More employees than ever rank pay as chief concern

If you’ve got money on the mind when it comes to finding employment then you’re not alone because a new study has revealed that over half (58 per cent) of UK professionals say that a good salary is their top career priority.

The research from CV Library also found that having friendly colleagues was important to UK professionals, with just under half (48.2 per cent) saying that it is an important factor with employment. Over a third (40 per cent) also said a greatcompanyculturewasalso a key priority.

Surprisingly, career progression was found to be less of aprioritywasUKprofessionals with 33.5 per cent saying room forprogressionwasimportant, whilst 28.2 per cent said learningnewskillswasatoppriority.

In addition 22.4 per cent said having a nice boss was important, 13.3 per cent favoured flexibleworkingopportunities, 11.5 per cent said work close to home was essential and 10.4 percentsaidhavinggoodworkplace perks was important.

The research, which surveyed1,200UKworkers,comes after January saw application rates soar by 83.6 per cent across the UK.

Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library,explainshowjobhunters should think about more than the pay when applying.

“Candidates are storming the job market like never before and it’s clear that many are searching for roles with a strict set of criteria in mind. If you’re looking for a job, it’s important you know what you want from your career, so you can find a role that best suits your needs.

“That said, while salary and company culture do play a big part in job satisfaction, it’s vital to take into consideration your responsibilities and your commute, as these will also have an impact on your happiness”

Unexpectedly the research also revealed that workers are makingthedaytodayresponsibilities less of a priority when it comestoemploymenttoo,with only 10.9 per cent admitting that it was an important factor.

Biggins adds: “It’s interesting to see this shift in career priorities, with professionals no longer placing as much importance on the role itself. It’s definitely important to enjoy what you do and this should alwaysbeaprioritywhenmoving jobs. That said the move is not surprising given ongoing economic uncertainty, as professionalsseekfinancialstability.”