AI productivity platform Plus Docs analyzed Google Keyword Planner data, focusing on terms like 'I want to leave my job' and 'signs you should quit'. The states with the highest average monthly search volumes for these resignation-related queries are identified as the top contenders for a career change.

Hawaii is the state with the most unhappy workers. According to the study, employees in the Aloha State are searching for resignation-related keywords 288 times a month per 100,000 people, 79% above the average in the United States. ‘Letter of resignation’ is the most popular term in the state, with 1,222 average monthly searches; ‘example resignation letter’ and ‘resignation sample letter’ follow, with 873 and 522 average monthly searches, respectively.  

In second place is Nevada. With an average monthly search volume of 228 per 100,000 people, workers in Nevada are 42% more likely to resign from their current roles. Nevadans are searching for ‘reasons to leave a job’ 703 times, making it the fourth most popular term in the state, after ‘resignation letter sample’ with 738 average monthly searches, ‘example letter resignation’ with 1,525 average monthly searches, and ‘letter of resignation’ with 2,317 average monthly searches. 

Maryland ranks as the third state contemplating a career change in 2024. In the state, resignation-related key terms have an average monthly search volume of 207 per 100,000 people, 29% above the national average. The third most searched-for term is ‘resignation letter sample’, with 1,325 average monthly searches, after ‘example resignation letter’ and ‘letter of resignation’, with 2,708 and 3,808 average monthly searches, respectively. 

According to the study, workers in New York are the fourth most likely to hand in their notice. There are 203 average monthly searches per 100,000 people for resignation-related key terms in the state, 26% above the benchmark in the U.S. The fourth most popular term, with 3,033 average monthly searches, is ‘reasons to leave a job’. Before this, ‘resignation letter sample’ has 4,516 average monthly searches, ‘example resignation letter’ has 7,750 average monthly searches, and ‘letter of resignation’ has 12,183 average monthly searches.  

In fifth place, with an average monthly search volume of 200 per 100,000 people, is Florida. The study shows that workers in the Sunshine State are 25% more likely to hand in their notice in 2024. Floridians are searching for ‘resignation letter sample’ 5,033 times, making it the third most popular term in the state, following ‘example resignation letter’ with 10,483 average monthly searches and ‘letter of resignation’ with 14,450 average monthly searches. 

Virginia and Georgia rank in joint sixth, with 199 average monthly searches per 100,000 people, 24% above the national average in the United States. The most popular search term in both states is ‘letter of resignation’, with 5,433 average monthly searches in Virginia and 6,650 in Georgia. ‘Example resignation letter’ follows in second in both states, with 3,742 average monthly searches in Virginia and 4,833 average monthly searches in Georgia.  

US states contemplating a career change in 2024  

In seventh place, with an average monthly search volume of 197 per 100,000 people, is Delaware. California ranks eighth, with 193 average monthly searches per 100,000 people, followed by New Jersey in ninth, with an average monthly search volume of 192 per 100,000 people. Connecticut is the tenth state where workers are most likely to resign in 2024, with 186 average monthly searches per 100,000 people.  

Alternatively, Kentucky and Utah have the happiest workers in the U.S. With 108 average monthly searches per 100,000 people for resignation-related key terms, employees in these states are 49% less likely to change careers in 2024.  

In second place, Idaho has an average monthly search volume of 113 per 100,000 people. According to the study, workers in the state are 42% less likely to resign this year. On average, Idahoans search ‘how to write a letter of resignation’ 151 times monthly, making it the fourth most popular term. Before this, ‘resignation letter sample’ had 333 average monthly searches, ‘example resignation letter’ had 397 average monthly searches, and ‘letter of resignation’ had 548 average monthly searches. 

West Virginia ranks third, with an average monthly search volume of 118 per 100,000 people. In fourth place, workers in Arkansas search for resignation-related terms 122 times a month per 100,000 people. Iowa and Michigan rank joint fifth, with an average monthly search volume of 124 searches per 100,000 people. 

Daniel Li, CEO and co-founder of Plus Docs, has commented on the findings: “According to research from Microsoft and LinkedIn, 46% of workers are considering the benefits of quitting their jobs in 2024. This campaign highlights the states where this trend is most likely to be seen in the coming months; Hawaii, Nevada, and Maryland are seemingly home to the most workers who are ready to make this change in their careers.  

“In the study, the most popular key term across each U.S. state is ‘letter of resignation’, suggesting that employees search for the most professional ways to leave their positions. As well as the employee's name and the date of termination, including a note of thanks is one of the most important things to remember. This is because, when applying for a new job, many employees rely on their previous places of work for a recommendation, and it is never a good idea to burn any bridges.” 

US states with the happiest workers