As workers navigate through one of the toughest economies and job markets in the nation's history, they are turning to small businesses in greater numbers. According to a new CareerBuilder survey, one-in-five workers (22 percent) who were laid off from full-time jobs in the last 12 months and landed new positions found those opportunities with small businesses. Another 59 percent said they are interested in working for a small business, while others are considering starting a small business of their own.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses employ half of all workers in the private sector and furnish half of the private gross domestic product. They also account for most of the nation's new job creation.

"Small businesses will play a critical role in the rebuilding of the U.S. job market," said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America. "As drivers of innovation, small businesses will help to re-energize the economy and support recovery efforts. In turn, workers will find that working for a small business can provide a wealth of experience in a variety of roles, a competitive compensation structure, a flexible work environment and more."

In addition to job growth potential, when asked what most appealed to them about working for small companies, workers pointed to:

  --  A family-like work environment - 56 percent
  --  More employee recognition - 49 percent
  --  A sense that you can make a difference - 48 percent

  --  An absence of corporate red tape - 46 percent

The economic situation is also fueling some workers to create their own opportunities. Of workers who were laid off in the last year and have not found jobs, 29 percent are considering opening their own businesses.

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder among 921 U.S. workers who were laid-off from full-time jobs in the last 12 months ages 18 and over between May 22 and June 10, 2009 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 921, one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 3.23 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

About CareerBuilder

CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset - their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com, is the largest in the U.S. with more than 23 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 31 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world's top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis to talent acquisition. More than 9,000 Web sites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder's proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. , Tribune Company, The McClatchy Company and Microsoft Corp. , CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the U.S., Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

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SOURCE: CareerBuilder