Will it take someone targeting a $200K salary 20 months to find a job? The length comes down to 1) your efforts, 2) efficiency and diversity of your strategy, and 3) geographic flexibility, quality of resume, LinkedIn, and cover letter, and quantity of roles you’re targeting. On average, most job searches can last anywhere from 3-6 months and 6+ months if you’re targeting executive positions.

There is conflicting information on this topic — and our current circumstance is impacted outside of the norm by COVID-19. But generally, a 6-month search is reasonable to expect. Of course, this can be shortened for many reasons: a clear job search strategy & focus, obtaining professional coaching and resume writing help, active networking, strong interview skills. A recipe for quick success!

I once read this in an article, but I didn’t give it much thought because I believe anyone with a positive attitude to finding a new role will succeed quickly and sometimes it’s also about being in “the right time, at the right place”. If you put effort into networking and optimizing your resume and LinkedIn profile, you will likely land a role quicker than you think!

It depends. I advocate quality over quantity–building a targeted, achievement-oriented resume; investing time in developing your network; finding “hidden” job opportunities, researching companies to make sure they are a good match; creating a strong, branded LinkedIn profile; being diligent about your application and follow-up. Good practices like these can significantly shorten a job search.