Long-term planning is not about making long-term decisions.
It is about understanding the future consequences
of today’s decisions.

                                                               —Gary Ryan Blair,
president of The GoalsGuy Learning Systems

This is one of the first questions most job hunters ask me when starting a new search for a job or engaging in a career transition. Older job seekers are particularly concerned about the time factor because of their perception that age bias will extend their search. Some job seekers have limited severance pay but most have very little money in reserve, so finding another job quickly, before all savings and “rainy day” resources are exhausted, becomes of high importance

But, the question that job seekers really need to ask is: “How long will it take me to find a job that I will be happy with?”  I can plug most individuals into some sort of immediate position with one of Utah’s many call centers. Most of these full-time positions have full medical and retirement benefits but are only suggested as a stopgap maneuver to keep the wolf from the door.

To find the right job with the right fit may take considerably longer. It can take time, patience, and a different kind of job search strategy, all of which makes it apparent that much of America’s employment system is broken.The rules of the current system are so pervasive that many individuals don’t even understand that running on the traditional job treadmill is not the most effective way to find a job. But that topic is for another day.

During the six years that Alumni Career Services has been operative at the University of Utah, I have seen some amazing turnarounds. One individual, Stephanie F., decided to move from a nonprofit position to the private sector. She had a strong engineering background and, lucky for her, the perfect job appeared just at the time she began her search. She succeeded in finding a great job in less than five weeks. 

Another individual, Mary B., seeking a new marketing opportunity, managed to find a job in less than three weeks. These two samples, however, are the exceptions to the rule. Most people spend anywhere from four to six months pursuing a variety of opportunities and lining up interviews before landing a great job. And this can cause frustration, anxiety, and depression.

Different circumstances yield different results. There are about 10 variables that play a significant role in determining the duration of your job search:

1. Age
2. Income
3. Geographic flexibility
4. Industry forces
5. How long you were in your last position
6. How well you stayed connected with professional and personal contacts
7. How much energy you put into your job search
8. Your evel of expertise/training
9. Your educational credentials and background/credit checks
10. Marketplace uncertainty and unpredictable events (e.g., corporate scandals, terrorism)

Do men or women have greater success in finding work? 

According to The Wall Street Journal, men and women in outplacement find jobs in about the same length of time. DBM, a nationwide outplacement firm, reports that the 1,800 women who received job-search help from the firm in 2002 found new roles in an average of 3.0 months, compared to 3.07 months for the nearly 4,000 men the firm assisted.

But the different demographics for the two groups of job seekers may have affected their search lengths. Younger, less highly paid job hunters typically find new positions faster than older and better-paid job seekers. DBM’s women clients were younger and earned less money before and after their searches than the men in outplacement.

The differences in age and salary may be why the women’s searches were only slightly shorter than the men's, according to Penny McBain, a managing consultant for DBM in Falls Church, Va. Women hold half of all U.S. managerial and professional specialty positions, the government reports. However, executive and managerial women have higher unemployment rates than men, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Women’s unemployment rates also may be understated, since women are more likely than men to report they are no longer looking for jobs because of child-care responsibilities, says Dr. Vicki Lovell, a study director for the Institute for Women's Policy Research in Washington, D.C.

Research has shown that two-thirds of all candidates, and an even higher percentage of senior executives, get their next job through networking. Therefore, it becomes imperative for the job seeker to engage in socializing and attend a variety of professional events, such as seminars, luncheons, and conferences, to maximize on this important aspect.

Are you using the antiquated approach to job hunting? 

If so, your job search may take far longer than necessary.

There is only one rule for success in a job search, but almost no one follows it: You must be able to prove to your potential supervisor that 1) you can do the job being advertised, and that 2) you can do it profitably. This is the single most important rule headhunters live by when they prepare a candidate to interview for a job.

Need more information about the Alumni Career Services Program?  Contact Program Manager Julie Swaner, (801)-585-5036.