New Research from Career Mentoring and Interview Skills Experts AGM Transitions Finds Almost a Third of Senior UK Employees Are Seeking a 2013 Career Transition

LONDON, February 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Key findings:

• 31% said their New Year's resolutions included looking for a career transition
• 31% are also likely or very likely to look in January  
• However, only 37% are confident about their interview skills for securing a new job
• 39% would have chosen a different career path if they had received better career mentoring
• 67% still do not use social media to promote or market themselves in the industry
• Only 13% of respondents would use a career consultant to get advice and prepare themselves for the job market

New independent market research commissioned by AGM Transitions*, the strategic career advisors for top executives, has found that almost one third (31%) of UK business decision makers questioned in the survey are looking for a career transition in 2013. At a time of year when people are putting into practice their New Year's resolutions a new career continues to be a popular choice, with 31% of respondents saying they are likely or very likely to start looking for a new job this month. The prospect of more money is the main driver for a career change (37%), whilst 18% are looking for a different challenge. However, in the current economic climate only 37% of respondents are confident about their interview skills to secure a new role.

The research also found that 50% of respondents would use job websites when looking for a new role, followed by newspaper adverts (33%), existing business contacts (31%), head-hunters/recruiters (29%), friends (29%) and family (26%). However, despite social media increasingly being used for business networking and research purposes, 67% still do not use social media to promote or market themselves in the industry.  

Finding the right opportunity was the most daunting aspect of changing jobs (40%), followed by the fear of change (23%) and pulling a CV together (22%). Yet despite the challenges associated with a career transition only 13% plan to use a career consultant to get advice on CV creation and interview skills to prepare themselves for the job market. This finding is even more surprising given that 39% of respondents admit that they would have a chosen a different career path had they received better career mentoring previously.    

Commenting on the research findings, Stephen Mansbridge, Executive Director & Co-Founder at AGM Transitions, says, "No matter what stage of your career you have reached, the prospect of changing jobs is unnerving. It can be a very stressful, lengthy process which is often led by self-evaluation and no real understanding of what options are available - it can be completely confusing, and for those higher up the corporate ladder they will often feel they have further to fall."

Mansbridge says, "The research highlights that many UK business decision makers will be looking to move jobs this year, yet a significant number are not confident of finding the right opportunity and many job hunters will simply not prepare themselves in the right way before going to market. This is where strategic career mentoring can make a real difference to someone's job prospects, enabling them to fully understand their core strengths and be fully equipped to take the next step in their career path."

If you are planning to start the new year with a new start then check out AGM Transitions' latest eBook, How to Move on, or Move Up, for advice on how to search, prepare and secure your next role.

*Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted among 100 UK Business Decision Makers. The interviews were conducted online by Redshift Research in January 2013 using an email invitation and an online survey.

About AGM Transitions

AGM Transitions is a strategic career business which helps top executives transition to new opportunities. AGM Transitions helps executives prepare for their next career move, by providing a bespoke mentoring and coaching service and then introducing them to the right contacts.

AGM Transitions' career development services enable clients to fully understand their core strengths and be fully equipped to take the next step in their career path. AGM Transitions provides self-marketing consultancy, CV building guidance, interview training and mentoring, and then introduces people to the right opportunities through various routes, including head hunters, private equity, our Alumni network and other contacts.

Situated in London and established in 2005, AGM Transitions has worked successfully with clients across the globe and within companies comprising more than 50% of the FTSE and Fortune 500. AGM Transitions has many contacts at Board and senior levels, including the public and third sectors and philanthropic organisations. 

For further information, please contact:
Lauren Symons
The itpr Group
t. +44(0)1932-57-88-00
http://www.itpr.co.uk