In 2012 there were about 3.6 million jobs openings available and 80% of the available openings were never advertised. Would you believe it that Google undertakes around 300 million searches every month which is dedicated to employment? That’s not all according to the studies undertaken by Jobvite around 71% Americans are currently active in the job market. All these important facts and figures would make most job seekers reading this article ask a very probable question, and that is when is the best time to look for a job. Below we have tried to find the answer by speaking to a few industry experts.
The Best Time to look for a Job:
1. The best time to look for job is NOW
Andy Teach a corporate expert explains that, if you are looking for your stars to align properly before you start your job search, then you might miss out on important job opportunities. Andy Teach feels that for most fresher’s the best time to start searching for a job is when they are ready. This is because as they do not have much industry experience, they would be more flexible and open to the various jobs which are available for them immediately. The basic idea here is to be alert and use the opportunity or grab it, once it comes your way.
2. Do you have time in hand?
Most job seekers fail to underestimate the extra time that would be needed, when you are looking for a new job and also doing a 9 to 5 job. Marjie Terry VP Business Development at Great on the Job explains that when looking for a new job, you have to understand the significance of managing your time well and also creating a good impression among your new contacts. Otherwise here she advices jobseekers to wait for a suitable time, when they have well amount of time in hand. If this action is not taken by a job seeker, then the productivity level in his current job would be affected.
3. Which industry is you looking for your new jobs?
HR experts when discussing regarding when is the best time to look for a job explain a simple fact which states that, the industry in which you are looking for a job also plays an important factor in when you should look for a new job. Most industry domains have very slow hiring’s during summer vacations and popular holiday’s period. Melanie Holmes VP of Manpower Group explains a simple fact that the days between Christmas and New Year are a time when hiring is at an all time low. She states that the main reason behind this is the fact that most projects are being completed during this period. Another reason would be that new hiring budgets are also planned for the company during this time. Thus Marjorie Terry advices that it is best not to send your resumes to companies between Thanksgiving to Christmas as, more people are focusing on the upcoming holidays. which they have waited for a whole year.
4. After you have completed your research:
Andy Teach lays great importance to researching on various jobs available in the market, before you start your job search. Teach explains that even when the economy is good, you as a job seeker should understand what type of job do you want and study the various types of jobs which are available in the market and most importantly also understand whether these jobs are suitable for you or not. Teach feels that once you have undertaken the research well, then you should update your LinkedIn profile and start working on the questions which might be asked to you during a new job interview. This simple technique would help you not to waste time and also find relevant details of the company, where you would like to work in.
5. When you are happy in your old job:
Teach from his years of corporate experience observes, that many of his successful colleagues had found their new job opportunities when they were very happy with their current job. This happens as Teach feels that the job seeker is in control and he is not much in pressure to look for a new job. Here he can take his time and select the best job that is most suitable for him.
6. After the completion of a major project in your current company:
One of the common instances found by many HR experts is that, active job seekers sometimes find a great job after they completed a major project for their company. HR experts feel that when undertaking a critical project, an employee meets a large number of people, who can belong to prospective employee hiring companies. Thus when the project is implemented they do get an opportunity to view the job seekers skill. In some cases if the candidate is good, he might receive a call for an interview and be selected for a new job after some months.
7. Looking for jobs at the beginning of the New Year:
Teach attaches great significance to the days after the New Year, for active job seekers. He feels that job seekers feel a psychological boost with the advent of the New Year and thus try out their luck in the job market. Also hiring managers tend to look for people who have niche skills and go out of their way to fill up the important positions which are present in the company. Therefore job seekers can make good use of this period.
8. When you are just back from a big holiday:
One of the best times to look for a good job is after you have come back from a big family vacation. Teach from his years of corporate experience feels that most hiring managers would not prefer to train a new recruit for a few weeks and then let him go for a vacation. Thus the best thing would be to get back from a holiday and then start looking for a job. As you are rested you would also be more agile when looking for a new job.
9. Exploring a job change after you have had a major life change:
Melanie Holmes VP of Manpower Group an expert in the area is of the opinion that, when you are looking for jobs change you should understand that you would need to give extra effort and time. It is essential that you improve your skills before you start giving job interviews. Thus the decision to make a job change cannot be done if you are currently undergoing a major life change situation like having a divorce or going thru a pregnancy. Since such personal situations would prevent you from giving in your best, thus it would be best to wait for the situation to get over and then start searching for a job.
10. Conclusion:
In the end it could be added that the best time to look for a job is when you are comfortable and when you feel you the need to look for one. The main agenda here is to make you more aware and prevent you from making mistakes. This would also save your time and financial resources and also help you to enjoy a new job for yourself between 3 months to 6 months.
