Morgan McKinley Polling Booth - May 2009

"Capturing your views"

Professionals are more concerned about job security than salary

Job security is more important than basic salary for professionals looking for their next role in today’s employment market, according to a survey by global professional recruiter Morgan McKinley.

The online poll, conducted via Morgan McKinley’s website, surveyed 200 professionals who are currently looking for work in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, the Netherlands and the UK. The research found that 37.5% of candidates said their top priority is that they want a role that is stable and secure, reflecting the high levels of uncertainty amongst job seekers at present.

Following in a close second place on the list of jobseekers’ priorities is the basic salary offered for a role, with 30.5% of professionals citing this as their number one. Others stated career progression opportunities (16%), training & development (7%), employer reputation (6.5%), and flexible working (2.5%) as their main priorities.

“A year ago when there were far more jobs available in the market, remuneration was a primary driver for most candidates however, it’s no surprise that this mindset has shifted as the market has become more unpredictable,” explains Gerald Fitzgerald, CEO of Morgan McKinley.

“Despite there being more talent available, employers still need to be able to demonstrate to potential employees that they are serious about hiring for the role and they should be prepared to answer questions from the candidate about the stability of the organisation.”

When comparing results from each of the countries, there were some differences in opinion. For example, job security is top of the list for candidates in the UK (34%), Australia (69%) and Hong Kong (43%).However, this was in contrast to jobseekers in Singapore (39%), Japan (38%) and the Netherlands (44%) who say basic salary is the most important criteria when they are searching for a new role.

Breakdown of results by country: