Job Search Duration: 34% of Workers Report Hunts Lasting Over 6 Months
According to our latest Job Seeker Survey, 34 percent of respondents reported job hunts lasting at least six months. This is a 16 percent increase compared to our Q1 2025 survey and a 12% increase from our survey conducted in Q2 2024.
Extended job searches are becoming more common. As talent invests more time and energy finding quality work, many are met with silence or rejection. These prolonged searches can impact the mentality and confidence of applicants, even among highly qualified applicants.
Why Are Job Searches Taking Longer?
Recent surveys show that job searches are taking more time, with many workers facing challenges like slower hiring processes and fraudulent job postings. When employers acknowledge the various reasons why job hunts are dragging out, the current labor landscape and how it affects job seekers, they can adjust their hiring processes to improve how they attract top candidates.Hiring Slowdown
The U.S. continues to add jobs despite economic uncertainty but hiring rates have slowed. Employers are posting more jobs, yet they are not filling these roles as quickly as in previous years. This slowdown creates a ripple effect. Job seekers submit more applications, response times stretch even further and skepticism grows on whether some job postings are even legitimate.Ghost Jobs
Ghost jobs, or jobs employers post for openings they don’t plan to fill immediately, could also be contributing to longer job searches — creating a misleading perception of available opportunities. This practice leaves job seekers applying and waiting for roles that may not be actively recruited for, thereby elongating the process.Workforce Retention Trends
The longer job search duration may not only be due to employers hiring less aggressively. Another factor is workers are staying in their jobs longer. According to our latest survey, 57 percent of respondents have been working in their role for a year or more — a seven percent increase from Q3 2024.
Similarly, as of May 2025, the number of quits in the U.S. has declined to an early 2018 level and the lowest rate since post-COVID labor recovery began in early 2021. Job seekers are beginning to show they are unwilling to test the market in the face of a hiring slowdown.
Impact on Job Seekers
Longer job searches can significantly impact the mindset of job seekers, often leading to feelings of frustration and despair. The continuous cycle of applications and rejections can erode self-confidence and foster a sense of hopelessness.
Aspirations may also be dampened or misaligned, as job seekers might lower their expectations or settle for positions that do not align with their career goals. 25 percent of survey respondents feel that the most significant barrier impeding their job search is being under or overqualified for the desired job. This could be attributed to a lack of training opportunities and/or workers adjusting their career goals after longer than expected job hunts.
This sustained search often drains the energy and motivation needed to stay persistent and proactive in the job hunt. Over the last year, an average of 68 percent of respondents felt that their current job search is more difficult compared to their last. In our latest survey, that number reached a survey series high of 71 percent.
