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Whether you’re a new graduate seeking your first professional role or an established pro targeting your next career move, finding comfort in the job hunt means anticipating and accepting the pace at which it moves. While diligent preparation impacts results, much about this process is beyond your control.
A job search is a journey in itself. Unexpected stalls are often part of the process — those can be hard to weather without a plan.
How Long Does It Take to Find a New Job?
In an article posted by TopResume, author Ken Chase notes that job searches across industries take about five to six months. A HigherEdJobs poll conducted in 2022 found that about 30% of higher ed job seekers landed a new role in the industry within three months, and around 20% spent four to seven months securing a new position.
While it can be helpful to have a sense of other job seekers’ experiences, remember that each search is unique and moves at its own pace. Don’t get discouraged if your search doesn’t follow the same timeline as that of others.
A Glimpse Behind the Scenes
Jessica Cook, director, talent acquisition at DePaul University, explained that her team aims to fill open positions within 45 days. “We tell our candidates to be prepared for one to three months,” she said. “It really depends on the type of position: the more specialized, the more senior the position, the more technical the position, the longer it’s going to take to fill.”
Added complexity slows the interview process. “A lot of it depends on the interviewers: how many interviewers? Do you just have one manager interviewing? Do you have multiple people interviewing? Do you have a panel? All of those things factor in because my team of recruiters and myself, we’re at the mercy of interviewers’ schedules and time out of the office,” Cook explained.
Less senior positions are impacted by different factors. “I think people forget, as an applicant, just how many other qualified people there are in the pool,” Cook shared. “A lot of our jobs here at DePaul tend to be on the administrative side — one year of experience, two years of experience. A job like that, sometimes we will have 300-plus applicants, and they’re qualified. They’re all qualified because we’re not asking for a ton of very specific skills on a lot of our jobs. In that way, a lot of the jobs are catered towards new grads or those new to the workplace.”
A large candidate pool can slow the process, especially at institutions like DePaul, where, according to Cook, recruiters review resumes individually rather than relying on an applicant tracking system. “Managers might want to see 15 people at a time. They’ll go through one round, and then they’ll come back to the recruiter and say, ‘Okay, can you send me an additional 30 qualified applicants?’. . . They do want to keep looking, especially if there’s not a burning need to fill this job next week. They just want to make sure they’re seeing everyone out there that is qualified,” Cook explained.
Keep Your Search Active
Getting into the candidate pool and advancing through an initial screening or interview is wonderful. But don’t halt your job search because you’ve made good strides with one employer — until you get an offer, there is no sure thing.
If you find yourself with downtime, use it to take a fresh look at your candidacy materials. Use what you learn during screenings and interviews to guide revisions to your materials and process. This is where you refine your candidate narrative, and practice helps.
While some breaks in the action are a natural part of this process, if you’re not getting responses from prospective employers, review your candidacy package to see where you may make enhancements. Cook recommended asking friends and family members for their input as well. Request samples of their materials and invite conversations about what helped them land their roles.
Cook emphasized the importance of a well-written cover letter, “especially here in academia, because managers want to see your writing skills, number one. They also want to know if there are some things in the resume that don’t really add up… Why was this gap here? It looks like you took a lower-level job or something like that. So, your cover letter is the place where you can explain those things, too.”
Upskill
A job search is an opportunity, so treat it as such. Use breaks in the action to earn a certification. Attend a workshop. Read. Demonstrating that you’re a dedicated student of your industry looks impressive when you interview.
But more than that, it enables you to fully embrace this deep undertaking. As you consider the skills you’ve listed on your resume, think about what really excites you about your work. What would you like to do more or less in your next role. What skills might you hone to position yourself for this?
Cook advised: “Be very clear about what you want and the job that you want. I think that’s number one, just doing a self-assessment, self-inventory… Make sure that you understand what it is that you want for your career.”
Lean on Your Network and Grow It
Networking gets easier as you advance in your career and your workplace and industry knowledge deepen. This comes with practice, so start rehearsing. Attend institutional advancement and industry events. Force yourself out of your comfort zone to forge new connections.
Cook also recommended pursuing informational interviews to learn about jobs that may not be on your radar and alerting your network to your search. “Really advertise that you are looking. Talk about it on LinkedIn, share it on social media, go back to old co-workers and friends — just really spread the word,” she said.
Take Care of Yourself
Nourish the seeker who is doing this consuming work. Take an art, dance, or exercise class. Join a book club. Volunteer in your community. These are all positive things to mention in an interview, plus they help you grow your interests and your network.
“Looking for a career is a full-time job,” Cook shared. “It can be overwhelming, and I think you can be easily discouraged if you’re just not getting traction. My advice is just to keep motivated. I would personally just try to make sure that I’m taking care of myself, doing self-care as far as getting out. Going to a fitness class, jogging, playing tennis, doing yoga, something to take a little bit of pressure off.”
Job seeking is challenging. You deserve support and self-care throughout the duration of your search, especially during those stretches that feel just a bit too quiet.
