According to US Department of Labor statistics, the average time to find employment is roughly six months. It could take as little as four to six weeks, or as long as ten to twelve months, or longer. Several factors determine your time to placement:

• Degrees

• Current state of employment

• Age

• Level of experience

• Level of salary

• Type of position you're seeking

• Level of position being sought

• Desired salary level

• Location

• Industry

• Your resume

• Your interview skills

• Networking effort

• Degree of career transition

No one knows how long they will be unemployed. Even a person with sufficient funds to last their entire period of unemployment may still want to consider a temporary or contractual assignment as an interim solution. The loss in income can have an unforeseeable psychological impact. Other concerns that need to be addressed include:

• Loss of confidence

• Losing familiarity with day-to-day responsibilities

• Boredom

• Creating employment gaps in the resume

• More expensive health benefits

• Minimal professional interactions

• No opportunity to convert a temporary position into a permanent one

The rule of thumb is: if you have been searching unsuccessfully for two months and find yourself no further ahead than when you became unemployed, I would encourage you to seek temporary employment or a contractual assignment. More and more people are engaging in this type of activity, including former CEO's. In fact, there has been a twenty percent increase in the number of people working part-time since 2001.

The steady rise in temporary employment and contractual assignments is a definite indicator, not only of the state of our economy, but of things to come. Employers are realizing the many benefits of hiring temporary and contract employees. They don't have to go through all the screening and interviewing that is typical for permanent employees; they don't have to pay benefits; they can try out a person without any obligation to hire if it isn't working out; and they can convert a temporary or contractual employee to permanent status once the person has proven themselves.

At this time, there is a coupling of two factors: employers are seeking more people for temporary and contract jobs that used to be strictly for permanent employees, and job seekers are taking longer to find permanent employment. It would appear that temporary employment and contractual assignments represent ideal solutions.

Copyright © 2005 TopDog Group All rights reserved.

David Richter is a recognized authority in career coaching and job search support. He has spent many years in recruitment, staffing, outplacement, counseling psychology and career management spanning most industries and professions. David founded TopDog Group in response to the needs of job candidates to have a higher quality of career coaching and support available on the Internet. David understands the mechanisms for success. He has formulated specific strategies anyone can use to secure interviews and receive offers. His extensive knowledge and experience sets David apart in this field, allowing him to offer a wealth of information and a vast array of tools, resources and strategies not found anywhere else. He has shown countless job seekers how to differentiate themselves and leverage their potential to the highest possible level, making a real difference in their careers. David holds both a Bachelors and Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and a Masters of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology. David's website address is: http://www.procareercoach.com