Job Search Timeline: How Long Does it Take to Get a Job?

Understand the factors influencing your job search

How long does it take to get a job? It probably won’t surprise you to know that there’s no definitive answer to that question, as there are so many variables involved in the job search and hiring processes. In this article, we’ll look at how long it takes to get a job by identifying what influences a job search timeline and investigate ways that you can speed up your job search.

How long does it take to get a job?

The million-dollar question on most job-hunters’ lips is “how long does it realistically take to get a job?” Whether you’re desperate to move on from your current role, facing financial challenges following redundancy, or looking for your first job out of college, the hiring process can seem painfully slow.

While it’s commonly accepted that the average time to find a job is around five to six months, or 19-22 weeks, your job hunt could be much longer or shorter depending on your personal situation, the industry you hope to enter, and many other variables. Let’s take a look at some of them, to see how they can impact your job search.

What influences the length of a job search?

So why is it so hard to get a job and why does it take so long? Consider the following factors:

Skills and experience

Companies aren’t looking to help you find a new job, they’re looking for the person with the right skills and experience to fill their vacancy. Unfortunately, there’s very little you can do about the quality of the other candidates beyond ensuring that the roles you’re applying for match your abilities as closely as possible. A common reason for failing to progress through the hiring process is due to being over- or under-qualified.

Location

Your geographical location doesn’t just affect the number of jobs available, it also affects the number of people applying for those jobs. Therefore, when you’re asking “how long does it take to get a job?” location will be a key factor in figuring out the answer.

Cities tend to have more availability than rural areas, so extending your job search area may help you navigate this constraint – especially with the wider availability of remote and hybrid work these days.

Industry

It’s an unfortunate fact that when you’re job searching, some industries are easier to enter than others. If you’re aiming for an industry with plenty of vacancies and few applicants, your job search will be considerably shorter, and vice versa.

Job search documents

As you’ve no doubt realized by now, job hunting can be very competitive! Your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile will make an impression on the hiring manager before you’ve even met them, so ensuring you have these vital job search documents in tip-top shape is key to shaving time off your job search.

Professional network

With a large proportion of jobs being filled without even being advertised and personal recommendations holding a lot of weight with hiring managers, a strong professional network is a key influence on how long it takes to get a job.

Flexibility

The more flexible you can be, the more roles will open up to you and the more likely you’ll be to reduce the time it takes to get into a new role. Conversely, waiting for a specific role, in a specific industry, in a specific location, with specific compensation, will make your job search much longer. What can you compromise on and what is a deal breaker? It’s time to make some tough decisions.

Job search strategy

A solid job search strategy involves more than just applying to roles as you hear about them. If you can dedicate time to a diverse and wide-reaching job search strategy, you’re more likely to be successful quickly.

Your strategy will need to include carrying out research, creating a strong resume and LinkedIn profile, networking, scouring multiple job boards, reaching out to companies and recruiters, upskilling, and dedicating time and effort to the job search. Without combining all these elements, your quest is likely to take longer.

The economic climate

Unfortunately, the economic climate across the country can also influence your job search. In a recession, for example, there may be fewer jobs available and the search will take longer.

The time of year

Surprisingly, even the time of year can impact how long it takes to get a job. Companies may have hiring budgets to use up, or be waiting until their new budget is released. Christmas tends to slow things down, while January goes in all guns blazing. While you can’t change the season, you can bear in mind the impact it could have on your job search so that you’re not disheartened if you find yourself applying at a slow time.

How can I speed up my job search?

As you can see, there is so much to factor in that it’s impossible to say exactly how long it takes to get a job. That’s not to say you’re powerless, though – there’s plenty you can do to speed up your job search.

Improve your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile

If you find that you’re not getting any traction on applications, it may be that your initial impression isn’t having the impact you’d hope.

