Career changers value passion over pay: survey

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. workers looking to change careers are motivated more by a desire to find a job they are passionate about than by a better salary, according to a survey to be published in the April edition of Money magazine.

Mounting time commitments and costly child care are some of the other major factors pushing people who think of swapping high-pressure positions for slower-paced ones, the survey, conducted in conjunction with Salary.com, said.

"The majority of 'second-acters' aren't willing to make the critical trade-offs for just any job," Meredith Hanrahan of Salary.com said in a release. "People want their contribution to matter. They want a passion payoff. It's not optional; it's the new requirement," she said.

The magazine surveyed 12,000 workers and 164 companies for the article. Of those surveyed 7,000, or nearly 60 percent, said they had recently changed careers or were planning to do so.

New careers topping the list for younger job changers were project manager and registered nurse, Money said. These people valued mental stimulation and advancement opportunities

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Almost half of the companies who responded said they regularly targeted career switchers when they were recruiting staff because they tended to be more dedicated employees.

Nearly a third of the workers surveyed who were thinking of changing careers, 32 percent, said they would spend "as long as it takes" to get the necessary skills and certifications to change jobs.

The survey, conducted in conjunction with Salary.com also identified the best new jobs for middle-aged people looking for a new direction.

Workers over 50 were seeking jobs in the nonprofit sector, patient advocacy or religion, which offered flexible schedules and engaging work.

For parents returning to work, with a top priority on flexible schedules, executive recruiting was also identified as a desirable job, along with nonprofit work.