Discover how long it really takes to find your first job after college including factors that may slow down or speed up the process.
Are you feeling pressured by your parents, peers, and career counselors to find a job in your field as soon as possible?
If you are a new graduate, or a senior in college, to stay positive and focused it’s important to understand how long it really takes to find your first “real” job after college.
So… how long does it really take?
According to Balance Careers, it would take approximately one month to find a job for every $10,000 of the paycheck you would like to earn. So for example, if you are looking for a job that pays $50,000 a year, it would take you approximately 5 months to secure that job.
The truth of the matter is, that’s as close as experts have been able to get to estimating the job search process.
However, there are a few things that we know about job competition.
According to Jobvite’s 2014 data:
For every open position, approximately 59 people apply.
On average, it takes a little over a week for a company to review applicants and start the interview process.
Of those who applied, approximately 12% get invited to interview.
The interview process takes an average of more than three weeks.
For those who successfully complete the interview, 17% are offered a job.
And even if you aren’t a company’s first pick, there’s a reason to hold out hope, because roughly one in 10 people who are offered a job turn it down.
If you want to turbo charge your job hunt, there are ways to increase your probability of getting a job faster.
Here are 5 things you can do to speed up your job hunt.
#1 Always be searching
The more you search and apply for jobs, the faster you’ll land one. When you are actively job hunting, the search and application process should be your full-time job. Every morning you should be aware of the latest job postings so you can be one of the first candidates in the interviewer's inbox.
#2 You network is your net worth
There is a saying that we’ve all heard before. “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” This is even more so the case when job hunting. As a job seeker, you should be trying to expand your network by going to networking events and connecting to people in your desired industry on social media, especially LinkedIn.
#3 Improve your resume
One way to quickly stand out and move to the top of an interviewer’s list is to make sure the skills section in your resume is up to date. While you are job hunting, try to attend any trainings or courses that will make you more attractive to companies in your industry.
#4 Stay positive and be patient
As mentioned earlier, companies can take over a week to start the interview process, and over 3 weeks to finish interviewing candidates. Continue your job search every day, but remember to stay positive and be patient.
#5 Get help if you need it
How do you start a job search when you don't know where to start?
How do you keep the momentum going and your spirits up?
If you are a first-time job seeker that has just graduated from college, there is no shame in getting help with your job search.
Our Career Launcher Bootcamp is a step by step one week course to help you kick off and conduct your job search with confidence!
We'll give you professional guidance, and a clear strategy so you can face the real world confidently and find a job that values the skills you’ve worked so hard to obtain.
Learn more today: www.newgradnewjob/bootcamp
