When to apply for that new role?
Is there a “best time” to look for a new job?
There certainly are times in?the year that can be better than others to apply for a new job. After finishing this article hopefully you'll have a better idea of the?best times to apply for jobs, as well as the worst times of the year to apply.
Why the beginning of the year is?a great time to apply for jobs:
The beginning of the year (January and February) can be a great?time for getting into that new role?in most industries. In fact, it’s?probably the best time to apply for jobs all?year round!
January usually doesn't pick up until that second week?of the month when things are back running smoothly. Once?that happens, hiring picks up pretty fast?and lots of interviews can start to happen.
This is the time of year when the greatest number of decision-makers are in the office together, so you can get a “Yes” much faster?to start that new job you want!
Another reason these two months are so good:?Companies usually?get their new hiring budgets for the year in January, and a lot of the hiring activity that was delayed in November and December can now begin to move forwards finally.
A lot of companies also pay annual bonuses in December, so a lot of people will wait until January to see how their circumstances will change. Businesses now expect this so often they factor this in and look to make new hires in January.
Don't rule out March, April, and May!
The influx in hiring throughout?Jan and Feb usually maintains some momentum until the summer arrives (more to come on that). So March, April, and May are still great times to try to?line up interviews?and land that new job.
As summer nears companies often feel more pressure to finish the interview process and hire somebody (that can help you out too by speeding things up!). This is generally because they know people in the company will go on holiday in the summer and it’ll be harder to finish up the hiring process (as those key decision-makers are getting a tan!).
This won’t always happen but it’s a likely scenario that can work in your favour. Of course each company is different and a hiring manager may say, “let’s finish this up before I leave for holiday.”
Why?June, July, and August can be?slower?times to job hunt:
The warmer months are not?one of the?best times to apply for jobs. These months tend to see a drop off in hiring and interviewing. Decision-makers take more holidays?and it’s harder to get a team together to conduct a face-to-face interview.
Companies also fill many of their open positions during the hiring push from Q1 - Q2 so there’s less of an immediate need by the time?the summer months come around.
That?doesn’t mean there aren’t any jobs to be had; you just have to search?a little bit harder. (Or you could just call me)
You might be able to stand out since there are fewer applicants during the summer months. And due to this, it’s still worthwhile to continue job hunting in the summertime.
You sometimes just need to be a bit more patient to put up with people being on vacation and other delays. Just don’t expect to finish the interview process and get hired in one week.
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September to November can be great times to apply:
Starting to see a pattern here? hiring often happens in waves. Summer?was slow, so the?early Fall?speeds up, especially as hiring managers return from holiday.
More interviews can happen and there’s less?downtime and waiting. The hiring process is smoother overall?and you can usually get from start to finish faster. You'll also find the same in November as you did in the Summer. Decision-makers will often pull the trigger on candidates much faster to get processes wrapped up before the new year.
Is this better than January and February? In most industries, it’s a bit of a toss-up. I’d say it’s almost as good. If January and February are?the best time of year to apply for jobs, this is?the second-best for sure!
September to November are great months to job hunt. Take advantage.
Reasons Why December isn't quite as good:
I don’t want this last section?to discourage anyone from?starting the job search?and getting a leg up on the competition.?Just know that December is typically a pretty slow?time if you’re hoping to?get interviews and that job offers fast. Here’s why…
As December rolls around, hiring managers and HR departments start?to put aside their hiring goals for the beginning of next year.?They'll get new hiring?budgets?in the New Year and fewer people are on holiday so it’s easier for them to wait.
People are lazier in the winter months in general. I’m sure you’ve felt it… you have a few weeks before the holidays and you decide a few tasks can wait for the new year. Unfortunately, your job application could be one of those tasks for somebody else.
Also, late November and December are popular times for holidays so the hiring manager might not be in the office.
Plot twist! Why the?final two weeks of December can be a good time to start applying:
Even though I just gave you a few reasons why December isn’t a great time to job hunt, you?can still submit job applications so that you’re ahead of the competition when everyone returns to the office in January!
As long as you don’t mind a little wait over the Christmas period, the end of December can be a great time to start your job search. And you’ll probably finish the process and start your new job in January or February.
Need a quick recap?
Here you go…
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