The holiday season is here. Winter has slowly crept in – days are long, the weather is cold, Christmas lights are all over the place and we are starting to reflect on what we have done in the past twelve months. Not only looking in the past but also looking in the future, trying to define where we want to be the same time next year. On the ‘New Year Goals’ list, among drinking more water, eating healthier, and going to bed earlier, there is a thing that scares you the most: finding a new job. It sounds intimidating, huh? Lucky for you, employers are going through the same process as you are. They are rewinding the last 12 months, setting targets and budgets for the upcoming year. Their plans always include the headcount, new jobs and vacancies. As the manpower has a direct impact on their performance, they attack this target aggressively, looking for new talents immediately as the new year begins. Or at least when they unpack their Christmas trees, eat the last gingerbread and everything goes back to normal… So... what does it mean for you? What is the best time to start looking for a new job? That being said, a beginning of the year is definitely the best time to look for new job opportunities. January is a peak of the hiring season. Job boards explode. Employers are busier than ever. Candidates are overwhelmed with job opportunities. Recruiters are crying and contemplating their career choice. It’ is not a minor trend. It’s global madness. This phenomenon is so big that in 2013, the 7th January was declared ‘National Job Hunt Day’ as a staggering 11.8 million people began looking for a new role. And employers are driving this trend as there is a significant increase in the number of jobs available on global job boards in January every year. Even though the competition is strong, it’s still a great thing for you. If you had started looking for a job, in November or December, you are probably already discouraged by the lull in recruitment. Stay patient. All opportunities coming your way in January will be a breath of fresh air. Prepare yourself wisely. Read below how to do it.
HOW TO PREPARE? 1. Update your resume First things first – prepare your passport for the land of job opportunities – your resume! You still have enough time to polish the content and the layout of your CV. By January, your resume needs to be on point. Tip: Prepare a ‘master resume’ – a list of all your previous jobs, responsibilities and achievements. This document will be a major help when you start tailoring your final CV to different jobs. You will just need to pick information related to the job, fill your CV with the same keywords from the job description, combine it in one document and wait for interview invitations. Lacking inspiration for resume design? Struggling with writing the perfect content? Take a look at some of the resume templates we have prepared for you and have your CV ready in 15 minutes. Modern designs and 50+ resume writing tips included in the templates guarantee success. 2. Update your LinkedIn profile After you polish your resume, do the same with your LinkedIn profile. If they are interested in a candidate, recruiters check their profiles on LinkedIn before inviting them to the interview. Therefore, your LinkedIn profile needs to be on point too. This will also increase the number of available opportunities, as your job search won’t only depend on your applications to job-board-available jobs. You will have a LinkedIn profile available 24/7. This will increase your visibility, so recruiters and headhunters will approach you to share exciting job opportunities. Why limit your options and carry the job-search burden all by yourself? 3. Check job boards and sign up for newsletters Once you start actively looking for a job and applying, the main source of opportunities will be job boards. If you haven’t already done it, familiarize yourself with job boards for your location/area of expertise/industry. If possible, create your profile there too. Sign up for newsletters. It will save you some time, as all information will be delivered straight to your email inbox.
4. Inform your network you are considering a job change It’s a holiday season. Use this opportunity to reach out to some old friends and colleagues to wish them all the best. Mention you might be starting to look for new opportunities in the next few weeks and ask them to bear you in mind if they hear about any suitable jobs.
5. Start applying! Don’t forget:
January is definitely peak hiring season.
In order to land a new job in the first few weeks of 2019, you need to start preparing yourself now.
Increase your visibility and exposure to new job opportunities by updating your LinkedIn profile, signing up for job board newsletters and letting your network know you are looking for a new job.
To be in the best position when the right opportunity arises, create a master CV – a file with all your previous employment, responsibilities and achievements. Based on that, it’s going to be easier to pick the most important things for the final version of your resume and polish the content before your first application.
That’s it! We wish you the best of luck.