Despite the recession, 75% of currently employed executives are likely or very likely to consider a new job opportunity.

According to the 2009 BlueSteps Executive Mobility Survey, the most important factor in an executive’s decision to leave their current employer is poor company values, with 74% of respondents rating this as extremely important.

The executives surveyed for the report maintain traditional ideas of executive mobility, with 57% expecting to work for four to seven organisations by the end of their career and 48% saying that two years is the shortest tenure an executive can have at an organisation without compromising the value of one’s CV.

Della Giles, director of BlueSteps.com, says: “This openness toward new opportunities during a difficult and unstable economic climate indicates that executives realise the importance of taking career management into their own hands, and that mobility plays a large part in that.

“While executives are still concerned with traditional things like professional development and responsibilities, they are also now more concerned than ever with the company culture and values.”