Compared to the last quarter of 2023, new hires are starting off the year feeling a little less satisfied with the job search process, according to ZipRecruiter’s Q1 2024 Survey of New Hires. Just 58% of the 1,500+ recently hired U.S. employees surveyed for the report had a positive job search experience in Q1, down from 60% the previous quarter.
However, fewer new hires had to find their job on their own. The share of workers who were actively recruited by employers went up significantly in Q1, rising to 46% from 34% in Q4.
Employers are not only proactively seeking out the talent they want, they’re also recognizing the need for speed in the hiring process — 48% of recent hires reported getting a response to their application within three days, and nearly all of them (92%) heard back within a week. Despite this, less than half (46%) of surveyed hires were able to secure new jobs in less than a month, down from 60% in Q4.
Other highlights from the report include:
- Though fewer workers received a signing bonus in Q1 (23%, down from 29%), more were able to negotiate their offer (43%, up from 40%) and more received a counter-offer from their previous employer (24%, up from 21%).
- More than half (53%) of job seekers in the Q1 survey used ChatGPT or another GenAI tool to aid their job search. Drafting resumes (23%) and cover letters (21%), researching careers (19%), and preparing for interviews (18%) were the most common uses of GenAI tools.
