How Long will it take you to find a Job?

Lisa Johnson • July 27, 2020

It’s the critical question on every job applicant’s lips, and no recruiter is going to give you a definitive answer because there are simply too many factors in play that affect the process. These include:
  • How many interviews or steps are in the process

  • How long it takes to arrange interviews with hiring managers

  • How long it takes a hiring manager to make decisions

  • How quickly can the recruitment verification steps be completed eg references, background checks, psych testing and medicals
AND, it also depends on you! What skills you have, what your salary or wage expectations are and your availability to attend interviews and undergo the required steps in the process.

I have looked at a snapshot of some general statistics about the average time ( in days) it took for someone interviewed in 2018 to accepting a job offer. The results are a bit of a reality check for (some) job seekers – overall, it appears that there is an average wait of over a month between applying for a job and accepting an offer. There are some variations between job disciplines, but the results are generally, pretty consistent.

Of course, sometimes you are offered a job within days, (sometimes the same day!), and sometimes, if you have niche skills, it can take months – but you can, depending on your circumstances, to wait a month, on average.

So, don’t panic if your job search seems to be taking longer than expected, the recruitment process can take time.

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