Crisp, cool air. Warm beverages. An endless list of opportunities… ‘tis the season for, job hunting? Depending on the month you’re reading this, it could very well be!
Just last summer, a Guide to Graduate editor had a friend frantically searching for a new job. After submitting application after application to no avail, she reached out to our team to ask if there was a “right” time of year she should be applying for a new job. So, we got to researching, and, as it turns out, the sole reason you’re experiencing bad luck in a job search could simply be because of the season!
So what are those ‘right’ and ‘no so right’ times of year to focus on landing a new role? Keep reading as our team shares the best and worst times of year to apply to a new job.
Contents
Two Times of Year to Press Pause on Your Search
The Dead of Summer…
Like the majority of the world, hiring managers take vacations, too! However, they’re not only looking forward to their own summer vacation getaway, but also tasked with juggling many different employees’ out-of-office. As a result, hiring gets placed on the back burner until the entire team is back and ready to resume interviewing.
However, there are certain seasonal exceptions to this rule, such as ice cream shops, pools, beaches, and so on. So, don’t forget to keep an eye on your local job board regardless of the temperature.
The End of the Year
The end of the year can be a tough time to secure a new role for a few reasons. To start, November and December are jam-packed with holidays. This means hiring and HR managers can be busy planning company holiday events, and a lot of employee scheduled time off.
Whatsmore, the end of the year means time to close the financial books. As a result, many companies may be more likely to implement hiring freezes in an effort to tighten up their budgets to meet yearly goals before the new year.
But the down season doesn’t mean you should feel down on yourself. Instead, stay positive during the downtime and leverage it as an opportunity to be proactive about fine-tuning your resume and cover letter. And of course, don’t forget to keep coming back to Guide to Graduate for tips and tricks as you go!
But once the off-season is over…
The Best Time of Year to Job Search
If you’re waiting for the perfect opportunity to present itself, you may want to wait a bit longer–until January or February, to be exact. That’s because during the start of the year, hiring managers return from the holiday season rested and recharged. They’re also likely sitting on a pile of cash in the form of a fresh, new budget, which means they want to put it to use before summer, and the cycle of out-of-offices, begins again.
We suggest aiming to secure a new role in the first quarter of the year, and focus on spending the remainder of the year excelling in your role. That way, if budget cuts or layoffs do come around at the end of the year, you’ll have already proven that you’re worth keeping around.
As a final note, keep in mind that whatever is posted on an active job board is fair game, regardless of the season! The most important thing is you find a job that fulfills your passions and expertise.
