How Long Do Unemployed Workers Search For A Job?

The brief’s key findings are: The Great Recession threw many older individuals out of work, so it is important to understand their job search activity. The results show little tolerance for a lengthy search; the vast majority either find a job or exit the labor force within a year. Those with financial resources, such as Social Security, leave even sooner. Interestingly, the strength of the local labor market does not seem to have much impact on the duration of job search.