Comments on: 18 Minutes a Day Job Hunting – REALLY?

By: Jobspeaker

Jobspeaker — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 04:45:48 +0000

I speak with job seekers all the time and they all tell me that looking for a job is a full-time job. So, while I haven’t quantified it by asking specifically how many hours a day – it sounds like a minimum of 4 hours a day.

But, like you say Susan, perhaps it’s the actual applying for the job that takes the 18 minutes – I guess it’s how you define it but I have the same reaction as some of you: there is no way you can possibly do all of the research, networking, calls, emails, customizing resumes and cover letters in 18 minutes a day. If you are serious about your job search it’s going to take a lot longer than that!

By: Susan P. Joyce

Susan P. Joyce — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 21:23:16 +0000

Thanks for the information; 2.5 hours is a whole lot more than 18 minutes!

I’m not sure that’s exactly what was being referenced since this table is showing data from 2008 and refers to the 1.x% of the population engaged in job hunting without any indication that the population spending 2.5 hours is employed or unemployed.

Wonder how they collect such detailed information? Kinda scary!

And, I’m a little worried that anyone has the impression that I’ve memorized everything available on the BLS site. Not even close. But thanks for the thought!

By: GainfullyEmployed

GainfullyEmployed — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 01:29:28 +0000

There are BLS statistics for time spent on ‘job search and interviewing’. In 2008, those who engaged in this activity (reasonably interpreted to be the unemployed), spent just over 2.5 hours at the task per day.

http://www.bls.gov/tus/tables/a1_2008.pdf See page 2.

Wonder how long all of you spent looking for the info? And I’m a bit surprised Joyce didn’t know this was credibly tracked.

By: Susan P. Joyce

Susan P. Joyce — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:29:16 +0000

Well… Maybe they are measuring the number of minutes logged on to a job site, and maybe they aren’t. We really don’t know how this DOL report defines “looking.” That’s what is relevant, and I haven’t seen it yet.

I think that we’re all agreed that 18 minutes total time spent daily on a job search is not going to be productive.

By: Susan P. Joyce

Susan P. Joyce — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:16:30 +0000

Definitely agree with you, Jenn. 18 minutes will NOT cut it.

By: S Hoffman

S Hoffman — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 03:58:40 +0000

18 minutes per day LOOKING for a job. Not 18 minutes per day spent on activities related to answering a job ad, or rewriting / tailoring a resume, or writing a cover letter, or the time spent searching for someone’s email or telephone number or networking. I can probably find all the ads related to my field and my desired position level inside of 18 minutes per day. I am then off the job / company web sites and appear to be doing something else, when in reality I am ensuring that anyone I reach out to has perfect insight as to how I can best meet the criteria of the position. 18 minutes of total effort related to a job search would be ludicrous, but unless you understand exactly what is being measured, a simple tally of the number of minutes logged on to a job website may be the only discreet activity capable of being measured.

By: Jenn

Jenn — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:03:13 +0000

Susan,

I did the same things as you when I saw this statistic, I went searching. I couldn’t find a report that listed the 18 minutes either and honestly it seems a bit odd. That is more time than it takes to even conduct a search on a job board, register for an account and apply to the positions your search found. My best guess is that someone started using a stat like this for illustrative purposes and it has been picked up and regurgitated as fact.

But the point still has to be made that job search should be your full-time job if you are unemployed. 18 minutes will never cut it.

Jenn