December is the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ for job hunting

Christmas is upon us again and offices all over the UK are starting to empty for a well-earned festive break. It is all-too-easy to assume that December is probably one of the worst months in the year to begin searching for that new job.

Commonly job seekers will put new job searches onto the backburner, put their feet up and join in with the Christmas festivities, after all, employers have stopped looking for new staff, haven’t they?

Although it may not feel like the best time to start searching, some HR experts claim that due to these factors, December is actually one of the best periods for recruitment, meaning you could be missing out on your dream role should you halt your search.

There are lots of reasons why December is the most wonderful time of year to look for a job. Here’s WünderTalent’s top 5 reasons why you shouldn’t wait until 2019 to start looking for a new job.

 

Expel the myth

Some people will tell you “nobody wants to hire in December”. Here at WünderTalent, we know this to be one of recruitment’s biggest myths.

Just because the majority of the UK is at home and tucking into their turkey doesn’t mean that vacancies cease to be available. In the lead up to the Christmas, companies are hard at work agreeing their 2019 recruitment budget and strategy. They will often start to advertise their job openings before they break up so they are prepared for the ‘New Year Job Application Rush’.

To take advantage of this, candidates should continue to send applications throughout Christmas week. This will ensure that your application is one of the first to be seen and prevents you from getting lost in the crowd.

 

Capitalise while it’s quiet!

As the UK slowly grinds to a halt, you should make sure your job search remains on track.

Most job hunters take a break over Christmas which can only work to your advantage. If there’s less competition in the market, you are much more likely to stand out from the crowd and take that next step on the career ladder.

 

More networking opportunities.

 

While Christmas parties and events often get a bad reputation for drunken antics, they can also be a job hunters bread and butter. It is the perfect opportunity to let others know that you are looking to take the next step in your career. Fellow party-goers may be able to put you in touch with valuable connections, and as the saying goes, ‘it’s often who you know’.

Make sure you keep in touch with recruiters and potential employers throughout the holidays. You are much more likely to stand out if you have shown initiative and communicate regularly.

 

Keep your job search momentum

Taking a break from your job search can lead to a loss in motivation, and you may lose track of who you’ve been in contact with and what stage your applications are at. If you remain diligent and consistent throughout the Christmas period you won’t feel like you’re starting from scratch in the New Year.

This will give you an advantage as there are more job opportunities in December due to people leaving their jobs earlier to have an extended Christmas break.

 

Hiring managers may be in better moods.

Based on feedback from job seekers, managers are typically happier and easier to approach during December. As they start to wind down, managers become easier to reach, and approaching them when they are in a more charitable mindset increases your chances of successfully securing an interview.

More often than not they also have a recruitment budget left to use before the end of the year which leads to them enhancing their recruitment processes

 

If you’re looking to make the most of opportunities in December, take a look at WünderTalent’s current vacancies or get in touch with your CV.