Regardless of how one might feel about the economy and their situation, the fact remains that people have to work for a living. Rent, utilities, insurance, groceries, and anything else you may want to buy all require money. This isn’t telling you anything you don’t know, of course. Everyone realizes they have to keep a job. The issue here becomes what that job is. Do you actually want the job you’re working at now? A big percentage of people are quite unhappy with their current employment situation, and so they’re looking for something new.
Unfortunately, many people don’t realize when the time is right to seek a new job, so they try to seek new employment in a market that’s not that welcoming to change. Let’s look at the ideal time of year to seek that new job you’ve been wanting.
The Best Time of Year to Apply for Jobs
January and February
According to Forbes, Ladders, Career Sidekick, and a slew of other professional sources, the best time to seek new employment is the start of the New Year, January and February. Following closely behind that would be the very start of spring, late March through late April. Though spring is a decent time, the first two months of the year are ideal.
Let’s find out why.
Why the New Year is Ideal for a New Job
New Hiring Budgets Come Out
The first reason is that most businesses will release their new hiring budgets at the very start of the New Year. By the time the second week of January rolls around, the vast majority of companies already have a schedule they want to follow, which includes budget lines and how much they want to spend, and the sort of positions they need to be filled. Striking while the iron is hot here is a great way to improve your odds of landing that new job.
Agencies Take Notice
Then you have employment agencies. These places typically work by acting as someone’s agent, pitching their resume to various employers and helping them to negotiate salaries and benefits. Because these agencies know that all the big, successful companies are just now working with renewed budgets, they become very active around the start of the year, recruiting for more talent and sending off a lot more applications to a lot more businesses. This is the time of year where opportunity is the hottest.
More People in the Office
Another thing you should realize is that the holiday season is over. No matter someone’s religious or cultural situation, by the time the second week of January rolls around, there are no more federal holidays or religious celebrations that keep people from working. This means all the managerial positions are together in one spot, and this means more decisions are going to be made regarding the hiring of employees. This certainly isn’t the only time of year this is going to happen, but it is the busiest time of year for hiring new employees and having everyone in one spot to make decisions.
People are Back from Vacation
Just as the managers are back from their vacations at the start of the New Year, so too are most regular people. This means that employers know that the time is right to have those positions filled. One thing that you should always realize about seeking a new job is that employers want to hire you. Yes, you! They want you in their business and working for them. If you’re qualified and willing to work, there’s no reason at all that they do not want you contributing to their business and helping their brand earn money. So it’s like a circular thing here, whereby businesses knowing your vacation is over is something else that propels them to get back into the office so that they can start hiring more people.
While a lot of people love waiting until the summer to seek out new employment, the fact is that the start of the New Year is the best time to start looking for a new job. Now, if you’re qualified and have the sort of resume that companies simply cannot ignore, then your odds will be good at any time of year. Though if you want to increase your odds of landing that new job, work with qualified employment agencies and try to make your move when January gets here.