Understanding these "facts of interviewing" may release some of the pressure that goes along with the game and who wouldn't like less stress in their life?
First of all, what is a "game"? According to a popular dictionary, a game is "a competitive activity governed by specific rules or the total number of points required to win the game."
That definition makes it clear that interviewing is indeed a game. The rules are already established before you start, even though most people don't know them. Imagine playing any game and not knowing the rules! How could you possibly expect to win, or if you did, how would you even know? If interviewing is a numbers game, then being aware of how many interviews, resumes, handshakes, buildings and companies you must encounter before you find the right job is an important rule in this game.
The following numbers, based on a large metropolitan area, have been studied for several years. They do change depending on the time of year, economy, etc., so what you see are averages:
These numbers could discourage you, but my hope is that they will help you better understand rejections. Most "no thank yous" aren't personal; you just have to do your numbers.
Just remember that the greater the numbers in your networking, the better your chances of having a "choice" when it's time to make your career decision.
