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When is the best time to look for a job?

Nov 6, 2014 | Blog, recruitment

This week, the Contract Accountants team shares their thoughts on the best time to look for work.

job search

Photo credit: www.brockport.edu

As recruiters, we often get asked, when is the best time to look for a new job?

Our usual response is to stay away from school holidays as decision makers and HR are often on leave. The build up to Christmas and January is also quiet, but you never know what roles may be available.

The truth is there is no good or bad time to look for a new job. If you are unsatisfied in some way with your current role (whether it be remuneration, challenge, growth, working environment, etc.) you should be active in your job search. Your ideal role at an amazing company could need someone to start on the 1st of February next year but because of leave commitments and notice periods, the company is scheduling interviews on December 15th. If you are not active in the market because it is close to Christmas, you could miss opportunities like this.

Whilst Christmas is a bad time to be unemployed, it can be a great time to find that amazing career opportunity you have been looking for.

Change it up

There is an old saying that goes “If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got”. So if you’re unhappy in some way with your current role, don’t procrastinate. Put yourself on the market and see if there is a better opportunity out there. You don’t have to accept the first role that comes along. The great thing about looking at the job market whilst still employed means you can be selective in the roles you consider. If you are worried about your current employer finding out, work through an agency as they will ensure that your job search remains confidential.

The important thing is to always be open to opportunity.  You don’t have to enter into a recruitment process but you will never know what you are missing if you don’t look.  The day you stop looking at opportunities, is the day you own your own successful business. You don’t need an up to date CV sitting on a job portal for the world to see, just keep a specialist recruiter or two in your market place aware that you are open to considering good opportunities.

Even if you just keep your LinkedIn profile up to date with your latest projects and work achievements, this enables recruiters to make contact with you to discuss opportunities that match up with your skill set.

In recruitment we have 2 types of candidates:

Active Candidates – Applying for positions, CV up to date, perhaps on the job portals, interviewing with companies and working with one or more recruitment agencies.

Passive Candidates – Open to at least looking at good opportunities when they arise.

If you want to get the best out of your career, we would suggest you are, at the very least, a passive candidate who is open to looking at new opportunities in the market.

There is no real ‘best’ time to look for a new job, but you should always be open to looking at good career prospects.

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