Why December is ‘The most wonderful time of the year’ to look for a job…..

December is a month often marked by a feeling of winding down and along with Christmas parties and associated hangovers, it is easy to assume that this isn't the best time of year to look for a new job. It’s therefore very common, that candidates will put their search for a new job on hold until January.

There is also an assumption that employers will not be looking for new staff at this time of the year.

However, we have noted some reasons below why it’s time to take advantage of the opportunities the festive season brings. Organisations are still looking for new talent over the Christmas period and you could be missing out if you stop your search.

1. There are jobs out there.

Many employers have anticipated their needs for 2020 and, with their budgets set, they've already begun the search for candidates, so they can hit the ground running in the New Year: or at least have confirmed new hires starting in January.

Now more than ever ‘time to hire’ is a metric that is commonly being used to measure a hiring managers success so, if there is a job opening, that job needs to be filled sooner rather than later.

There also tend to be a lot of vacancies this time of year as employers are keener to let any leavers go without the standard 4 weeks’ notice, so they are not paying them Bank Holidays and across the perceived downtime immediately before and after Christmas. Flipping this on its head, if you do find your ideal next role, it’s possible you may not be kept to your full 4 weeks’ notice.

2. There’s less competition.

With other candidates taking a break from their job search, it's easier to stand out from the crowd and get ahead of the game by January, when the rest of the talent pool are just adding “must get new job” to their list of resolutions.

Start dates can be negotiable; 4 weeks’ notice is typical at any other time of the year – but your current employer might be more likely to let you go earlier if there is likely to be downtime in their business.

3. There are more networking opportunities.

You couldn’t pick a better time of year for networking. The festive period is filled with works parties & various events all of which make it a perfect time of the year to get out there & network. Whether it is a holiday party thrown by family & friends or a business function hosted by a professional organisation, there are plenty of opportunities to let others know that you are in the market for a new job.

4. You, the hiring Managers and HR have more time.

December can give you the gift of time when it comes to looking for a new job. General workloads tend to ease off which means you have more time to think about which direction you want your career to go in. Take some time to refresh your CV, have a look on job boards and get the ball rolling.

If you have a few days holiday there will be no need to make excuses to get out on interview and if you are working it is also far easier to nip out of the office to attend an interview especially if your company are working reduced hours.

For the same reasons this means that employers may have more time to look at your application and arrange an immediate interview.

5. You already have something in common with the hiring manager.

There is a sense of camaraderie between those who are working at the same pace whilst the world seems to be slowing down around them. The offices you are visiting for interview will be a bit more relaxed which gives you a fantastic opportunity to get to know the hiring manager better than you would any other time of the year.

Let’s face it, they have got to be impressed with your work ethic already (it matches theirs) so you are already ahead of the game by just being there.

Update your CV, visit the Palmer McCarthy website & let’s make it a December to remember.