New instead of: Russians have switched to passive job search
A drastic change in the behavior of Russians looking for work has been revealed by recruitment services. They note that in conditions of staff shortage, passive search has become the main trend — 76% of candidates are looking for vacancies, but do not seek to make a decision. Without quitting their jobs, they try to assess their capabilities and thus monitor the market. However, experts say, this trend has even become an option for leisure activities, only applicants for restarting scroll not through social networks and online store offers, but vacancies.
How to look for a job passively
According to the results of the third quarter of 2025, the activity of applicants who posted resumes and viewed vacancies was 16% higher than in the past. But 76% of job seekers are not actually actively searching, but are simply monitoring new offers, Avito Rabota told Izvestia. They noted that people looking for a new location "simply scroll through the sites in parallel with their current work in order to keep abreast of the market."
"There are more views and responses, but the level of interest is lower," the service's digest for the third quarter notes.
A similar observation was shared by the recruitment company Unitu.
"There really is a curious trend now: people are actively monitoring vacancies, responding to offers, even going through interviews — but in the end they refuse offers or delay making a decision," said Anahit Emin, head of the recruitment department at the HR company Unit.
The trend was also confirmed by the TuBi recruitment company: they said that a cultural pattern of "parallel choice" had formed in Russia.
— Algorithms of social networks and marketplaces have accustomed people to the idea that there may always be a better option. This logic has extended to the career. Browsing for vacancies has become as much a familiar pastime as flipping through the news feed.: without obligations and without instant solutions," says Roman Yerkhov, CEO of TuBi recruitment company.
The SuperJob service notes: today, almost every second applicant who has posted a resume on recruitment portals has a job, but is looking for a new place with more favorable conditions, primarily in terms of salary. And five years ago, this figure was at the level of 34%.
"Our recent survey on the potential willingness to switch jobs to competitors showed that almost 8 out of 10 Russians do not exclude such a possibility for themselves," the company's press service said in response to a request from Izvestia. "The top 3 reasons for leaving include salary, a higher position, and a more convenient schedule."
And Avito Rabota conducted a survey, the results of which explain this behavior — candidates remain moderately optimistic about the labor market situation (with record low unemployment in Russia, the job seeker market is now), expecting neither a significant deterioration nor a significant improvement.
"This trend leaves HR departments in a difficult position: in order to provide a human resource foundation, it is necessary to constantly keep abreast of the market, respond sensitively to the moods and expectations of applicants in order to create conditions for attracting and retaining staff," the company noted.
Thus, applicants choose their future jobs more carefully and for a longer time, often working at the same time at the old one. They don't need to find a job here and now — they are ready to wait. But in modern conditions, it is important for employers to stand out from other companies and attract the attention of applicants who explore the market in search of a "better life."
Why is there more passive search?
According to Avito Jobs, job seekers monitor job offers online 4.5 days a week, while more than a third do it daily, and about 50% do it several times a week.
Thus, passive job search is becoming a new form of leisure for Russians, and this is a reflection of several profound changes in the labor market and in social behavior, Roman Yerkhov believes.
— Now the labor market is objectively biased towards the candidate. Employers compete with each other for specialists, not the other way around. When a person has confidence in a stable income and the feeling that their competencies are in demand, they behave much more selectively. Hence "career mind—scrolling": it's a way to keep the career radar on without feeling the pressure of having to look for a job urgently, he believes.
Maria Todorova, a consultant psychologist, however, believes that such a search is "not about entertainment."
— When a person endlessly flips through vacancies without taking decisive steps, anxiety and internal conflict are most often behind this. On the one hand, he doesn't like the current income or conditions: he gets the feeling that he's stuck and could live a better life. On the other hand, losing a job is scary because it gives you a sense of predictability, and a new place is always associated with uncertainty and risk," she said.
Regular job reviews, in her opinion, can be an attempt to find a potentially safer place where there will be more confidence, predictability and support.
— This is not a desire to leave, but rather a search for a guideline: where will I feel safer, where can I turn if the current support weakens? — She said.
At the same time, and in her opinion, the trend towards passive search is natural and expected: people monitor the market to reduce internal tension and regain a sense of control, but do not move on to responses, because internal stability is needed to step into the unknown.
In addition, according to Roman Yerkhov, the phenomenon of a "psychological airbag" is now being observed. People feel the instability of the economy, they understand that professions are changing rapidly, and companies are reviewing their structures. Therefore, a posted resume is not a sign of willingness to leave, but a way to reduce anxiety and keep abreast of the market without risking a place.
According to the expert, the level of awareness of employees has also increased. People are no longer ready to change jobs for a similar salary or just "for a change of scenery."
— They are waiting for an exact match in terms of salary, flexibility, management culture and prospects. Therefore, high views with a low number of responses do not mean passivity, but higher standards and demanding conditions," said Roman Yerkhov.
At a time when individual companies are making cuts and entire industries are going through difficult times, people instinctively look for so-called replacement airfields, noted Anahit Emin.
"At the same time, they are not ready to change jobs abruptly — the fear of the unknown outweighs it," she believes. — The situation is mirrored for employers: companies also act cautiously, carefully vetting candidates. As a result, the entire selection process is stretched out, and the final decision becomes even more difficult for both sides.
Yulia Zabazarnykh, Senior Partner at Kontakt InterSearch, called the trend towards passive job search natural.
— On the one hand, it is a way for managers and experienced professionals to keep abreast of the pulse: to understand their own market value, the dynamics of offers and changes in the requirements of employers. Such a healthy interest in the market helps them stay competitive and assess their positions on time. Sometimes this leads to the fact that even those who did not plan to change jobs at all suddenly receive really strong offers," she noted.
Therefore, passive search today is not a sign of instability, but rather a manifestation of maturity and attentiveness to one's career. However, there is a downside. If a person shows up for interviews too often, it can become noticeable in the professional community and create reputational risks.
The press service of the independent trade union Novy Trud recommended that the hobby of "scrolling vacancies" should not be advertised to the employer: management appreciates a close-knit team and reliable employees, and not those who sit on suitcases. However, the union warns employers: the tradition of working in the same company until retirement is outdated, and job search services have become simple and accessible.
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