A question we hear quite often from job seekers, especially those who have “land a new job” as a part of their new year goals is, “When is the best time of year to apply for jobs?”
This is a great question, and our team of expert recruiters is excited to give you the rundown.
From our experience working with professionals looking for the next step in their career, the beginning of a new year is the perfect time to get hired. It’s best to start early because it will get you in the pipeline with recruiters when companies get the thumbs up to start hiring. By the end of the fiscal year, most companies have their budgets locked in and hiring managers are focused on filling budgeted positions. So, one, they don’t lose them and two, they can achieve their overall department goals.
February is also a great time to job hunt for long-term and full-time jobs. Most times hiring managers return from their holiday PTO feeling a bit chaotic. It may take them time to reorganize their workflow, pushing their hiring needs to late January. Be sure to always check job boards during this time because they will be fresh with jobs to apply to and the early bird gets the worm!
Pro Tip: Don’t let your resume end up at the bottom of the pile. Send it in the middle of the month when hiring managers are back in their full workflow.
The only downfall to the first-of-the-year hiring is the slow pace. Many companies have deep pockets, time, and resources to make sure they are hiring the right talent for their open positions. Finalizing the interview and signing the hiring contract may take longer during these first two months. Make sure you stay positive and be patient.
Early spring is still considered a good time to start your job search. However, the best positions may no longer be available because most of those opportunities are filled at the beginning of the year. Companies will still have jobs that need to be filled as they search to fill their knowledge and skills gaps in their business operations.
Pro Tip: Get your resume out there ASAP! The longer you wait, the fewer promising opportunities you might have to consider.
Summer job searching is not ideal. We call it the hiring freeze. We say this because most organizations have spent the money they budgeted for hiring, and are not looking for new employees to join their team. However, the summer slowdown doesn’t mean that zero jobs will be available, it means that you will have to look harder for a position that meets your needs and career goals.
Pro Tip: Even though the summer months are slow, you can still take this time to update your resume and do research on different companies.
As the seasons change and fall makes an appearance, the hiring freeze tends to end, however, it’s a little more laid back. During the autumn months, recruiters and employers will be looking to fill any empty positions that didn’t get filled earlier in the year. They will be trying to use their budgets up before the end of the year. If you begin your job search in the fall months, make sure you ramp it up early. Many hiring managers want to get new hires onboarded and trained before the holidays. Once the holidays hit, most managers stop all hiring and pick back up at the beginning of the next year.
Pro Tip: Even though hiring managers have a more relaxed vibe during the fall months, don’t let it sway your overall attitude into being too casual about your search. Be on your A-game and put your best foot forward.
The hardest part of job searching is finding the time to get started. As you can see there are hiring waves all year long. Teaming up with a staffing agency can take the stress out of your job search during a hiring freeze or anytime you feel overwhelmed in the process. It’s best to have seasoned professionals in your corner assisting you in reaching the next level in your career. Staffing teams will determine what makes sense, based on your experience, ambitions, and capabilities. Staffing agencies like us have a team of expert professionals ready to assist you in reaching the next level in your career and can help you land a job when job searching becomes difficult.
