If you’re in the midst of a job search and haven’t yet received that much-anticipated offer, you may be asking yourself, “When am I going to find a job?” and “How long should it take me to land a new position?”
Don’t worry. You’re not alone! Many job seekers ask these questions at some point during their job search.
So, just how long should a job search take? While there’s no set-in-stone answer, there are some guidelines for figuring it out.
How to Estimate Your Job Search Timeline
Trying to figure out how long your job search will take is more of a guesstimate than a true estimate. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get a general idea of how long it “may” take, based on data and a few key factors. Here’s how to get started!
Run the Numbers
There is no one right answer to the “How long?” question. It varies greatly from person to person and from job search to job search. This is because there are multiple factors to consider, such as the current job market, the time of year, your level of experience, and your geographic flexibility, among others.
“On average, it takes about 3-6 months from start to finish to get a job, and you have an 8.3% probability of getting a job interview from one job application,” explains FlexJobs Career Coach, Cidnye Work. “That means it could take as many as 10-20 applications to get one interview. And, on top of that, it can take 10-15 interviews to get one job offer.”
A 2018 study also found that it takes job hunters an average of five months to land a new position. During this time, a job seeker will typically edit four versions of their resume, write four cover letters, submit seven applications, and participate in five job interviews. These figures seem to align with the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) data, which found that the average duration of unemployment as of December 2020 was 23.4 weeks.
While it’s important not to hang your hat on the idea of your job search taking a certain amount of time, it can help to have a general time frame in mind to keep you feeling motivated.
Factor in the Variables
Again, many elements can affect a job search and make it go faster (or slower) than you might hope. Things such as the state of the economy and your particular industry can play a major factor in how many relevant jobs are available.
Also, if you’ve been out of work for some time, it could take longer to find a job since employment gaps may impact a hiring manager’s decision.
Even something like the time of year (and time of day!) can impact the length of your job search process, so maximize your efforts by choosing the best times to look for a job. January and February tend to be the most popular months for hiring, and the best times to find newly-posted positions are late mornings and the beginning of the week when companies update their job boards.
Stay Positive and Keep Moving Forward
Adopt a positive mindset that your job search will be successful—and swift. That means investing in your job search by making sure that your resumes are customized and your cover letters are tailored for each job, and being proactive about networking and getting the word out there that you’re looking.
Staying positive and committing to forward momentum as you “pound the pavement” can only have a beneficial impact on every aspect of your job search.
How to Speed up the Job Search Process
There’s no doubt that some of the time it takes to find a new job is out of your control. After all, you won’t be able to influence how quickly a company evaluates resumes or schedules interviews. However, you can take definitive steps to put yourself in the best possible position for speedy job search success!
1. Level Up Your Skills
If you’re noticing that the jobs you want are slightly out of your reach, pinpoint what it would take for you to become a more qualified candidate. Maybe it’s updating your skills, volunteering in your field, creating more of an online social media presence, or even completing your degree.
Taking the initiative to make yourself a top candidate can boost your chances of getting hired and also keep you motivated to continue with your search.
2. Search Often
Unfortunately, searching for jobs a couple of times a week won’t help you find a new position fast, especially in a competitive job market. Job seekers who want to get hired quickly have to search every single day.
Although that might seem like a lot if you’re already balancing job searching with another job, companies post fresh job listings daily, and waiting a couple of days (or longer!) to apply can greatly decrease your chances of being considered for the job.
How soon should you apply to newly posted jobs—and how late is too late? A good rule of thumb is to apply within a week or two, but sooner is always better.
3. Be Flexible
Another thing to consider is your own flexibility as a job seeker. For example, are you willing to piece together a couple of part-time jobs instead of only focusing on a full-time position? Even though you may prefer fully remote, will you consider a hybrid-remote job to get your foot in the door? Or, are you okay with making a lateral career move to grow your skill set?
“A lot of it comes down to how specific your job search is. If you are looking for a very specific role, it may take a little longer. On the contrary, the more open and flexible you are, the sooner you may land a role,” says Work.
It’s important to know what you want out of a job, but there’s usually more than one way to get to the goal line.
4. Use Your Time Wisely
Making the most of your time spent searching for and applying to jobs can help move the process along.
Work explains, “Ultimately the main things you can do to ensure you are maximizing your time in your job search are: spending time researching what it is exactly you want, networking and making connections in those industries/companies, tailoring your resume and cover letter for every position, being proactive about learning new skills as needed, and not being afraid to follow up with employers on applications...
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