From job hunting to resignation letters

This article was sponsored by Google Trends.

Looking for new job opportunities is one thing. Working out how to explain a decision in an interview or a resignation letter is another thing altogether.

Google Trends data suggests Australians are seeking online help for many different stages of the job transition, from looking for opportunities to the resignation letter and possibly even the exit interview.

A spike in interest in new jobs

Google Trends data for Australia shows that searches for “new jobs” peaked at a relative interest score of 100 in May 2026, the highest in the last five years. By comparison, “job vacancies” recorded an average score of 19, while “career change” scored seven.

These figures are Google Trends index scores, not search volumes. The peak of 100 marks the highest relative interest in the selected period. This doesn’t mean 100 people searched “new jobs”, nor does the data tell us whether the people who did search were looking for a new role, searching for information for someone else, or simply browsing opportunities. The data simply offers a snapshot of what people are searching for, rather than a measure of how many Australians are wanting to change jobs.

Explaining the decision to search for new jobs

Data on searches related to “new jobs” offer an insight into the practical questions people might have about their job search. “Why am I looking for a new job” and “reason for looking for a new job” come up among related searches, with increases of 70 and 80 per cent respectively. “How to answer why are you looking for a new job” appeared as a breakout query, indicating a particularly sharp increase in relative search interest.

This suggests people are seeking help to articulate their reasons for wanting to move to a new job. They might be preparing for an interview or needing to explain a request for professional development. Or they may just be looking for a constructive way to discuss their current position with friends and colleagues.

From resignation templates to AI exit interviews

Other searches focus on the practicalities of leaving an existing job. Queries for “template resignation letter” and “resignation template letter” each increased by 40 per cent, while searches for “resignation letter template” and “resignation template” rose by 30 per cent over the last five years.

People are also searching for help to write resignation letters. Searches including “Chat GPT resignation letter”, “chatgpt resignation letter” and “AI resignation letter” were all marked as breakout queries.

This points to a developing trend in using AI tools for specific tasks in the process of changing jobs. Generative AI can help someone structure a letter or find a professional tone, which many people might find difficult to do on their own. Again, the search data does not tell us how many people use these tools or whether they ultimately send AI-generated letters.

A resignation letter can be a very short document, but leaving a job also involves difficult conversations, notice periods and decisions about what comes next. Templates and AI tools can offer practical assistance with the specific wording for these communications, even if they cannot make the actual decision.

In the latest twist of digital age recruitment practices, employers are exploring AI at both ends of the employment relationship. A 2025 Robert Half survey found that 44 per cent of Australian HR departments planned to implement AI for exit interviews and offboarding analytics. That raises an interesting question: as AI becomes part of employment processes, could employers and employees increasingly be using the
technology on both sides of the same conversation?

What the Salary Survey tells us

The 2026 Pro Bono Australia Salary Survey offers a useful perspective on why people might consider changing jobs. Our recruitment partner, Be Recruitment, reports that while most workers may not be actively looking to move, many of them would be open to the right opportunity. Salary is typically an important factor in this decision, but the report also identifies flexibility, workplace culture, leadership and wellbeing as factors that can make a new job attractive.

For not-for-profit employers, these findings underline that retaining valuable staff means looking beyond pay and organisational purpose to the day-to-day experience of working life.

What the search data can tell us

The data shows that Australians are looking for information at several points in the job transition process: exploring new opportunities, preparing to explain a move and finding the words to resign.

For employers, those searches are a reminder that retaining staff is not simply about salary. It also requires an understanding of what makes workers feel that their role is worthwhile and something they want to hold on to. Workers who have reliable information about opportunities, remuneration packages, workplace conditions and career pathways can help transform a moment of curiosity into a well-informed decision.