Job Hunting in SA Takes 15 Months on Average, Pnet Data Shows
Quick answer: South Africans take about 15 months on average from starting an active job search to beginning a new role, according to Pnet's Job Market Trends Report for September 2026. Sales is one of the fastest-moving sectors, at nine months in 2025, while specialists such as risk managers and solution architects waited about 20 months.
Key Takeaways
Pnet studied 2.8 million employment records of South Africans who moved into new roles from 2022 to 2025.
The average search lasted about 15 months; it reached 17 months in 2023 and shortened to 14 months in 2025.
Sales is among the quickest sectors, with the average search falling to nine months in 2025.
Highly specialised roles, such as financial portfolio managers and risk managers, take around 20 months.
The findings land as Stats SA puts the official unemployment rate at 33.6% for the second quarter of 2026.
If your job search feels endless, the numbers suggest you are not alone. Online recruitment platform Pnet says it takes South Africans about 15 months, on average, to go from actively looking for work to starting a new job. The finding comes from its Job Market Trends Report for September 2026, released this week.
Pnet based the estimate on 2.8 million employment records belonging to people who began new jobs between 2022 and 2025. The data shows a slight improvement over time: the average search reached 17 months in 2023 and dropped to 14 months in 2025. But the timeline still varies widely by sector, occupation, qualification and experience.
Why does finding a job take so long in South Africa?
The wider labour market is under strain. Statistics South Africa's Quarterly Labour Force Survey put the official unemployment rate at 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026, up from 32.7% in the first quarter. The number of unemployed people rose by 345,000 to 8.5 million, EWN reported, with job losses concentrated in community and social services, mining, agriculture and manufacturing.
Pnet's data adds a second explanation: the more specialised a role, the fewer openings there are and the longer hiring takes. Anja Bates, head of data at Pnet, said senior positions tend to involve extra assessments and interview rounds, and often need approval from several decision-makers before an offer is made.
Which sectors hire fastest?
Sales stands out. Across the past four years the average search for a sales job was about 13 months, and in 2025 it fell to just nine months. Other sectors where the search is shorter than the 15-month average include:
Building and construction
Admin, office and support
Maintenance and repair
Marketing
Pnet notes that market demand plays an important role. Where employers need a skill but few candidates have it, competition for talent can speed up hiring. Electricians are one example it highlights.
Which jobs take the longest to land?
At the slow end, jobseekers in finance, engineering, and business and management usually search for 16 months or more. Financial portfolio managers, risk managers, and business and solution architects take roughly 20 months on average.
Other roles where the search typically runs two to five months beyond the average include:
Finance positions covering procurement, credit management, management accounting and risk assessment
Systems analysis and business analysis roles in IT
Management, consulting and employee development roles
Engineering and specialised technical occupations
Do qualifications and experience make a difference?
Yes. Pnet found that, broadly, the higher the qualification or level of experience a role demands, the longer the search tends to last. Roles with lower qualification requirements generally showed shorter search periods, and a similar pattern appeared when the data was split by years of experience.
How did Pnet measure the job search?
To focus on genuine career moves, Pnet counted only jobs that people held for at least a year. It estimated when each search started by tracking when a person's application activity began to rise before they secured a role. The company says it tested this approach across 2022 to 2025 and got consistent results each year.
Is the picture improving?
Partly. The drop from a 17-month average in 2023 to 14 months in 2025 suggests searches have become somewhat shorter for people who do find work. But the report only covers jobseekers who eventually landed a role, so it says nothing about the millions who remain unemployed. With the official jobless rate rising between the first and second quarters of 2026, patience remains important for most candidates.
What employers should take from the data
The report carries a message for recruiters, too. A common assumption is that a candidate who has been inactive online for six months is no longer interested in moving. With the average search lasting around 15 months, Pnet argues that recruiters who only search recently active profiles may be missing a large pool of willing candidates. It also says efficient processes, clear decision-making and competitive offers matter when scarce skills are in demand.
What this means for you
A long search is not a sign that you are doing something wrong, especially if you are aiming for a senior or specialist post. Bates advised jobseekers to plan career moves with realistic expectations. Practical steps that follow from the findings include:
Start early. If you plan to change jobs, begin looking well before you need to move, since the typical search spans more than a year.
Stay visible. Keep your CV and online profiles current and keep applying, so recruiters still find you during a long search.
Consider faster-moving fields. If you need work sooner, sectors such as sales, admin, construction, marketing and maintenance have shorter average timelines.
Look at scarce skills. Trades in high demand, such as electrical work, can move quickly because employers compete for a small talent pool.
Budget for the gap. If you are planning to resign, factor a long search into your savings in rand terms before you leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to find a job in South Africa?
According to Pnet's September 2026 Job Market Trends Report, it takes about 15 months on average from starting an active job search to beginning a new role.
Which sector is fastest for finding a job in South Africa?
Sales is among the fastest. The average search for a sales role was about 13 months over four years and fell to nine months in 2025. Construction, admin, maintenance and marketing also come in below the average.
Which jobs take longest to find in South Africa?
Highly specialised roles take longest. Financial portfolio managers, risk managers and business and solution architects take about 20 months, and finance, engineering and management roles typically 16 months or more.
What data did Pnet use for the report?
Pnet studied 2.8 million employment records of people who moved into new roles from 2022 to 2025. It counted only jobs that were held for a year or longer.
What is South Africa's current unemployment rate?
Stats SA's Quarterly Labour Force Survey put the official unemployment rate at 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026, with 8.5 million people unemployed.
Sources
This article was compiled by Jobsiz from the sources listed above, with AI-assisted writing and automated fact-checking. Published 2 October 2026. We update stories when new verified information becomes available.