• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
Successjob hunting

Landing a new job will take you 3 months in this economy

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
and
Jane Thier
Jane Thier
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
and
Jane Thier
Jane Thier
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 16, 2023, 3:56 PM ET
A new study from ZipRecruiter finds it takes, on average, three months to find a new job.
A new study from ZipRecruiter finds it takes, on average, three months to find a new job.Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Thinking about throwing your hat a bit belatedly into the Great Resignation? Brace yourself for a bit of a wait before you find your next gig. A new study from ZipRecruiter finds it takes, on average, three months to find a new job right now. The good news is that 70% of those people who did switch jobs saw an increase in their pay, with the average increase coming in at 25%.

And while it sounds like a long time, it’s better than it once was. “Unemployment duration is very, very low, historically,” Julia Pollak, ZipRecruiter’s chief economist, tells Fortune. The average time spent unemployed last month was 8.3 weeks, Pollak adds, compared to 8.9 weeks in February 2020.

“The numbers have bounced around a little bit, but our data suggests job seekers are still finding jobs remarkably quickly—historically quickly—and that’s especially interesting given that they actually have more of a financial cushion to go longer,” Pollak says.

Despite the recent layoffs in the tech sector, recruiters are still active, with 34% of those who found a new job saying they were wooed away from their old position by their new company. Twenty-nine percent said they received a signing bonus (up from 27% the previous quarter).

The quarterly survey speaks with 2,000 workers between the 10th and 16th of the second month of every quarter, meaning the data is fairly recent. (That said, just 16% of the new hires ZipRecruiter spoke with said they were forced out of their previous job.)

“As Americans return to the workforce, some employers are finding it easier to hire without having to recruit as aggressively,” Pollak wrote in the study. “Nonetheless, most job switchers surveyed by ZipRecruiter in Q1 ’23 found better pay and conditions.”

Women, the study found, were half as likely as men to negotiate their job offers—and three times as likely to see no improvement when they did push for more. Some 76% of men said they got a raise when they took a new job compared with only 63% of women, the survey found. And men were more than twice as likely as women to describe their current job as their “dream job.”

Overall, 87% of respondents said they were satisfied with their new job.

The job market is ‘robust,’ but there could be hidden risks

In a tight labor market with nearly 11 million job openings, even workers who have been unceremoniously laid off tend to find reemployment quickly. A separate survey of 2,000 recently laid-off U.S. workers that ZipRecruiter conducted in January found that more than half found a new role within a month, and over 80% found one within three months. Just 4% of respondents said the process extended beyond six months. Respondents told ZipRecruiter they could afford to be unemployed for three full months, which Pollack called “staggering.”

But just because the risks in the labor market have yet to show up for some applicants doesn’t mean they aren’t there, she adds. “If something breaks, it won’t be linear, like a gradual cooling month-to-month. Things can change on a dime.”

But for now, the labor market is “remarkably robust,” which is great news for job seekers. Even though job growth has become more concentrated in fewer industries after many months of incredible broadness across the economy, Pollack says it’s still “firing on all cylinders” in industries Americans are spending on like healthcare, leisure, and hospitality.

To nab one of the jobs up for grabs, Pollak encourages following today’s best practices: Keep a running tab of your progress, don’t let a day go by between applications, and sign up for email alerts on job sites so you’ll be the first to know about a listing that matches your skills and interests. “It really depends on your effort,” she says.

Subscribe to Well Adjusted, our newsletter full of simple strategies to work smarter and live better, from the Fortune Well team. Sign up today.
About the Authors
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Jane Thier
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Success

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Success

Students happy outside of school
SuccessColleges and Universities
One U.S. college is fixing tuition at just 10% of parental income: ‘We’re not hiding the cost of college behind secret formulas’
By Emma BurleighJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago
Sundar Pichai
SuccessCareers
Google CEO tells graduates to stop obsessing over first jobs because ‘very few moments are make or break’ in life—a lesson he learned in Vegas
By Preston ForeJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago
TIAA CEO Thasunda Brown Ducket
SuccessFortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry
TIAA’s CEO made $26,000 in her first job but still maxed out her 401(k). She has advice for Gen Z
By Emma BurleighJune 25, 2026
6 hours ago
nido
Commentary250 Years of Innovation
As an immigrant turned entrepreneur and college president, here is why I celebrate our nation as it turns 250
By Nido R. QubeinJune 25, 2026
9 hours ago
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
SuccessBillionaires
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 25, 2026
13 hours ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America’s $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
SuccessMacKenzie Scott
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America’s $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
13 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
13 hours ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
2 days ago
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
Retail
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
Asia
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
2 days ago
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
Success
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 25, 2026
13 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.