Does Your Job Search Take More than 18 Minutes a Day

Does Your Job Search Take More than 18 Minutes a DayDoes Your Job Search Take More than 18 Minutes a Day?Does Your Job Search Take More than 18 Minutes a DaySeveral weeks ago, I found a post that focused on an apparent claim by the U.S. Department of Labor that the average job seeker spends 18 minutes a day looking for a job. (I say apparent because, like the author of the original post, I searched the agencys web site and couldnt find any reference to such a statistic.)There must be more behind that simple statement. But in its simplicity, its bound to eigenart off anyone whos employed, retired, or unemployed and busting their butts for hours each day to find another job.First, if the number refers only to the unemployed, I just dont buy it. But if you throw everyone unemployed and employedinto the mix, it just might make sense. After all, how much job searching can you do if youre working a full-time job, coming home to a family, and spending quality time with them?So what would an average day seem like for a typical unemployed job seeker? Heres a rough estimateSearching job boards and corporate web sites 30 minutesContacting people you know about potential leads 45 minutes Working on a resume and cover letter to respond to a job posting 1 hourWorking on a resume and cover letter to respond to a second job posting 1 hour Following up on previous job inquiries 30 minutes Thats nearly four hours. Of course, that can vary depending largely on the number of job postings youre answering, how deep into your network youre going, and the current shape of your resume.But it all begs the question How much effort do you put into your job search on an average day?