KUCHING: The career-for-life is vanishing, with more than two-thirds of all Malaysian respondents saying they expect to switch careers within the next five years, according to a latest survey.
In a poll conducted by global workforce solutions provider Kelly Services, it found that the main cause, cited by 35 percent, was the need for improved work-life balance, followed by the need for higher income (33 percent), and changing personal interests (17 per cent).
The findings about career choice and career progression were part of the Kelly Global Workforce Index, which obtained the views of approximately 97,000 people in 30 countries, including Malaysia.
“We are seeing a surprisingly large number of people who are actively considering the critical issue of whether they should change their careers and make a fresh start,” said Kelly Services’ managing director for Singapore and Malaysia, Melissa Norman in a statement.
“For an earlier generation, a change of career would have been something of a crisis. However today, it is seen as a reflection of shifts in demand for different skills and occupations, as well as changing personal interests on the part of employees.”
One sign of the shifting attitude to career interruption was that approximately three-quarters (74 per cent) of those surveyed believed they could resume their career at the same level after taking a break for such things as maternity or paternity leave, illness or an extended holiday.
The ‘Generation X’ (those aged 30 to 47 years old) were the most confident of resuming their career following a break, with 80 per cent saying they could do so, compared with 77 per cent of ‘Baby Boomers’ (aged 48 to 65 years old), and 71 per cent of ‘Generation Y’ (aged 18 to 29 years old).
Other results also stated that in determining the most vital elements in a person’s career – experience or formal education – the vast majority (85 per cent) nominated experience, while 14 per cent cited formal education. A mere one per cent were undecided.
Most respondents for the Kelly’s survey, about 72 per cent, pointed out that when looking for a job, the best indicator of a person’s talent would be their work experience, followed by performance in the job interview at 16 per cent, job references at six per cent and education, also at six per cent.
About 94 per cent of respondents said they would aspire to an executive position, while another 98 per cent believed that that it was either ‘extremely important’ or ‘important’ that qualifications and skills should be upgraded in order to progress their career.