Whether you’re looking for a career change or your first job after high school or college, the process can be exhausting. The way to finding the dream job and achieving your goals can be arduous, but it’s important to stay hopeful and keep searching.
Now, let’s take a look at the most important figures about the job market.
Top Job Searching Statistics: Editor’s Choice
- LinkedIn is a highly trusted platform by 87% of recruiters.
- 54% of recruiters rejected an applicant based on the content on their social media.
- 75% of resumes don’t reach the HR managers.
- Professionally written resumes can increase your chances of being hired by 7%.
- 44% of candidates get a response from recruiters within a couple of weeks.
- 10.56 million job vacancies were available in the US at the end of 2021.
- About 70% of currently employed workers consider changing jobs.
- Approximately 85% of people get a job through networking.
- Approximately 70% of job postings aren’t made public.
Job Search Statistics
Potential work candidates should keep in mind the most recent recruitment trends before starting the search and application process. The following statistics will reveal some interesting and unexpected facts to help you land the job you want.
1. About 87% of hiring companies trust LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is the most used and efficient online platform for recruitment, with over 14 million job offers. Hiring stats suggest that an excellent profile on this social media can make you stand out among other candidates and ensure many opportunities.
2. 54% of employers rejected an applicant because of their social media profiles.
Statistics on job searching show that 70% of companies use social media to scan their candidates, and over half chose not to hire specific people because of their profiles’ content. That said, it’s best to avoid sharing political and religious posts and controversial photos.
3. Monday is the best day of the week to apply for a job.
Tuesday is the most common choice for sending out applications. However, Monday is the most successful day, with over 33% of candidates passing the hiring process. In contrast, the worst day is Saturday, with only a 14% success rate for applicants.
4. February is the best month to apply for a job.
Some periods, like the spring, are better for sending resumes to companies. January and February are the best months, as employers generally can afford to expand their staff at the beginning of the year, hiring statistics for 2021 indicate.
However, January usually starts slow as it takes a while to organize the workflow after the holidays. Furthermore, it’s better to avoid summertime because companies tend to spend their HR budget by the end of the spring season.
5. Five months is the average time to get a job.
While some people manage to find a position in a shorter period, the average job-seeker needs at least five months to do so. The country’s economic state and your location, experience, and professional network are some of the factors that impact the time it takes to find a new job.
Job Interview Statistics
People have different experiences and struggles during the job-seeking process. The stats below reveal figures that’ll further illustrate the reality of the US job market. Keep reading for all the things you need to consider before sending out your resume.
6. 75% of resumes get rejected before they reach the HR manager.
According to human resources stats, although the average number of applicants per job in 2021 varies depending on the profession, about three-quarters of the received resumes don’t pass the applicant tracking system.
This system analyses information, accepts the applications that meet the company’s requirements and rejects the less qualified candidates. Resumes that don’t contain keywords related to the job description also get discarded.
7. Resume statistics show that a professionally written CV can increase your hiring chance by 7%.
Recruiters believe that professionally written resumes are more valuable than self-written ones and bring job seekers a higher chance of being hired. Furthermore, 68% of people who invested in their resumes found a job within three months, and 42% received a promotion.
8. Only five out of 250 applicants get a face-to-face interview.
Job search statistics reveal that 250 people apply to a listing on average. However, the recruiters contact around ten out of all candidates by phone, and only half meet the employer. The following interview rounds reduce the number of potential hires to two or three.
9. 44% of applicants hear back from employers within a couple of weeks.
The average time to hear back from a job application can vary from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on how urgent it is to fill the role. Most candidates hear from employers in the first two weeks, while 37% get a response within a week and only 4% in a day.
Job Competition Statistics
The competition in the job market depends on multiple factors—from the country’s current economic state to the number of professionals in your field, and many more. Below, you can find an overview of the current situation and other interesting facts.
10. The US had 10.56 million job openings at the end of 2021.
These job opening statistics show the spread of the COVID-19 virus negatively affected the employment market. After a significant decrease in openings, the rate began to rise in March 2021. Furthermore, it has been stable throughout the second half of the year.
11. The average number of applicants per job for 2021 in the UK was 506.
This figure refers to positions requiring low-level qualifications. For medium-skilled jobs, an average of 267 people applied, and 56 for high-skilled vacancies. The appointment with the most competition was entry-level paralegal, with 4,228 applicants per listing.
12. 78% of graduates are successful at finding a job after college, statistics reveal.
The employment rates are similar for both men and women. College graduates aged between 25 and 34 have the highest chance of getting a job, while those with only a high-school diploma have a 68% success rate. Furthermore, 57% of people with no degree manage to find a job.
13. 43% of undergraduates are working full-time while in college, statistics show.
