HOW MANY APPLICATIONS DOES IT TAKE TO GET A JOB? [2023] (2024)

FAQs

HOW MANY APPLICATIONS DOES IT TAKE TO GET A JOB? [2023]? ›

Research Summary. Getting a job is no easy task, especially with tight competition and increased challenges during the application and recruitment process. Let's look at the numbers on how many applications it takes to get a job: It takes 21 to 80 job applications to get one job offer, on average.

On average, job seekers in 2023 found that submitting between 10 to 15 applications could lead to one interview offer. However, this number varied widely depending on the industry, the job seeker's experience level, and the quality of the applications.

Well, it takes between 100 and 200 applications to land a job, according to information from Lehigh University. The report also revealed that each job application had around an 8.3% chance of turning into an interview.

But active job seekers say the labor market feels more difficult than ever. A 2023 survey from staffing agency Insight Global found that recently unemployed full-time workers had applied to an average of 30 jobs, only to receive an average of four callbacks or responses.

In 2023, employers ended up adding 3.1 million jobs. A strong jobs market is good news, but many of those job openings are going unfilled because the U.S. does not have enough workers to fill them.

You need to become comfortable with rejection and accept that it is a common part of the job search experience. Successful applicants in one study had a ratio of applying for 10 to 15 jobs and have received 6 to 10 rejections on average.

You can expect to have anywhere between two and four interviews before receiving a job offer. If you are interviewing for a high-level executive position, though, you may need to go on more than four interviews. If you are interviewing for an entry-level position, you may only need to go on one or two interviews.

Recent stats show that it takes about 100-200+ applications to receive one job offer! You have an 8.3% chance of getting a job interview from a single job application. That means it takes 10-20 applications to get one interview and 10-15 interviews to get one job offer. That's a lot of applications...

People looking for a job have about a 26% chance of getting an offer after all their efforts. The interview itself is likely to last about 40 minutes. It can take about half a year, 24 weeks, for someone to go through the process of interviewing and getting hired.

60 percent of jobs are found through networking — not online

A majority of job postings are not available online, with 60 percent of jobs being found through networking instead. What does that mean for you as the job seeker? Simple: You need to start networking.

What is the hardest time of year to get hired? ›

The summer (more July and August than June) is generally one of the worst times to look for a job. Managers and human resources personnel are more likely to take time off for the summer, which slows down the recruitment process.

Economic fluctuations and uncertainties, including the aftermath of the global pandemic and geopolitical tensions, have affected job availability. Companies are cautious about expanding their workforce, leading to fewer job openings and more stringent hiring processes.

Increased competition/qualifications - Because other recruiters are looking to attain the best talent out there, this can lead to talent shortages. Candidates may also have freedom and the choice of negotiation with the pool of employers they have applied to.

More companies implemented hiring freezes in 2023, up 81% from the year prior, according to Glassdoor. And many businesses will likely follow suit this year, as 52% of more than 900 executives surveyed by ResumeBuilder in December said they planned to pause hiring in 2024.

U.S. unemployment rate

For example, average job growth was 116,000 over the past three months; the three-month average was 211,000 a year ago. The unemployment rate has also steadily risen, from 3.4% as recently as April 2023.

“It seems to be a growing trend across various industries, with candidates being subjected to more rounds of interviews and rigorous testing than ever before,” said Steven Leitch, a career coach and resume expert. The average hiring process in 2023 takes 44 days.

Is there currently a labor shortage in the US? Job openings outnumbered unemployed people in the US from May 2021 to December 2023, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data. In December 2023, there were 0.7 unemployed people per job opening.

Recent statistics indicate that the job market remains highly competitive, with an average of 100-200+ applications required to secure a single job offer.