address this, HUGAN's recruitment outsourcing service conducted a survey of 3,000 company employees and public servants aged 20 to 39 nationwide, examining their recent job transition experiences, current job change intentions, reasons for considering a move, and re-job-hopping tendencies by number of prior transitions. This survey aims to clarify the actual state of job mobility among professionals in their 20s and 30s.

1. Survey Summary

- 43.8% of respondents in their 20s and 30s answered that they either 'have experienced a job change within the last three years' or 'have not changed jobs but are currently considering it.'

- The most common reason for considering a job change was 'wanting to improve salary and benefits' at 43.0%, followed by 'wanting to improve work style,' 'wanting to clarify career prospects,' and 'wanting to change job content.'

- Regarding current job change intentions, when combining those who answered 'already actively job hunting,' 'specifically considering a job change,' and 'would consider a job change if a good opportunity arose,' the total reached 46.9%, indicating that nearly half of young and mid-career professionals are open to changing jobs.

- Among those with prior job change experience, 59.4% remain open to job transitions, significantly surpassing the 31.0% of those without such experience.

2. 43.8% of Those in Their 20s and 30s Have Either Changed Jobs Recently or Are Currently Considering It

In this survey, 43.8% of company employees and public servants in their 20s and 30s answered that they either 'have experienced a job change within the last three years' or 'have not changed jobs but are currently considering it.' Breaking this down, 23.5% reported having changed jobs within the last three years, while 20.3% said they have not changed jobs but are currently considering it. This suggests that job transitions have become a realistic and increasingly common career option among young and mid-career professionals.

On the other hand, 56.2% answered that they have not changed jobs within the last three years and are not currently considering it. While a majority express intent to remain at their current workplace, the fact that over 40% have either already changed jobs or are in the consideration phase indicates that job transitions are no longer seen as exceptional events in career development for those in their 20s and 30s.

Notably, even among those who have not yet experienced a job change, a significant number are currently considering it. This suggests a growing trend of young professionals reevaluating their careers early on, taking into account factors such as compensation, work style, job content, and future career prospects.

3. Top Reason for Considering a Job Change is 'Improving Salary and Benefits,' Followed by 'Improving Work Style' and 'Clarifying Career Prospects'

When asked about the main reasons for considering a job change, the most common response was 'wanting to improve salary and benefits' at 43.0%. This was followed by 'wanting to improve work style' at 24.7%, 'wanting to clarify career prospects' at 20.7%, and 'wanting to change job content' at 20.2%. These results indicate that considerations for job transitions extend beyond just compensation, reflecting awareness of work-life balance and future career planning.

In particular, the desire to improve 'salary and benefits' significantly outpaced other reasons, suggesting that income and treatment satisfaction are major drivers for job changes among those in their 20s and 30s. At the same time, responses such as 'improving work style,' 'clarifying career prospects,' and 'changing job content' also ranked highly, indicating a desire not only for better conditions but also for work environments and career paths better suited to individual needs.

Additionally, 'wanting to increase growth opportunities' accounted for 17.2%, 'reassessing compatibility with supervisors or workplace' for 14.7%, and 'wanting greater satisfaction with performance evaluations' for 12.6%. Job change considerations among 20- to 30-somethings appear to stem from a combination of factors, starting with compensation and benefits but also encompassing workplace environment, evaluation fairness, and growth opportunities.

4. 46.9% of Those in Their 20s and 30s Are Open to Job Changes, Nearly Half When Including 'If a Good Opportunity Arises'

Regarding current job change intentions, 8.1% answered 'already actively job hunting,' 12.4% 'specifically considering a job change,' and 26.5% 'would consider a job change if a good opportunity arose.' Combined, these responses total 46.9%, revealing that nearly half of company employees and public servants in their 20s and 30s are keeping job changes as a viable option, even while remaining in their current positions.

Among these, 'would consider a job change if a good opportunity arose' accounted for 26.5%, the highest proportion within the positive-intention group. This indicates the presence of a significant 'latent job-changer' segment—individuals not actively seeking new roles now but open to transitions if the right conditions or timing present themselves.

Conversely, 37.6% answered 'not currently considering a job change,' and 15.4% responded 'not sure.' While a substantial group is clearly not contemplating a move, the fact that nearly half express openness to job changes suggests a growing awareness among 20- to 30-somethings of expanding their career options over the medium to long term, even while staying with their current employers.

5. 59.4% of Those with Job Change Experience Remain Open to Transitions, Significantly Higher Than the 31.0% of Those Without Experience

When examining current job change intentions by prior experience, 59.4% of those who have previously changed jobs answered 'already actively job hunting,' 'specifically considering a job change,' or 'would consider a job change if a good opportunity arose,' indicating they remain open to transitions. In contrast, only 31.0% of those without prior job change experience gave similar positive responses, showing a 28.4 percentage point gap.

Breaking down the experienced group, 11.3% are 'already actively job hunting,' 16.5% are 'specifically considering a job change,' and 31.6% 'would consider a job change if a good opportunity arose.' This suggests that individuals who have experienced job transitions once are more likely to view them as a valid career development option and continue to periodically reassess their work style, compensation, and career direction.

Meanwhile, even among those without prior experience, 31.0% expressed openness to job changes, revealing that a notable segment is considering job transitions as a future career option. While there is a difference in enthusiasm based on experience, the trend indicates that among 20- to 30-somethings, awareness of future career opportunities is growing, even while they remain employed at their current workplaces.

Furthermore, the proportion of those open to job changes was highest among individuals who have changed jobs two or more times.