Guest Author - Kristen Welcome

Job seekers ask themselves this question all the time, especially if they are already out of work. If you’re wondering how the length of your job search measures up to others, read on.

People often hear the advice that it’s a good idea to keep a savings account with enough to pay between three and six months of necessary expenses. This time frame was not arbitrary; in years past, three to six months was a standard time frame for a job seeker to find a new job, and a job search lasting longer than six months was highly unusual.

These days, the question is more complicated, based on the unemployment rate of your area, the difficulty of finding jobs in your industry, and the general state of the economy. Depending on circumstances, the most talented and hirable job seekers may take months and months to find a suitable job.

Unfortunately, the number of qualified people who are taking more than six months to find a suitable position is climbing. This can create a great deal of anxiety when job seekers find themselves dipping deep into their savings or even asking friends and family for personal loans. I’ve known of some very qualified individuals who spent more than a year searching for a suitable job.

If you find yourself in this position, remember that no matter how few and far between jobs may be in your industry and geographical area, that time frame can be greatly increased if you have cut corners with your resume, cover letter, references or interview technique. Make sure to brush up on these skills to ensure that your job search is as speedy as it can be, and not relying on ineffective techniques.

You can also shorten your job search by ensuring that you are devoting enough time to your search. In days past, sending out a handful of resumes may have been all that was needed to land an interview and a job offer. Today, a job search must be treated like another job; plan to spend a minimum of 20 hours per week searching for job opportunities, working on your resume and cover letter, touching base with references, and networking with anyone and everyone you know. By investing this level of time in your search, you can greatly decrease the length of your job search before a good offer comes along.

In a strange way, the fact that job searches can take a very long time for anybody should help job seekers not to take it personally if they haven’t located their dream job after the first few weeks of searching. Most job searchers are in the same boat and it’s important to stay positive during the search. Finally, if you do manage to snag an excellent job after only a short search, you definitely did something right, and should give yourself a hearty pat on the back.