For those of you fresh out of school and wondering, the answer to the question in the title is “it depends.” According to a very rough rule of thumb, it takes one month of job searching for every extra $10,000 of salary (annual, USD) you expect to earn: $30,000 in 3 months, $60,000 in 6 months, and so on. Of course, there are several key factors of the process that will speed up or slow down your search time in addition to salary requirements: 1. Job search knowledge: This is probably the number-one factor affecting job search time. Many people waste a long, long time on search tactics that do not work, such as applying online without a focused approach or using generic job boards for positions that receive hundreds and even thousands of applicants. When your chance is 1 in 1000, it’s very slim. When it’s 1 in 10 or 1 in 5, it’s much better. Knowing how to find these opportunities is essential. 2. Ability to network: Have you ever heard the expression “six degrees of separation”? That’s right, your next employer is less than six connections away. Effective networking involves connecting yourself with people that matter, becoming a reliable source of information, and following up often. It takes work! If you do it right, however, you will have access to 5 times the amount of job opportunities you may have had otherwise (based on the fact that 80% of the jobs are unadvertised!). 3. Location: While it may seem obvious, location is extremely important to both industry and general job opportunities. It is much harder to find technology jobs in rural counties of the USA than in San Francisco, for example. In general, fewer employers = fewer jobs. If you are flexible and able to relocate, that is even better. 4. Well-written documents: Make sure that you have a crisp, good-looking, easy-to-read resume that passes the “15-second” test: If someone reading your resume can tell what you’re about in 15 seconds or less, it’s a good bet that they can easily understand your value and potential contribution. In addition, ensure that your resume, targeted cover letter, and entire application has no mistakes, so you don’t end up in the “no” pile for lack of attention to detail. Remember, if your own resume has mistakes on it, what guarantees you do a good job for someone else? There are, of course, many other factors that may affect the speed of your job search. However, these are probably the “BIG” ones. Make sure to spend time learning and improving all of these: You will not only get a job faster, but you will also be way more likely to find something you enjoy! With contributions from How Long Does it Take to Find a Job? 5 Reasons It's Taking You So Long to Find a Job How Long Does it Take Executives to Find Their Next Job? Sagiv Some is a consultant at The Career Guys, a Taipei-based career consultancy helping people seek job opportunities in international companies and overseas by offering job search advice, resume and cover letter editing, interview preparation, and job-search workshops and advice. Check out more articles at http://www.thecareerguys.tw/blog --

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