How Much Time Should I Spend Filling Out On-line Applications?

​One member of our group recently asked me how much of the job search time should be spent surfing the web for job openings and filling out applications on-line?


Let me preface this answer with the following principles we teach at Sabbatical Search:

• When in full-time search mode, you should be scheduling for 15 events per week.  
• An event is an activity that takes 90 - 120 minutes of time at a sitting.
• When scheduling events, you should work on a three week rolling basis.

We know that 80 - 90% of job offers are made to applicants who have been recommended by another employee of the firm.  When considering how best to spend our time, does it make sense to spend a significant amount of time simply filling out on-line applications?  Or would the time be better spent creating relationships with people working at companies like the one we would enjoy working for?

I have know sabbatical search participants who only filled out online applications when someone at the company asked them to do so.  Instead, they invested their time in using tools like linked in to network into the jobs they wanted.  

To provide a more specific answer, I would suggest no more than 10-15% of your time (2 events or up to 6 hours per week) in random searches and filling out on-line applications.  This time should be the last time scheduled in your current week's plan.  Sitting in front of real people is going to be a better strategy than sitting in front of the "one-eyed" monster on your desk!

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