Forum - Ask the Hiring Manager

QUESTION:

How long should a job campaign take? (I have heard anywhere from 90 days to 9 months as estimates)...

From: Jon Dunn, University of Denver


ANSWER FROM BRIAN KRUEGER:

Hi Jon -

The rule of thumb in industry is 1 month for every $10,000 of salary. However, that rule of thumb is often used by outplacement organizations that are trying to suck in big execs into long-term use of their program. The best rule of thumb for college students is to plan on anywhere from 1 month to 9 months. The nice part about entry level job search is that you can lock in a job far in advance, so begin in August if you are graduating in May. That being said, the reality is that many college students don't actually begin their search until after Spring Break. Others even wait until after graduation. By that time, though, many of the best jobs are already taken and the pool of available jobs greatly diminished. It's always best to start as early as possible. That way, even if you are still looking in March, you've already got several months of experience under your belt.

In reality, many start even before their final year via internships and summer employment. Often these jobs bring about job offers far in advance of graduation. And there's no better feeling that locking down on your new job early in your final year.

Bottom line: Start as early as possible, but it's never too late to start.

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All job search information at this forum is provided by Brian Krueger, author of the book College Grad Job Hunter, the definitive guide for college grad job search. Used by permission of the author.