So much for the Great Resignation: Jobseekers are backing out even before they’ve started. Of those who have accepted a job offer over the last year, half say they’ve backed out prior to starting, according to a report by Gartner.
The report’s survey also found that 35% of job candidates said they received four or more offers during their last job search. Of those who recently accepted an offer, 47% said they were still open to other jobs after accepting a position, while 42% believed they could find a better job if they continued looking.
“Nearly 90% of candidates said they have exited a hiring process due to at least one mismatch in employee value proposition preferences,” Jamie Kohn, senior director at Gartner, said in a press release. “This includes compensation and benefits but also things like flexibility in working hours, career pathing, skills development, team diversity and management style.”
When job candidates chose an offer, 59% said they accepted it, in part, due to greater flexibility in when or where they work. The other top drivers cited by candidates for accepting a new job offer were better work-life balance, 45%, and higher compensation, 40%, according to the report.
“Competition for talent remains steep — our research shows 59% of HR leaders expect more talent competition in the next three months,” Kohn said. “We are seeing many candidates uncommitted to their new employer and keeping one foot in the job market.”
Another finding in the survey: 68% of the survey respondents said they expect to see salary information in job postings, and 64% said they are more likely to apply to a job that lists compensation in the description. Nearly half, 44%, decided not to apply for a job because the job description did not include salary information.
Gartner surveyed 3,500 job candidates in May for the report.