10 Reasons why December is the Best Time to Land That Role…
2021 has continued to be a year of unrelenting change recovering from major political changes, a global market crash, environmental disasters and probably the most significant world event in the last decade – a global pandemic. It has certainly been a couple of years of change and pivoting priorities. In 2020 forced remote working has become the norm for many, which has opened a whole new world of opportunity for employers and employees.
So, if you have had time to take stock and are thinking about a career change or between roles at the moment or have been made redundant, then NOW (yes, December) is the time to land your next role.
And I’ve got some great news; now, it’s a candidate’s market, and there are more roles than before covid-19. As professionals take stock and reprioritise workwise, the great resignation or the big quit is happening, which means organisations have many more roles to fill than usual. And, your work landscape has opened up now you can work remotely and apply for positions anywhere in the country or even the world.
Too many people wait until January to start a new career search so read on to find out why your time really is now and get ahead of the job search crowd.
- End of Year Budgets
Occasionally large companies find that they have monies left over at the end of the year which have been allocated to headcount, so they need to get someone into the business quickly to secure the budget.
- Get Ahead of the Competition
December is a great time to get ahead of the competition. Headhunters and recruiters are less busy and more relaxed as clients move into virtual party season and are much easier to approach and connect with.
- Deadline Looming
In September or October, a role that starts at the beginning of January next year seems a long way off. When you get to December, you realise how few working days you have to get someone in place; you start moving quickly and look at talent laterally or bring in an interim. So any direct approaches will have more impact, and individuals are more likely to be considered.
- Time to Think
Between Christmas and New Year is a great time to be at work or even in the office, and there are few interruptions, and you can think more clearly around talent and needs of the business. A CV or covering letter may be noticed more easily, particularly when others are on holiday, which causes gaps in the team.
- Short of Resource
Project resources can be thin on the ground in the festive holidays, so you may need to bring extra resources in to ensure the project happens on time.
- Front of The Queue
Recruiting Managers and Hirers find it challenging to get hold of individuals at this time of year, so the fact that they can get hold of you may mean you go to the front of the queue.
- Great Time for Networking
Networking is one of the best ways of finding a job before it is advertised or put on the market at all. Christmas is an excellent time to pick up the phone, write a card or ask someone for a coffee. Also, there are many events where you can network, although they’ll be online this year!
- New Year, New Career
Many individuals might be thinking of changing their career in the New Year, so they might consider you to fill their shoes.
- Positivity
Generally, there is a positive and happy vibe in the air which means employers and headhunters are more likely to take your call or read your emails with festive cheer.
- Surprise Projects
New and exciting projects often kick off in January, and sometimes managers start the recruitment process early. If you are available and can do the job – problem solved!
If you want help with your job search, join our exclusive community, Be Inspired Get Hired, on Facebook or LinkedIn, where we will accompany you on your job search journey. There will be lots of invaluable advice, guidance, and support with expert speakers, as well as links to available jobs and opportunities to reskill or upskill alongside your job search. We will be alongside you to celebrate the wins and pick you up on those difficult days.
There are approximately 1.6 million people in the UK currently unemployed, yet it is easy to feel alone. Job searching is a journey, and it is no fun travelling alone, so here are some ways you can get involved:
- Join the Be Inspired Get Hired LinkedIn community here or the Facebook Community here and receive your FREE Five Secrets to Getting Hired Ebook.
- Visit us in person at our next Be Inspired Get Hired event with the Gestalt Centre Wales on 28th January 2022
Further Info
You can follow #BeInspiredGetHired on social media
Sarah started her career in fmcg marketing working as a brand manager on Clover and as an interim manager on Clover (twice) and Quorn. She founded a start-up interim management company in Gloucestershire and that business changed the percentage of women and diverse talent in senior marketing and HR roles. Sarah specialises in attracting, onboarding, developing, engaging and retaining diverse talent into forward thinking businesses to improve productivity, performance and profit. Flexible working and wellbeing play a large part. Since covid-19 wreaked havoc on the job landscape, Sarah has a created an innovative programme to get senior experienced professionals back into work or fine-tune their current role so that it makes happy.