Are certain times of the year better for getting hired than others? We here at Gibson Hollyhomes have been analysing our own recruitment data from the past four years to determine if there really is an ideal time of year to apply for a job. With the right CV and interview skills there’s no reason you couldn’t be hired for a job at any time of year but if you were looking for a time to ramp up that job search then we have a few research-based suggestions below.
Start the Year off Right
The New Year is one of the busiest times of the year for recruiters. With Christmas out of the way and a whole host of career-related New Year’s resolutions getting started, the job market sees a lot of new candidates in January.
You might think an oversaturated candidate pool means less jobs to go around? You’d be surprised. Our candidates have an average 72% success rate when it comes to securing jobs in January. This is because candidates aren’t the only ones starting their job searches in January. Employers are also thinking about the year ahead, working out their annual budgets, and starting new projects which require new talent.
Slow Summers
Typically, the summer months (April-June) see less successful applications compared to the rest of year. The average number of interviews takes a dip during summer too, indicating that there are less jobs on the market in summer rather than an influx in talent.
This is most likely because budgets are usually tighter this time of year meaning companies have less to invest in recruitment. Many employers are simply too busy to look for staff in summer and few are actively hiring. We recommend taking the summer as an opportunity to focus on personal projects, hone your skills, or work on anything that will flesh out your CV.
Interview in Autumn
Companies post more job adverts from August to October than any other time of the year. However, unlike in January and February, there are a lot more people applying for jobs too. On average, our candidates go to more interviews in August than any other time of year. With a bigger candidate pool to choose from it’s important to be prolific and send out as many applications as possible to increase your chances of landing a job.
Wind down for Winter
December typically accounts for only 5% of the year’s successful applications and only 4% of the year’s total interviews, making it the worst time of year to apply for a job. As the year draws to a close so do employment opportunities. Companies are more concerned with wrapping up business for the year than taking on new staff. Budgets are at their tightest and Christmas is fast approaching. Our advice? Use this time of year to research companies you’d like to apply for in the New Year.
We’ve helped over thousands of applicants find jobs over the past four years and can find you your perfect job no matter what time of year it is. Our expert team of recruitment specialists will help you with every aspect of your application from perfecting your CV to acing that interview. Contact us with a copy of your CV and start your job search today.