Hard times for job changers

A survey by a major job placement agency shows that Japanese moving to other employers take an average of 5.7 months to start a new position. It is the longest period reported since the survey began 2 years ago.

The quarterly survey is based on data given by 2,000 to 3,000 people who succeeded in changing jobs. Results for the July to September period suggest it took an average of 5.7 months for people to find a new employer. That's up about three weeks from the same period last year, and is the longest ever.

12.9 percent of people took more than a year to find a new position, which is up 5 points.

Asked why they changed jobs, 48.3 percent said they were worried about the future of their firm. 24 percent were not satisfied with their pay. 19.6 percent were forced to change employer due to bankruptcy or restructuring.

Professor Naohiro Yashiro of International Christian University, a labor economics specialist, says firms are being cautious about hiring job changers and new graduates due to the sluggish economy. He says careful selection by firms is making it harder for people to change jobs.