A majority of workers are open to new opportunities and feel upbeat about their job prospects, according to the 2024 Workforce Insights Report released today by Indeed. It found 71% of workers are open to new opportunities and 69% feel optimistic about their job prospects.

What’s driving people to seek new jobs? The top three reasons found by Indeed in its report were higher pay, 58%; better benefits, 34%; and more flexible hours, 26%.

“The data shows that workers are open and optimistic,” according to the report. “Despite continued job optimism in 2024, many workers still encounter challenges along the way and barriers that keep them from applying: unclear salary ranges, lengthy and complicated application processes and a lack of certifications and formal education, to name a few.”

The report is based on a poll of 5,058 US adults ages 18 to 65 conducted from Dec. 5 to Dec. 18, 2023.

Among the other findings in the report:

• Training: 43% said lack of certification was a top barrier to finding a job they want. And 41% said they did not have enough formal education or professional training.
• Salary ranges: 38% would stop or abandon a job application if the salary range was not disclosed.
• Self-reliance: 46% said they rely on themselves to get a job rather than a recruiter or referrals.
• Too complex: 49% agree that most job application processes are too long and complicated.
• Resources: When asked to identify their top three resources for finding a job, 61% of people said they used a job search website and 54% said they research every company before applying, while 56% regularly consult employee reviews.
• Ghosting: Once their applications are submitted, 77% of workers said they typically hear back from employers within two weeks. That said, once the interview process starts, 52% reported being ghosted by a recruiter and 29% said they have ghosted a recruiter themselves.