How soon before you need to be employed should you start looking?

My time at my current position is scheduled to end at the end of June and due to many obligations, I really can't afford to be out of work for longer than a month without it starting to affect me. How soon should I start applying for other positions? I was thinking mid April or is that too early? How do organizations tend to be with giving them a delayed start date? Say I apply to somewhere in mid April and hear back and get offered a position by May 1st, can I expect any place to wait almost 2 months before I start working for them?

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Comments

networker050184

I'd start now. It can take a couple months to get through the interview, background check and all that before getting a start date.

Rosco2382

Start now, I've noticed it is easier to find a job when you are employed then when you are unemployed.

BradleyHU

yeah, you definitely want to start now...dont wait until the last second...

Master Of Puppets

Start immediately, it takes time and you may have to be out of a job for more than a month.

powerfool

I had a job that took me four months to get into, once, and they didn't have rigorous procedures... the hiring manager was just a timid man that was paranoid about trains hitting him all of the time. I mean sure, I don't mess around when I am on train tracks... but I am not that worried about trains when I am not around them.

I interviewed in early February of that year and start in mid-May. It took three weeks for them to even call me back after the first interview... I was kind of shocked that I hadn't at least heard anything back, so I had began to write it off, then I got the call. That call was simply indicating that they wanted to move forward to the next step and schedule another interview... they didn't call back to actually schedule that interview for another two weeks.

Anyhow, the final two weeks were mine... my boss at that time kept going on vacation and I wanted to give him my notice, in person, and not ruin his plans. He went on vacation for a week and I told myself I would tell him the Monday morning when he returned. I was getting ready to go into his office when he sent out an email that he would be out the following week, as well. So, I asked for two more weeks from the new employer. I was already scheduled to be out the Tuesday of that week he would be on vacation (for over three months... and it was in our calendar and the boss had approved it). Anyhow, the help desk person flipped out and went crying to the president of the company who decided to have a pretty bad attitude with me despite his generally solid temperament and his lack of knowledge of the situation. I talked with him in depth that Friday and indicated that I had been trying to leave and that this situation really made me regret being so courteous. I told him the following Monday would be my last day and that I would be happy to answer any questions for the next two weeks, but after that it would no longer be done as a courtesy. He was somewhat shocked to learn that I had everything planned for this and that my boss had simply dropped the ball (from my perspective, I was sending out a reminder message that I would be out and it turned out to be the first time some had heard about it); the president was shocked because he respected my boss and considered him beyond reproach.

Anyhow, I took a few days off and started that following Friday.

Long story short: even well intentioned people that mean to hire you can drag their feet... and maybe you will be in that position, someday.

MiikeB

I have been poking around for a new job for about a month since I will be available in mid June, not unemployed, but in a position to take another job if I so choose.

I am just now starting to get some offers of people who think June 17 availability is acceptable. Most people want 30 days or less. In the sector I work in, Defense Contracting, they are hiring on a need to fill basis and often are not getting paid from the government as long as the slot sits vacant.

JustFred

I'm out of a job by the end of April and I've been looking. Hope something turns up soon. I received a rejection e-mail this morning, replied back and thanked them for their time. I sent out two more applications last night. After work i will do the same when i get back home

Claymoore

Nyblizzard wrote: »

How do organizations tend to be with giving them a delayed start date? Say I apply to somewhere in mid April and hear back and get offered a position by May 1st, can I expect any place to wait almost 2 months before I start working for them?

Most of them will understand wanting to give a two-week notice (although we in IT are often handed a check and a box immediately after we give our notice), but 2 months is too long. When you find another job, leave your current one. They know the position is ending, so unless you have some big bonus that requires you to stall until the end, walk away.

Nyblizzard

Well damn, I guess the job search begins tonight......gulp