In addition to the Economic Pulse survey conducted by Research and Marketing Strategies in July 2025, we also surveyed ViewPoint panel members to determine whether they had been searching for a new job in the past 12 months. A total of 251 participants indicated that they had actively looked for employment during that time.

Of those individuals who have looked for a job in the last twelve months: 

• 56% – Employed full-time 

• 21% – Employed part-time 

• 18% – Unemployed and looking for work 

• 9% – Retired 

• 2% – Students 

• 0% – Unemployed and not looking for work 

Some of the places participants looked for job postings include: 

• 87% – Online job boards 

• 65% – Company websites 

• 51% – Networking/personal referrals 

• 34% – Social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, TikTok) 

• 27% – Recruiters or staffing agencies 

• 20% – Government or nonprofit job programs 

• 11% – College/university career centers 

• 9% – Career fairs 

• 5% – Other 

For individuals who selected “Other,” some said companies reached out to them directly, some visited businesses in person, and others relied on word of mouth or local job websites. 

Participants rated websites they were most likely to use when searching for jobs. The top five websites with the highest percentage of users were: Indeed, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, and USAJobs.gov. 

Only 13% of participants reported using associations to find job postings. Some of the industries’ participants searched for include healthcare, insurance, golf, history, human resources, trades, and nonprofit associations. 

20% looked at news outlets, trade journals, business journals, and similar job boards. 

The methods participants believed were most effective for obtaining interviews were job sites like Indeed and LinkedIn (36%), followed by networking (31%), and applying directly on company websites (28%). The remaining participants cited trade associations or alumni postings. 

The top method that led participants to their most recent job was networking with people in their field or with colleagues (33%), followed by job sites (28%) and applying directly on the company website (22%). Others said they received offers from a university or alumni posting, trade association, friend, or were contacted directly by an employer or recruiter. 

On average, participants rated the difficulty of their job search as 2.97 out of 5, pointing to a moderately challenging experience. This middle-of-the-road score indicates a range of experiences among job seekers: some may have secured employment quickly, while others navigated long waits, multiple applications, and repeated rejections. The data underscores that while jobs are available, finding the right fit isn’t always straightforward. 

When asked how long their job search lasted before receiving an offer, the two most common responses were 1 to 3 months (22%) and less than one month (21%). Other responses included: 

• 6 to 12 months – 16%  

• Still searching – 15% 

• 3 to 6 months – 14% 

• Over a year – 12% 

Regarding the number of applications submitted before receiving an offer: 

• 43% – Applied to 1 to 5 jobs 

• 16% – applied to 6–10 jobs 

• 12% – applied to more than 50 

• 8% – applied to 11–20 jobs 

• 7% – applied to 21–50 jobs 

Although AI use remains relatively low among job seekers, reported by just 24% of participants who did use AI tools in their job search, and rated them favorably, with an average helpfulness score of 3.8 out of 5. As AI platforms become more user-friendly and widely available, usage rates may increase, potentially leveling the playing field for applicants navigating competitive or automated hiring processes. 

Participants were also asked which industries they applied to. The top industries mentioned were healthcare, education, customer service, finance, and office management. Other industries included pharmaceuticals, broadcast media, and communications. 

When considering jobs, the most important factor for more than 80% of participants was salary and compensation. The second most important was work-life balance, followed by benefits and flexible work locations. The findings provide a snapshot of current job-seeking behaviors among the RMS ViewPoint panel members. While most job seekers rely heavily on online platforms and networking, preferences for job sources and priorities like salary, work-life balance, and flexibility remain consistent across industries.  

This research underscores the value of market research firms like RMS in capturing real-time insights into job-seeking behaviors. By surveying ViewPoint panel members, RMS identified key trends around how individuals search for jobs, which platforms they use, and what matters most in their decision-making, such as salary, work-life balance, and flexibility. The survey results gathered offer a clear view of current job market trends, equipping clients with the insights needed to make informed, strategic hiring decisions. These insights inform more effective recruitment strategies, better job offerings, and data-driven decisions in a competitive labor market. 

Interested in more survey results from our research panel participants across the country? Check out these related blogs:

Money Talks: RMS Research Panel Shares U.S. Economy Confidence With Survey Results
Exploring Summer Adventures: Results from the RMS ViewPoint Research Panel Survey
Become a Member of Our Elite Market Research Panel – ViewPoint – Click Here to Join!

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About the Author – Katya Dashkevich

Katya brings years of market research experience to the RMS Analytics Department, programming surveys, coordinating recruitment, and cleaning, analyzing, and reporting survey data. Katya also supports many other divisions at RMS, including helping with phone recruitment in our call center or research needs within our healthcare division.

 

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Contact usfor more information at [email protected] or call 1-866-567-5422.

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About RMS

Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS) is a full-service market research firm in Central New York. Formed in 2002, RMS helps organizations that are looking to know more about their customers and/or potential customers. We conduct surveys, focus groups, mystery shopping, studies, and analyses. Each project is customized and gets personal attention so that actionable, data-driven findings are delivered. RMS has a reputation for getting results. We offer an independent, professional means to conduct telephone, on-line, and mail surveying, as well as in-depth interviews, intercept interviews, and participant recruitment. We also host discussion groups through QualiSight, our onsite call center and focus group facility. We have a proven reputation for successfully recruiting and moderating focus groups, community forums, and town meetings.