Six in ten workers in the UK dream of switching careers, but most don’t know where to start

Indeed Career Scout, a personalised AI powered career coach, rolls out in the UK

• 60% of workers in the UK could imagine moving into a different career field, but many are held back by age, financial uncertainty and not knowing which roles would suit them
• 56% say a better understanding of different career paths would give them the confidence to switch jobs, rising to 70% among 25-34 year olds
• 71% would find a tool helpful if it showed possible career paths based on their experience and skills
• Indeed Career Scout offers personalised support across the job search, from career discovery and personalised job matching to CV support, interview preparation and negotiation guidance

Six in ten workers in the UK imagine moving into a different career field, but many do not know how to make the leap, according to new research from Indeed.

The research, released as Indeed launches Career Scout in the UK, reveals that while 60% are open to a career change, many are being held back by age (36%), financial uncertainty (28%), the prospect of starting again as a beginner (24%) and not knowing which roles would suit them (20%).

This uncertainty comes despite widespread belief that people have more to offer than their current career path may suggest. More than half (56%) say they have transferable skills but are unsure where they are most relevant, while a similar proportion (55%) wish they knew what jobs they qualify for based on their skills.

Career confidence gap

The research suggests that the dream job is far from dead, but many people cannot see a clear path towards it. Nearly half (48%) say they have a dream career they would like to pursue. Among them, 24% believe it sits outside their current path but that they could transition, while 18% say it sits outside their current path and they are unsure what steps to take.

Greater clarity could make a meaningful difference. More than half (56%) say a better understanding of different career paths would give them the confidence to switch jobs, rising to 70% among 25-34 year olds and 68% among 35-44 year olds. Meanwhile, 71% say they would find a tool helpful if it showed possible career paths based on their experience and skills, including 23% who would find it very helpful.

A personal career coach

To help jobseekers take the next step with more confidence, Indeed is launching Career Scout in the UK. Designed as a personal career coach, Career Scout makes it easier to find jobs, get an offer, and everything in between.

With Career Scout, jobseekers can:

• Discover personalised pathways aligned to their skills and interests, including career opportunities they may not have considered before.
• Understand why they may be well suited for recommended careers and find out what they could earn in a new career.
• Simplify their job search by chatting with Career Scout to find better opportunities tailored to their goals, refine searches and uncover jobs specific to their interests.
• Research companies before applying, including pay, culture, size and employee sentiment.
• Keep track of applications in one organised hub through the My Jobs dashboard.
• Strengthen interview and negotiation skills with personalised guidance, role-specific interview tips and practical talking points.

Based on initial US testing, jobseekers who use Career Scout find and apply to relevant jobs seven times faster, and are 38% more likely to get hired.

Conor McCarthy, Vice President at Indeed, comments:

“Changing careers can feel daunting, especially in a rapidly changing work environment. People know they have valuable skills but cannot see how they translate into new opportunities in today’s workplace. Our research shows that many jobseekers are open to change, but they need more clarity, confidence and personalised support to take the next step.

Career Scout is designed to act as a personal career coach, helping people understand their options, discover roles that match their skills and goals, and move through the job search with more confidence.”

Growing demand for personalised job search support

The findings also show that while AI is already beginning to change the job search, many jobseekers remain cautious. Just under a quarter (24%) have used AI to help look for a job. Among those who have, 48% felt more confident submitting applications and 42% said applications took less time. However, 34% worry employers can tell they used AI, while 28% worry their applications sound generic.

Career coaching also remains largely untapped. Only 15% have ever used a career coach, with barriers including never having thought about using one (42%), preferring to manage the job search alone (25%), cost (24%) and not being sure what a career coach does (24%).

Career Scout aims to bring more personalised career support to more people, combining Indeed’s two decades of data and insights with AI-powered guidance to help jobseekers apply smarter, not just faster.

McCarthy continues:

“For many people, career support has either felt out of reach or too generic to be useful. Career Scout helps bridge that gap by giving jobseekers tailored guidance whenever they need it – whether they are exploring a new path, preparing for an interview or trying to understand what they could earn in a new role.”

Career Scout is now available to jobseekers in the UK, offering personalised support to help people explore new career paths, understand where their skills fit, and move through the job search with greater confidence.