Nearly half of undergraduate students, aged from 16 to 64, work and study simultaneously. On the other hand, 81% of part-time students are employed. Having a job can help students pay for their classes and living expenses and gain experience that can be valuable after graduation.
Job Change Statistics
While the job market can be really volatile, many people still think about taking a chance and redirecting their careers. Let’s see some information about the standard practices when it comes to leaving one’s current occupation.
14. Over 70% of currently employed people consider changing their job.
Job search statistics for 2021 reveal that most professionals continue to inform themselves about new employment offers and expand their network connections despite having a job. Furthermore, people prefer opportunities with a better work-life balance over higher salaries.
15. A person changes jobs 12 times, on average, during their lifetime.
There isn’t much difference between male and female behavior when changing positions. According to US job statistics, women have 12.1 jobs, on average, in their lifetimes, while men have 12.5. In terms of race, white people change more jobs than Blacks and Latinos on average.
16. The median employee tenure is approximately 4.1.
The average length of employment for workers aged between 25 and 34 is about 2.8 years, while employees aged from 55 to 64 work, on average, 9.9 years for the same company.
Professionals and managers have the highest median tenure of 4.9 years, while service workers have the lowest term of 1.9 years.
17. About 80% of Millennials want to work overseas during their career.
Job searching statistics illustrate that Millennials are an important part of the global labor market, and they are looking to diversify their experiences by working in a foreign country. Their preferred destinations are the US, the UK, and Australia.
Furthermore, only 11% of them are willing to work in India and 2% in China. However, over 50% of Millennials would work in less developed countries to advance their career.
Networking Statistics
Online platforms such as Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, and Indeed can be valuable tools in your job search. However, most companies don’t post job listings online, but they get applicants through word of mouth and networking.
18. 85% of open positions are filled through networking.
Networking has become the best way to find a job as about 80% of professionals consider it a driver for their career development. So, how many jobs are found through networking?
Almost all of them, it seems. Employers believe that meeting someone face-to-face can help build better and long-lasting relationships.
19. About 122 million people got an interview through LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is the most used platform for job-seeking, and 35.5 million of the applicants were hired by a company they had connected with. Interestingly, on LinkedIn, the number of successful applicants is three every minute.
Another benefit is that recruiters observe a 40% less chance to lose a new hire in the first six months if they met them via the site.
20. About 70% of job listings aren’t posted publicly.
So, what percentage of all jobs are found online? Experts estimate that only 20% of the offers can be seen on job sites. Via employee referrals, word of mouth, and networking, people will find more opportunities due to the “network gap” phenomenon.
The term refers to the unequal set of opportunities people face on the job market based on their upbringing, location, and personal history. Generally, referrals have proven to be the most successful way of securing a position.
Job Searching Statistics: The Takeaway
These statistics can help you better understand the job market and competition. Finding your dream occupation can be challenging and time-consuming, as it depends on multiple factors, such as the economic state of the country, your experience, and the field you’re looking into.
Certain practices can speed up the process and help you stand out among hundreds of other applications—having a professionally written resume and making connections through networking can ensure a higher chance of getting hired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which online source is used most for job searching and recruiting?
LinkedIn is a professional networking social media for candidates to apply for jobs and build connections with professionals and companies. It’s the most popular platform to look for opportunities and recruit new people. This platform allows companies to look at your resume and skills to decide if you’re a good fit for the role.
How long is the time between interview and offer?
Most companies take about two weeks between the interview and the job offer. However, the waiting period can be longer or shorter, depending on the urgency to fill the position and the number of suitable candidates.
About 4% of applicants hear back from their new employer on the same day, while others have to wait for nearly a month.
What percent of job offers are accepted?
Sometimes, applicants’ workplace expectations aren’t fulfilled, and it’s difficult for the employer to convince them to accept the offer. According to a report from Glassdoor, about 17.3% of job offers in the US get rejected. That translates to one person out of six refusing an opportunity.
What percentage of applicants get an interview?
Research shows that about five out of the 250 people who apply for a position on average reach the face-to-face interview stage. For starters, nearly 75% of all resumes get rejected during the automated screening process.
Afterward, recruiters contact ten of the approved applicants by phone, and half of them fulfill the requirements to meet for an interview with the employer.
How many weeks is the average job-seeker unemployed?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics collects information on unemployment duration. Due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the period of unemployment has increased, reflecting the considerable decline of the job market.
While the figures are going back to their standard rate, job searching statistics indicate that the average time for a person to find an occupation is five months.
Sources:
Apollo Technical, Business Insider, Career Minds, CNBC, CornerStone, Glassdoor, Inc., Indeed, Kinsta, NCES, NCES, PwC, StandOut CV, Statista, The Balance Careers, The Balance Careers, The Muse, Top Interview, Top Resume