How long have you been looking for a job?

"I have had my ear to the ground for new opportunities but have not been serious about a role until this opportunity came up."

"Knowing my expected graduation date being this May, I have been looking for roles that will start this summer. The advanced timeframe has hindered my success a little bit, but I like to be on-the-ball rather than panicking for a job too late in the year."

"I just started my search this week! Your job posting was the very first opportunity to catch my eye, and I feel so lucky to be here interviewing with you today!"

"SaaS sales is a tough market so, knowing that I wanted to make a move in the new year, I have had my eye out for the past few months. I have alerts set up and probably apply to only 1/3 of the roles that come to my inbox."

"I have been looking for a new job since this summer. I have been working as a substitute teacher and tutor in the meantime."

The interviewer would like to know if you have been looking for a job for quite some time or if you are new to the market. Talk to the interviewer about your job search. Have you been on the lookout for a long time? How successful has your search been? You can also ask the interviewer how quickly they are hoping to hire.

"I have been on the search for perhaps a month or so. I am now just beginning to become more aggressive in my job search. How quickly are you looking to make a decision?"