One in 10 Lawyers Looking for a New Gig

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According to Bloomberg Law's annual job satisfaction survey.

Ten percent of practicing lawyers are actively looking for a new job, and they cite stress and burnout as the main reasons why.

Another 38 percent say they’re open to outside offers even though they’re not actively sending out resumes.

Those are two findings from an Attorney Job Satisfaction survey conducted by Bloomberg Law in the second quarter of 2021.

From the survey: “What’s causing the active seekers to be so active in their job-seeking? Compared with lawyers who say they are not looking to move, this group reports longer workweeks on average (54.2 hours to 51.4 hours), markedly lower job satisfaction scores (a 3.3 average on a 0–10 scale, as opposed to a 7.2 average), and much higher rates of burnout (66 percent of the time, compared to 37 percent of the time).”

Below are some other highlights from the survey.

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Bloomberg Law 2021 Job Satisfaction Survey

Here are 6 takeaways from the survey:

  1. More than 80 percent of active job-seekers say they are unable to disconnect from work, and nearly three-quarters (72 percent) are struggling with a heavier workload.
  2. Fifty-six (56) percent of job-seekers say their workplace is toxic, compared with only 7 percent who are staying in their present job.
  3. Eighty-four (84) percent are facing high work stress, and 73 percent have a lack of work-life balance.
  4. Sixty-eight (68) percent say they aren’t supported by leadership and lack appreciation.
  5. Active job seekers suffer higher rates of anxiety (85 percent) and depression (50 percent) than those who aren’t looking to move.
  6. More than two-thirds of active job-seekers say a desire to find a better work environment is a main motivator for wanting to leave. They’re looking for new positions that offer better work-life balance (61 percent) and reduced work stress (60 percent).

Source: Bloomberg Law

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