Happy in your current job? You're still probably thinking about a new one

According to a new Monster survey, as the job market continues to uptick, so, too does the attitude to change employers.

The numbers tell all: 43 percent of respondents said they are more likely to consider a new job opportunity than they would have one year ago. Further, despite the fact that 71 percent of survey participants say that they are happy in their current job, 73 percent have another potential job in mind. And 60 percent of respondents with a resume have gone so far as to update it in the past three months.

And if you’re between the ages of 25 and 44, and have been with your employer for more than six years, you’re among only 20 percent of your peers to experience a period of employment longevity.

As the old-school mindset of staying with the same employer for several years — landing that proverbial gold watch and capturing valuable funds for your pension plan — fades, you need to formulate a new plan. Here are several tips to help keep yourself on track toward finding your next great job.

1. Despite acceptance: recruiters still want to know why you are leaving your current role so soon. Prior to the most recent recession, if you stayed in a job for less than two to three years you were a “job hopper” — a major red flag most employers preferred to avoid. Considering past behavior typically predicts future behavior, they were concerned about investing recruiting and training dollars, not to mention time, to hire you and get you onboarded, only to have you (and the dollars spent) walk out the door soon thereafter.

However today, the job-hopping stigma has nearly vanished. Since 2008, short tenures on resumes have become the norm and since the economy has improved, abridged timeframes remain a non-issue for the most part.

That said, recruiters and hiring managers will still ask why you are seeking to leave your job. Prepare a succinct yet informative answer such as, “I’ve already mastered skills in this position and now that I’m immersed in the role, there’s nowhere to go in terms of long-term growth.”

2. Remain an active job seeker. The good news about being simultaneously happy on the job while looking for another one means that you are not in desperation mode. In fact, you’re coming from a position of power that’s not going to be anxiety-ridden or rushed.

As a proactive job seeker, you can take your time pursuing opportunities and forging relationships – attend lunch meetings with your former boss, participate in industry events and networking mixers. The best time to land a new job is when you’re not frantically looking for one.

3. Keep your resume current. If you are among the majority of individuals who have revised your resume within the past three months, keep doing it and if you haven’t updated it yet, there’s no time like the present. Informal conversations lead to more formal conversations and ultimately to interviews. The last thing you’ll want to do is scramble late night to dust off a resume that hasn’t been looked at in years.

One of the best ways to keep your resume current is to make it an ongoing task. Whenever you take on a new task in your current job or accomplish a major goal, add a new line to your resume while it’s fresh in your mind and tweak, abridge or delete a previous task that seems less important.

4. Remain active on social media. The survey indicated 76 percent of 25 to 44-year-old respondents are likely to update social media profiles while searching for a new job.

You are your brand: the more active you are online, the more relevant information you share, the more attractive you will appear to current employers. However, review your company’s social media policy ahead of time to ensure that you are not violating your company’s rules.

Considering the majority of this age group relies on social media to review job listings and network for potential employment opportunities, these activities become part of the day; incorporate these rituals into your daily routine as a side dish while remaining focused on the job you get paid to perform.