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The Great Resignation is over. And with nationwide unemployment at 3.9% in October, one of the lowest rates in the last 20 years, the labor market is returning to pre-pandemic levels when unemployment sat at just 3.5%.
Quit rates are also declining and in several states, the numbers of those quitting has fallen significantly — the national average in September was 2.3%, however in states including New York and Massachusetts, the quit rate was just 1.5%.
In California, this number sat at 1.7%, while in Connecticut and Washington D.C. quit rates sat at 1.8% and 1.9%, respectively.
Montana saw the highest numbers of resignations at 3.5%, followed by Alaska (3.4%) and Wyoming (3.4%).
Competitive market
Within the tech industry, these lower quit numbers won’t come as a shock — in 2023, 1,128 tech companies have laid off just over 250,000 employees, meaning tech professionals who find themselves out of work are vying for the same jobs.
Simultaneously, those who have managed to hang on to theirs aren’t willing to let go of them as easily.
But does that mean you should stay in your current role, even if you feel like you’ve outgrown it or leadership changes mean the company’s agenda doesn’t align with your own values system?
If you’re considering a change in 2024, you should first identify if you want to move as part of a strategic career plan or as a reaction to negative aspects of your day-to-day job.
While an unsupportive manager or a return to office (RTO) order when you want to keep working remotely are understandably difficult, could you negotiate better terms or even move departments within your current company to continue on an otherwise positive career path?
If the answer to this is “no” and finding a new job is a priority, don’t wait until January to begin your job search.
While companies have fresh budgets to work through from January onwards, these budgets will have been set months in advance.
In fact, according to recent research, 51% of hiring managers prefer to start the recruitment process during the autumn months so they can place candidates as close as possible to the start of the New Year so they can hit the ground running.
Whatever your situation, if you’re thinking of a new opportunity in 2024, the TechRepublic Job Board is the ideal place to focus your search.
It features thousands of tech jobs in companies that are actively hiring, including the three below.
Software Engineer, Booz Allen Hamilton, Dayton
This Software Engineer role involves more than just coding. As a full stack developer, you’ll use your passion to learn new tools and techniques and identify needed system improvements. You’ll help clients overcome their most difficult challenges using the latest architectural approaches, tools and technologies. You’ll also help make sure the solution developed by the team considers the architecture and operating environment, as well as future functionality and enhancements. Applicants selected will be subject to a security investigation and may need to meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information; Top Secret clearance is required. Find out more here.
Software Developer (Systems Software), Cohere Technology Group LLC, Bethesda
Cohere is seeking a Software Developer who will support software architecture development, requirements analysis and process execution and evaluation. In this role, you’ll interact with customers and analyze and study customer requirements to determine the most effective software technologies to satisfy their needs. You’ll also design, test and maintain software-based applications to satisfy customer requirements and follow a formal design process using formal specifications, data flow diagrams and other accepted design techniques. Interested? See the full job description here.
Software Engineer, SAIC, Fort Meade
SAIC is seeking a creative and dedicated Software Engineer to develop, maintain and enhance complex and diverse software systems. Your main duties will include reviewing and testing software components for adherence to design requirements, documenting test results and resolving software problem reports. You’ll also design, develop and modify software systems, using scientific analysis and mathematical models to predict and measure outcome and consequences of design, and implement complex algorithms requiring adherence to strict timing, system resource or interface constraints. Want to know more? Here’s where you can access additional details.
Find your next role in tech today via the TechRepublic Job Board