A renewed desire to uncover a job that doesn't just pay the bills but is actually inspiring, coupled with a sense of optimism about the current job market are two surprising themes from the latest Monster Workplace Survey results, issued today by Monster.com®, the leading job matching engine and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: MWW).

"The results of this survey are in stark contrast to where seekers were a year ago, especially psychologically. Seekers were just happy to be gainfully employed at that time - ready to simply ride things out until the economy turned around - despite how happy they were in their current position," acknowledged Jesse Harriott, Chief Knowledge Officer for Monster Worldwide. "But, as these survey results highlight, now is very much the time for seekers to take control of their careers, leveraging that newfound optimism to enact changes - either in their current job or in a new job entirely. Hand-in-hand with that, employers need to be ready to support that appetite for change and growth that today's workforce is clamoring for."

The latest Monster Workplace Survey results capture employee mindset as they approach their careers this year:

  • Ready to make a move: 82% of survey respondents believe there is a dream job for them, and nearly all of them (83%) are actively seeking that dream job.
  • Challenge and inspiration trumps salary and status: When asked what they want this year, nearly half (41%) of respondents want to be challenged and inspired by their jobs; a subset also want to make a difference in their jobs (17%).
    • Salary continues to be a driver (17% ) but is less important in comparison; while
    • Leadership status is nearly equal (15%) to salary status, though neither are viewed as important as a challenging, inspiring work environment.
  • Confidence returns: All told, 78% of employed respondents are looking for their career next step with 65% of all survey respondents feeling fairly confident that they'll find it this year. However, this confidence does tend to wane the longer they've been in the workforce - Baby boomers (61%) and Gen X seekers (69%) confidence levels dip slightly, as compared to Gen Y seekers who are generally more optimistic (75%).

These findings don't necessarily mean that employers should expect a mass exodus by employees. Instead, employers should anticipate that their employees are anxious to get to the next step in their careers - whether that is a job promotion, an opportunity to mentor junior team members or to take on new tasks that fulfill their desire to feel challenged and passionate about their jobs again.

"It's fantastic to see job seekers' confidence returning -- and to see the renewed belief that a 'dream job' doesn't have to be a dream. It can be a reality," commented Charles Purdy, Monster.com career expert. "The three steps to landing that dream job are research, planning, and targeting. Research means making sure that you have a realistic notion of what your dream job requires; a great way to do this -- and to network in your prospective field -- is to conduct informational interviews with industry pros. Planning means setting realistic, smaller goals or a timeline goals within your larger goal of getting that job -- a dream job doesn't often happen overnight; smaller timeline goals will help you stay encouraged. And targeting means focusing on the positions you want. The days of the one-size-fit-all job search are over; job seekers need to craft unique, individual plans that connect them to the right people, companies, and organizations."

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About Monster Worldwide

Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: MWW), parent company of Monster, the premier global online employment solution for more than a decade, strives to inspire people to improve their lives. With a local presence in key markets in North America, Europe, and Asia, Monster works for everyone by connecting employers with quality job seekers at all levels and by providing personalized career advice to consumers globally. Through online media sites and services, Monster delivers vast, highly targeted audiences to advertisers. Monster Worldwide is a member of the S&P 500 index. To learn more about Monster's industry-leading products and services, visit www.monster.com. More information about Monster Worldwide is available at http://about-monster.com.

Porter Novelli
Zora Falkowski, 617-897-8247
zora.falkowski@porternovelli.com
or
Monster.com
Jessica Sutera, 978-823-2812
jessica.sutera@monster.com