January – the time of year known for healthier starts, new resolutions and goal setting.
January – the time of year known for healthier starts, new resolutions and goal setting. Lucky for you, it also happens to be the best time of year to look for a job.
Simply, this is typically the time employers are looking for new employees.
Employers start the year fresh with a clear mindset, and often set out with the intention to tie off loose ends that may have been left during the holiday period. It’s also a period in time when employers are generally less tied up with other projects, and more flexible on deadlines. Now, this is both good and bad. It means while the employer has time to find the absolute perfect fit for their organisation, the longer the job application is live, the greater the submissions and so, the larger the talent pool for them to choose from. Meaning more competition for you.
As you’ll come to see, timing is everything when trying to land a new job in the January rush. To ensure you’re ready to hit ‘apply’ as soon as you see a listing that fits your skills, seniority and experience, do all necessary due diligence to ensure your resume is polished. Ensure there are no grammatical errors, your career wins are prominent, and any referees are notified.
It’s also worth taking a moment to refresh your LinkedIn profile, ensuring it conveys the same experience and knowledge detailed in your resume. Hiring managers are sure to look you up online if they’re interested.
Most trends indicate that job openings are typically posted early in the week, with Tuesday being the highest day for new listings. The earlier you submit your application, the higher chance your resume will receive a full review. If you submit your application, say, after 200 others, the hiring manager may already have a fair idea of some stellar candidates and instead be scanning your resume to see how you compare.
In the same vein, trends suggest most listings are posted in the morning. Assuming that your competition is waiting until the end of the workday (if they are already employed) to submit their applications, this means you have a small window to ensure your resume is seen first. Try and submit your application in the morning, or as soon as the listing is active.
If you move through to the interview stage and have a say in selecting a time for your appointment, suggest the morning (See: Just touching base: Follow-up email tips). A study from the Harvard School of Business showed that interviewers typically compared candidates interviewed later in the day with those that they spoke with in the morning. They typically also rated the morning candidates higher, too.
Suffice to say, if you’re a strong candidate with the right skills and attitude, there is a strong chance your interviewer will award you with top markets if you nab a morning interview time slot.
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