I’ve seen candidates find new jobs in as little as one week and as long as 4 months. How long it will take you depends on variables like your industry and seniority level. With 7.4 million Americans unemployed as of August 2025, today’s market can make the job search intimidating. Here’s what you can do to stand out, improve your odds, and stay confident.

Knowing the Variables

Industry

Whether your experience is specific to one industry or you’re open to working in more than one, this can have a significant impact on the length of your job search. In most cases, the more niche and industry-specific your experience is, the longer it will take you to find a job.

Location

Your location and ability to commute can limit or expand your opportunities. When I see candidates search for new jobs in a wider range of locations, they often find one faster. Whether you are open to on-site, remote, or hybrid work will also determine how many opportunities are available to you. More flexibility usually yields better results.

Compensation

Your seniority level and compensation expectations typically have a big role in determining the length of your job search. Generally, more senior and higher-paying positions take candidates longer to find.

Taking Action

Thankfully, there’s a lot you can do to stand out to recruiters and hiring teams and increase your odds of finding a job sooner.

Tailoring Your Resume

If you’re actively applying for jobs, one of the best things you can do is tailor your resume to each position. Hiring teams often use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to review candidates’ resumes before they reach a human. Including specific language from a job description in the experience you list on your resume can increase the chances that your application makes it to a real person.

Filling the Employment Gap

Searching for a new job is often considered a job itself. Even so, a gap on your resume can be a red flag to hiring teams and ATS systems. If you’re searching for a job but don’t currently have one, filling the gap, even part-time, can help improve your odds. I always encourage candidates to volunteer, go back to school, get new certifications, or even try working a job outside their area of expertise—whatever is within their means.

Making Yourself Available

I’ve seen many candidates fall short in this area. Employers who were interested in a candidate were suddenly unable to reach them multiple times and were forced to take them out of the running for a position. Making sure your phone ringer is on whenever possible and keeping your contact information up to date on LinkedIn can help prevent this scenario.

Working With Recruiters

If you’re struggling with the traditional application process, a recruiting or staffing agency might be able to help. We recommend starting with a recruiting office in your area that specializes in your line of work. Even if they don’t have an immediate opportunity, they may keep your information on file so you’re the first to know when they do have something that fits your background.

Not Sure Where to Start?

Feel free to contact our recruiters with questions about the process of working together. We specialize in a range of skilled positions, and we are always looking for great candidates.

Unemployment statistics from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.