Emily woke up one day, tired from the previous day at the office, hit the snooze button on her alarm for the third time, and realized it was time for a change.

Waking up shouldn’t be that hard.

At lunch, she wrote the priorities for her next job based on the pain points she encountered each work day.

She knew she wanted:

• More opportunities for career development

• The ability to work from home when she needed to

• And a company that cared about her overall happiness

No one at her current company cared how much she dreaded the morning alarm clock.

And that’s what bugged her the most.

What Emily (and Everyone Else) Pay Attention to When Looking for a New Role

Everyone has had a job they knew they had to get out of. The job that turns Sunday night into the worst part of the week. 

So, let Emily fill in for the average job-seeker in 2024. Like Emily, they want a job that matches their interests, values, and career growth opportunities.

The best jobs and companies in 2024 incorporate balancing work, personal life, health, and professional advancement. 

We’ll follow Emily as she exemplifies the big job seeker trends of 2024.

Career Development and Pay Are Still Critical To A Job Search

When searching for new opportunities, Emily wants positions that offer clear avenues for career advancement alongside competitive pay. She prefers employers who are transparent about promotion tracks and performance evaluations.

She wants a company that actively invests in her professional growth.

The total compensation package is another critical factor influencing her ultimate decision. She needs to pay the bills, and a competitive base salary with benefits such as bonuses, health insurance, retirement contributions, and other financial perks is a must.

Companies that demonstrate the commitment to her growth shoot up her list.

A Company That Cares About You is Top of Mind

In the year of 2024, Emily wants to work for a company with comprehensive health benefits and wellness programs. She's looking for employers who provide extensive support for not only physical health but also mental and emotional well-being.

But well-being must be a core part of the workplace culture. If the job makes you seek mental help, it’s a headache, not a job. A positive workplace culture manages stress effectively by communicating deadlines, expectations, and metrics. Training for managers and employees is a must.

As is the expectation that time off is a given.

The Ability For Hybrid Work Matters

Emily’s last priority in her job search is hybrid remote work. She realizes that being in the office has its pluses, particularly for career advancement. However, working from home some days dramatically improves her productivity, mental health, and ability to find a job in a larger search radius.

The flexibility of working from home some days lets her better manage her personal and professional life. She can get what she needs to get done without distraction from the water cooler on some days, but attend in person meetings on others.

Top Talent Values the Ability to Design Work Schedules Around Life Commitments

Not commuting every day is also a lifesaver. Emily can expand her search radius out an extra 10 miles to another city because she only has to go into the office three times a week. If it's not daily, she can handle the extra thirty minutes of driving.

She can try to find a better job, and the company gets access to more talent, a win-win.

The Ideal Next Job

It took a couple of months, but Emily was able to find her ideal next job. She found a company that promotes personal health, professional growth, and happiness in the context of her career.

Companies are increasingly embracing hybrid models that value work-life balance over an always-on, mentally draining environment. 

She sees a clear path to the next step in her career with the pay that goes with it.

Now, Emily doesn’t even set an alarm for work.

About the guest author: Chris Kolmar, Zippia

Zippia: The career expert that helps you find the job you really want; offering personalized jobs, company insights, job insights, and career paths.