Blog Post: How Long Should My Job Search Take?

That's a great question... and one for which there is no "magic" answer. But if you're in the job hunt at this point, you might swear that the process seems to be taking longer than ever before.

At the heart of the problem is the fact that most companies receive unprecedented volumes of resumes in response to any job posting. In other words, the popularity of Internet job search is at least partly to blame for extending the process.

However, even seasoned professionals and executives using targeted networking and other types of job search methods are finding their quest is ongoing. Some prominent studies suggest that a job search will take one MONTH for every $10,000 of salary.

What's a well-qualified candidate to do?

Here are some ways to gauge how long your job hunt might take, and some methods to start addressing it--long BEFORE frustration sets in:

1 - First, assess the factors that may affect the duration of your search.

In particular, the amount of time you'll need to invest will be largely dependent upon the following:

* Your qualifications for the role you seek vs. that of your competition

* The industry in which you may be limiting your search

* Economic conditions affecting demand for your skills or within your industry

* Any factors that play into selection by recruiters (an unfinished degree, frequent job changes, short tenure at your current position, etc.)

* Any other mitigating circumstances, such as large numbers of people exiting your field (such as in the mortgage or construction industries), or relatively high pay for your career goal (including the field of pharmaceutical sales) that encourages applicants to flood employers with resumes

* The type of job search you conduct (i.e., online only or using networking to expand your options)

2 - Next, take a look at your methods, and expand them beyond Internet-only search.

Online search efforts CAN be fruitful, but for many applicants, the low rate of return (anywhere from 4 to 18 percent) can severely limit your success.

I highly encourage you to avail yourself of other opportunities by joining professional associations, creating and monitoring an online profile to maximize connections, sending resumes directly to companies without posted job openings, getting in touch with recruiters, and using other networking opportunities.

3 - Last, revise your thinking about job hunting itself.

A successful search is no more than a means by which to spread the word about your qualifications.

The more you can establish yourself as an expert in your field, using tools such as connections to others, blogging on your area of expertise, gaining additional training, or creating a web portfolio to showcase your work, the easier it will be to have others locate YOU.

In short, while some facets of a job hunt may be beyond your control, you CAN significantly cut down the amount of time needed to find your next opportunity by using the most productive search methods, and developing a business presence that can catapult your presence from ordinary to cutting-edge.