ResumeNow®, a leading career and resume service, surveyed over 1,100 U.S.-based workers in October 2023 about money-related stressors and challenges. According to ResumeNow’s Financial Transparency survey, 87% of workers claim they had to take on at least one side job for financial reasons in the last 6 months, and more than one-third (32%) of those took on multiple side jobs.
Other actions that people have taken in the last six months include: 33% used their emergency savings, 29% picked up extra work, 27% borrowed money from family or friends, and 24% withdrew from their retirement savings. Additionally, more than 6 in 10 (65%) believe they would run out of money in 6 months at most if they used their emergency savings and maintained their current lifestyle.
“Our connection with money is a lifelong partnership that requires constant care and understanding,” said Heather O’Neill, Career Expert at ResumeNow. “Worries about financial security are related to higher levels of psychological distress. At the same time, better financial well-being greatly influences our overall well-being, including mood, job satisfaction, and family relationships,” O’Neill concluded.
Three in four people say that concerns about inflation and recession are having an impact on their career decisions.
75% say inflation is impacting their career decisions, with 40% saying they tried to negotiate a higher salary with their current employer and another 40% saying they plan to negotiate.
Similarly, 74% say concerns about a recession are impacting their career decisions, with 41% actively looking for a new job with a higher salary in their current field and another 35% saying they are currently looking for a new job with a higher salary in a different field.
Additional data from ResumeNow’s survey:
Financial Stressors
58% of workers claim they have financial stressors. The participants’ biggest financial concerns:
- Credit card debt – 34%
- Building emergency savings account – 32%
- Saving for retirement – 30%
- Caregiving responsibilities create a financial strain on them – 28%
- Cost of living – 26%
- Ensuring that they can pay for their future healthcare needs – 25%
- Fear of recession – 25%
- Student loans – 23%
- Inflation – 19%
- Not earning enough money – 17%
- Not being as disciplined about their finances as perhaps they could be – 17%
- Not having access to workplace benefits [e.g., health/dental/vision insurance, paid time off, disability insurance] – 15%
Men overall report being stressed by money-related issues at a noticeably higher rate than women in a few key areas.
- Credit card debt: Men (42%) vs. Women (23%)
- Building emergency savings account: Men (37%) vs. Women (29%)
- Student loans: Men (30%) vs. Women (17%)
- Inflation: Men (25%) vs. Women (14%)
Participants without a college degree (75%), master’s degree holders (75%), and employees of small companies (72%) report the highest levels of money-related stress. Conversely, the self-employed (39%) and healthcare industry workers (39%) show the lowest financial stress.
Workers’ Financial Situation
95% of respondents define their financial situation as at least stable, with respondents specifying they could afford:
- To buy a new pair of shoes today – 42%
- To go on vacation within two months from now – 41%
- To go to the movie theater next weekend – 39%
- To go to the dentist next month – 38%
- An unexpected expense of $400 – 37%
- An unexpected expense of $800 – 35%
Steps Taken Regarding Finances
When asked if they’ve taken any steps regarding their finances in the past six months, one-third (33%) of respondents said they’ve used emergency savings. Other financial steps taken were:
- Picked up extra work/hours – 29%
- Borrowed from friends or family – 27%
- Withdrew from my retirement savings – 24%
- Relied on credit [loans, credit cards, etc.] to cover any potential shortfalls – 23%
- Redirected or sold non-retirement investments – 21%
- Delayed a major purchase [such as a car] – 20%
- Stopped or reduced contributions to my retirement savings – 20%
- Filed for unemployment – 18%
Relying on Emergency Savings
27% believe they would run out of money in less than 3 months if they used their emergency savings and maintained their current lifestyle. Over two thirds (65%) would run out of savings in 6 months if they used their emergency savings and maintained their current lifestyle. The full breakdown:
- 4 to 6 months – 38%
- 6 to 12 months – 25%
- 2 to 3 months – 21%
- 1 to 2 years – 9%
- Less than 1 month – 6%
- 3 years or more – 1%
Additional findings:
- 84% believe that job postings should always include a salary range. Additionally, 45% declare unwillingness to apply to job listings without information about a pay range.
METHODOLOGY
These findings were obtained by surveying 1,109 U.S. respondents online via a bespoke polling tool on October 2, 2023. Respondents were asked a variety of questions about financial transparency and money-related challenges. These included yes/no questions, scale-based questions relating to levels of agreement with a statement, questions that permitted the selection of multiple options from a list of potential answers, and a question that allowed open responses. All respondents included in the study passed an attention-check question.
To view the full report with more information, please visit https://www.resume-now.com/job-resources/careers/facing-financial-challenges or contact Joseph Santaella at joseph@resume-now.com
About ResumeNow
Since 2005, ResumeNow has offered job seekers a fast and easy way to create a beautifully designed, expert-backed resume. With pre-written, industry-specific phrases and recruiter-approved templates, the award-winning and free-to-use builder enables users to download a polished and professional resume in minutes. Stay connected with ResumeNow’s latest updates on Facebook and LinkedIn.
