When is the Best Time of Year to Job Hunt?
Trying to find your ideal job? Here’s everything you should know that includes when the best time to apply.
If you’re thinking about a career change, you’ve got to time your job search accordingly.
Changing careers is a big deal, so if you’re not prepared to throw yourself into your job search, then you won’t have a smooth transition. One of the most important parts of this process is figuring out exactly when is the best time of year to job hunt.
You don’t want to try to look for a new career path when nobody is hiring. In this post, we’re going to tell you what the different seasons provide in terms of job prospects and which one is likely to give you the best opportunities.
Nailing your career transition is going to help you acclimate, so follow this guide and figure out when you should be moving on to your new job.
Finding the Best Time Of Year to Job Hunt
A recent study by LinkedIn concluded that the highest number of job listings are posted in October, but is that really the best time to search?
Of course, the industry that you’re transitioning into plays a big role in when certain companies are going to be hiring. Take the food manufacturing industry as an example. While food manufacturing, in general, is a year-round industry, more niche sectors are going to have specific hiring periods.
An organic produce farm is going to have a different busy period than a food processing plant. Taking your desired niche into account will help dictate the best time of year to search for a new career.
After the New Year
Other studies show that the best time of year to actually apply and go through the hiring process (regardless of industry) is in January and February. This is because these months coincide with the post-holiday time when the most crucial decision-makers are most likely to be around the office.
In most industries, the hiring is done by group consensus. The beginning of the year is when you’ve got the high-ups in the building at the same time, so this is when they do the hiring.
Companies also have a better idea of how much money they’ve got to work with at the beginning of the year. After the holidays have subsided and the budget is clear, companies are able to figure out where they can create new positions and fill vacant ones.
Hiring managers understand that most employees that are looking to switch careers tend to wait until after their end of year bonuses come through to quit their current jobs. The best candidates are more likely to be available in the January to February time frame, so that’s when most hiring is done.
Winter Wins, Most of the Time
Choosing the best time of year to job hunt really depends on your own unique situation. If you’re dying to get out of your current career and move into something new, there’s no reason that you can’t make the perfect transition at any point in the year.
When you’re okay with waiting until the right opportunity to come along, a lot of evidence points to the beginning of the year being the best time. At the end of the day, you have to be ready to make the move and commit to your new career path.
To find a new position in the manufacturing industry, visit our job board at JSK Recruiting.
