When To Keep Applying: How Many Job Or Internship Applications Is Enough?

One of the most frustrating parts of the job search process is feeling like you’ve tried and failed. You’ve submitted applications, written cover letters, and—worst of all—waited. And if you’re still coming up short, you might start to feel like things are never going to work out.

Here are a few things you need to hear:

1. You will find a job.
2. There are things you can do to make the process easier.
3. You’re probably in much better shape than you think you are.

We’ll answer one of the biggest and most ambiguous questions for you (and point you toward a few helpful tips to supercharge your submitted apps for good measure).

How many job applications is enough?

The short answer: Far more than you probably think. Different job search experts report a range of numbers. Some experts estimate that it might take 10 job applications to land one interview, while a UK survey found that applicants were sending as many as 27 applications to land a single interview. After getting an interview, one also has to get an offer. So, there is no hard and fast number, but if you’ve submitted fewer than 50 applications over the course of a couple months, then you probably aren’t applying to enough jobs.

Even if you’re really excited about and worked very hard on the four or five job applications you’ve already submitted, chances are, they aren’t enough to land you a job on their own.

Finding your dream job (or any good job) will take more time than you probably think.

In the meantime, if you HAVE submitted more than those 50 apps, perhaps it’s time to rethink parts of your application strategy. Are you writing great cover letters? Is your resume right for the jobs which you’re applying to? Read the WayUp Guide to make sure you’re nailing the simple stuff, because often the finer details can make a big difference in the outcome.

At the end of the day, there is no perfect number of applications to send, because there isn’t a time when you should give up. Keep applying diligently, even treating the job search process as another class or a full-time job, and you will be hired.

Don’t forget to use special filters like city, job type, industry, and more on the WayUp search tool to make sure you’re applying to all the right jobs.