Try these hacks:

Ask trusted friends, family members, and colleagues to review your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile and be open to making changes based on their suggestions, opinions, and recommendations
Check out the LinkedIn profiles of people already doing the type of job you’re aiming for and analyze what works well on their profile, what skills they have, and which keywords they use – and then, use the results of your research to level-up your own LinkedIn profile and resume

Expert Tip

Engage a pro. Yes, there are professionals available who will write a resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile for you from scratch, ensuring that it’s having the right impact to make a splash in your target industry

Tailor your applications

It may be annoying to have to tailor your resume and cover letter to every role you apply for, but unfortunately tailored documents have a higher success rate. Rather than using the scattergun approach of firing off the same application to multiple vacancies, you’ll likely find that you get hired faster if you spend some time tweaking your documents to each role.

If you start with a solid master resume, it really doesn’t take that long once you get in the swing of it. If a hiring manager gets the impression that you’re genuinely interested in the role, you’re more likely to progress than someone who has thrown the same resume at a bunch of identical jobs and companies in desperation.

Network

It’s time to build and leverage your network! That doesn’t mean you need to attend cringey networking events (unless that’s your thing!) but reconnecting with old friends and colleagues, expanding your reach on LinkedIn, and making your job search known across your network means that you’re more likely to be at the top of people’s minds when they hear of a vacancy in your wheelhouse. The people in your network may also be able to advise you on how long it will take to get a job at a particular company.

Apply regularly

The amount of time you can dedicate to your job search will obviously depend on your personal circumstances. Whatever your situation, allocate a regular time slot for job hunting. You can’t expect fast results unless you’re putting in the time and effort regularly.

Contact companies directly

Who said you have to wait for an advert before you apply? Why not try reaching out to HR departments directly, or contacting employees on LinkedIn, to promote your availability and ask about roles that may open in the near future? If you take this approach, remember to focus on what you can offer, rather than what you want.

Stay flexible

While we’re not suggesting that you apply for any and every job advertised, you can significantly shorten your job search by staying flexible. Compromising on the commute, in-office days, benefits, job title, or any other aspect of your ideal job may lead you to land more interviews and secure a job in a shorter time frame.

Upskill

If you find you’re competing for roles against applicants with more in-demand skills, it’s never too late to learn. Whether you take an evening class, start an online course, or negotiate some additional training or mentoring in your current role, working on your personal development and acquiring new skills is a surefire way to turbocharge your career.

Tips to keep moving forward

While you may be lucky enough to land a job within a few weeks, you could equally find yourself still looking after several months. Stay on top and motivated with these tips:

Set realistic goals and expectations

You may want to get a job this week but, having assessed the job market for the type of role you’re aiming for, you may realize that’s not feasible. Starting with a realistic outlook will help you to avoid crashing after a few setbacks.

Celebrate success

There’s always an excuse for cake (or another celebration of your choice!). Keep motivated by recognizing what’s going well with your job search. It could be getting called for a first or second interview, creating a resume you’re proud of, or spotting a role at one of your preferred companies. Focusing on the ups rather than the downs can be easier said than done, but will keep you moving forward.

Win even on the “thanks, but no thanks” days

So you didn’t get the job or the interview? It may not be a reason to celebrate, but you can still turn it into a win by asking for constructive feedback on your application so that you don’t make the same mistakes next time.

Remember it’s not personal

It’s not you… it’s them. Remember that companies are simply looking to fill a gap within their organization. It’s not personal, it’s just that, this time, someone else more closely aligned with their requirements.

Apply even on the bad days

Stick to your regular schedule of applications, even if some days it feels like you’re banging your head against a wall. It’s easy for one bad day to spiral into many, so push through to keep making progress.

Track your applications

Create a spreadsheet or a document to track your applications – contact names, company names, links to the adverts, progress, and so on. Once you’ve applied for a few roles, and they all start to blur into one mad ball of recruitment in your head, you’ll wish you’d done this sooner.

How long should the hiring process take?

How long does it take to get a job after applying? Each company and role has a different recruitment timeline, but the average time to hire is five to six weeks. Don’t wait to hear back from each role before applying to the next though! Keep applying even if you think you’re a shoe-in for the job, as nothing’s guaranteed until contracts are signed.

An easy way to speed up your job search is with some expert input. Why not send your resume off for a free review, so that you can apply for roles with the confidence that you’re putting your best foot forward?