Best Time For A Job Hunt

Does the time of year matter when you’re looking for work?

As a seasoned job placement expert, one question I hear the most is, “What is the best time of year to look for a job?” Some people believe Christmas and New Year’s are bad times, especially when they fall in the middle of the week. Others say to avoid looking for work during the summer months because most decision-makers are on vacation.

My answer is this: Smart job seekers keep looking no matter what, because they know that taking time off from a job hunt guarantees that they will not find a job. My team has helped people find jobs in every month of the year. In fact, December is the second or third best month for placing people. Why? Many companies have new budgets to work with and are getting ready for the first of the year. This motivates them to hire new people – or at least get the ball rolling.

For the same reason, January and February can be even better, depending on the industry. With the holidays behind them, hiring activities tend to pick up and interviewing gets underway.

Focus on the Process – Not the Outcome

No matter what time of year, you should never stop, even though looking for work sometimes feels like trying to thread a needle in a hail storm. It can be emotionally stressful because nobody likes the possibility of rejection or the unknowns of change.

Deciding that this particular day or that particular month are bad times to look for a job is probably among the top excuses people use to postpone sending out their resumes, networking or chasing leads.

To succeed, job seekers must constantly focus on the process itself – rather than the outcome. The process involves:

• making between 25 and 30 phone calls a day to try to connect with hiring authorities
• making at least three to five interview appointments a week
• going on as many as 16 interviews just to get one job offer — even one that you may not want to take

If people spent more time focusing on these critical steps of the process, they would be more effective at landing the job they want. It’s also important to focus on the interview process itself, which means:

• researching companies, trends and issue to gain knowledge
• learning the protocol for before, during and after each interview
• practicing interview questions
• learning how to negotiate a decent salary

Take Your Game to the Next Level

Maybe you have been diligent about the process and follow-through – no matter what time of year – but you are still struggling to find a job. As your mother may have told you, finding a job is a full-time job. Therefore, when you’re not looking for work, constantly evaluate your resume:

• identify why it’s not getting results
• practice communicating who you are on the page
• ask friends, family and former colleagues to help you punch up your resume or develop a better “brand” for yourself

In other words, not only is there no such thing as a bad time to look for a job, you should be spending most of your time either actively trying to land an interview or mastering the skills that will get them to sit up and take notice.

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