Hungarians look to re-invent careers as workplace change gathers pace
A growing number of Hungarians are developing their own personal “brands” as part of a trend toward taking greater control over their careers, including steps to help differentiate themselves in a fast-changing workplace, according to the latest survey results from workforce solutions leader Kelly Services®.
The findings are part of the Kelly Global Workforce Index, which obtained the views of approximately 134,000 people in 29 countries, including more than 5,000 in Hungary.
Personal marketing, or branding, has become a feature of the modern workplace, with respondents identifying the elements they regard as most important in building their identities - verbal communication skills (51 percent), use of social media (51 percent), résumés (41 percent), written communications (40 percent), technical knowledge (33 percent), and personal attire (30 percent).
“As many individuals are moving out of the typical employment relationship, they are thinking about how to promote themselves and stand-out in the crowded workforce,” said Kelly Services Anikó Jónás, Managing Director of Kelly Services Hungary Ltd. “There is also a high degree of awareness about the pace of change in the workplace and the ability to manage this change.”
The research also shows more than a quarter of respondents are prepared to spend their own money on upgrading their skills - not waiting on their employer to do it for them - while more than two-thirds believe they will change their career and re-invent themselves in the future.
Results of the survey in Hungary show:
• 59 percent of baby boomers believe the use of social media is one of the most important elements in personal branding, compared with Gen X (51 percent), and Gen Y (47 percent).
• 39 percent of Gen Y are “very optimistic” about their ability to keep pace with technological and other change in the workplace, higher than for Gen X (33 percent) and baby boomers (21 percent).
• 28 percent of Gen X are prepared to spend their own money on training to upgrade their skills, higher than for Gen Y (24 percent) and baby boomers (23 percent).
• 67 percent of respondents expect to change their careers at some stage in the future, with baby boomers (71 percent) more likely than Gen X (70 percent) and Gen Y (64 percent).
• 13 percent of respondents describe themselves as “very active” in their use of social media for personal marketing, while another 38 percent say they are “somewhat active”.
Those industries where employees are most willing to spend their own money to upgrade their skills are Engineering, Science/Pharmaceutical, IT, Business Services, Education, and Utilities.
“The survey results reflect an understanding that the days of a job-for-life, and even a career-for-life, are gone. Increasingly, many people will have several careers and, in all likelihood, will have to take greater personal responsibility for managing their careers and developing new skills,” Anikó Jónás concludes.
For more information about these survey results and other key global findings, please visit the Kelly Global Workforce Index.
Currently, Kelly Services is collecting opinions about work and the workplace. To be a part of the next Kelly Global Workforce Index, take the survey at www.kellyservices.com.
About the Kelly Global Workforce Index
The Kelly Global Workforce Index is an annual survey revealing opinions about work and the workplace from a generational viewpoint. Approximately 134,000 people from North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific responded to the 2010 survey with results published on a quarterly basis. Kelly Services was the recipient of a MarCom Gold Award for the Kelly Global Workforce Index in the Research/Study category.
About Kelly Services
Kelly Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: KELYA, KELYB) is a leader in providing workforce solutions. Kelly® offers a comprehensive array of outsourcing and consulting services as well as world-class staffing on a temporary, temporary-to-hire and direct-hire basis. Serving clients around the globe, Kelly provides employment to 480,000 employees annually. Revenue in 2009 was $4.3 billion. Visit www.kellyservices.com
Media contact:
Anikó Jónás
Managing Director
E-mail: ajonas@kellyservices.hu
Tel: 0036-1-354-2770