With the start of 2020 just around the corner, people everywhere are dreaming up their New Year’s Resolutions. For many, the new year brings with it a fresh start, and a reason to set different intentions and goals.
One commonly shared resolution is to land a new job, right at the start of the new year. But is January really the best time to find a new position?
The first month of the year is not necessarily the best time to change jobs, and we’re here to challenge the assumption that quarter one is the ideal time to transition into a new career.
There’s a reason that January is viewed as the prime-time to start a new career: because employers post new job listings in droves. Whether that’s because they need fresh talent for new year initiatives or because they’re revving up for spring sales, job boards such as ZipRecruiter see the highest volume of job posting the first month of each year.
But as new job listings become more readily available, more workers are handing in their two weeks notice and applying. That means that more people are competing for the same jobs during January, more so than any other month of the year.
The result? Your odds of being picked for the job are actually lower, according to CNBC.
Despite the high competition, it’s hard to tell job hunters not to apply for jobs in January when so many opportunities are emerging. For a large influx of companies, this month begins their first quarter— where managers have full budgets at their disposal for hiring— and it seems foolish for job seekers not to seize the moment and at least apply.
While the first and second quarter are still great times to apply for new jobs, it’s important to note that the “first” quarter falls during different times for different companies, Fast Company reminds us. For instance, the tech leaders at Apple start their first quarter in October, while Barnes & Nobles’ fiscal year ends in April.
There’s also variance in seasonality across different industries. For example, in the education field, new hires happen most frequently in August— before the start of the fall semester— and in retail, many industries hire in October to staff up and combat increases in holiday sales, according to the same Fast Company report.
That means that January and February aren’t always the best time to search for a new career.
While you might be disappointed to learn that the start of your new year might not be as ideal of a time to apply as you imagined, there is good news. If you weren’t overzealous and still have your old job this December, you may have more opportunities than you realize...
In many instances, employers find prospects holding another position more favorable than jobless hunters. Why? These job-holding candidates are seen as proactive individuals, not waiting until unemployment to desperately apply. They demonstrate practically by keeping income flowing and are still actively using their talent and skills to stay sharp.
These passive candidates might not be actively looking for a job, yet they are more appealing to employers. But how can you not look for a job and still get hired?
Passive job searchers put themselves on the market without needing to scour the job portals or actively put forth ongoing effort. These clever candidates are always on prospective employers’ radar, without so much as a new resume or applying to listings. (Does this sound great? You can get started here.)
They do this by staying employed at their current job until an opportunity comes to them. With a strategy like that, any time of the year is a good time to receive new job offers.
While sprucing up your resume is never a bad idea, there’s an even easier way to find a new job in the New Year.
GoGig is a different kind of career searching platform, one that allows employers to vet you— instead of the other way around.
Simply fill out a personality profile and list a few things about your experience, and allow hiring managers to view your anonymous profile. Because your name isn’t attached to it, your current employer will never know you’re on the hunt, and you’ll have recruiters knocking at your door before you know it.