How Long Do Unemployed Older 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.