Best time to Job Hunting in 2021
We often hear the saying, “Timing is everything”.
Organisations behave differently at different times throughout the year. Certain months for example, you may find there is an influx of available jobs. Other times, hiring may be slower.
Therefore, in developing a successful job-hunting strategy, it is critical that you ascertain when is the best time to look for a job.
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When is the best time to look for a job – seasonal
Companies divide their yearly operations into quarters. There are also cultural seasons – Christmas season, Easter, Carnival, Crop-over etc. Therefore, each of these variables play an important role in terms of how companies recruit new staff.
Similarly, Christmas season means greater spending. Job opportunities in retail, sales, entertainment, food & beverage and events management would be more available during this time.
Some industries, however do not follow a pattern. Their recruitment may depend on their expansion and if there is room for further staff. Conversely, essential careers are always ready to hire individuals who possess the necessary qualifications. Career opportunities in healthcare, legal and customer service are always present, given their steady demand despite season or circumstance.
ou can therefore tailor your job-hunting strategy given that you have the knowledge of the industry’s recruitment patterns.
When is the best time to look for a job – Quarterly cycle
Another important factor to consider is the annual cycle of companies. Many companies within a corporate setting usually divide their yearly activities by quarter, such as:
- Quarter 1 – January to March (Winter)
- Quarter 2 – April to June (Spring)
- Quarter 3 – July to September (Summer)
- Quarter 4 – October to December (Fall)
When conducting their annual corporate meetings, executives usually establish the company’s quarterly objectives, business strategy, projects that will be financed, investments to be made and of course, recruitment of necessary talent.
Many of these companies seek to recruit new talent within the first quarter. Budgets are approved, and firms require skilled staff to perform. Therefore, it is quite common to see companies advertising vacancies during the months of January and February.
Another reason these months are popular for hiring is that a lot of employees evaluate their career prospects and seek new opportunities typically at the end of the year. Despite the reason, there are some advantages and disadvantages of job hunting during each business quarter.
Advantages of job-hunting within first quarter (January to March)
- Career opportunities may be higher as businesses plan their yearly operations
- The start of the year is typically seen as a conventional or even an inspirational time for a new beginning
- Companies are starting new projects, so being hired at this time means you may not get caught in the middle of ongoing projects.
- Approved corporate budgets enables greater training compared to other times of the year.
Disadvantages of job-hunting within first quarter (January to March)
- Candidates may have to wait longer to hear back from recruiters
- Interviewing times may be longer
- Workload is typically lower during this period. Newly hired candidates may find there may be insufficient activities to keep them fully preoccupied.
Advantages of job-hunting within second quarter (April to June)
- The volume of work increases, so there is greater sense of urgency to hire
- The hiring process may be conducted at a faster pace
- This time of year is still early enough for candidates to make a fresh start with a new organisation
Disadvantages of job-hunting within second quarter (April to June)
- Three months of the year has gone by which means there may be less time and budget resources allocated for training
- Candidates therefore may have less time for learning, which means onboarding process has to be expedited
- Projects would have been started already and currently ongoing. Candidates would have to integrate into the company quickly.
Advantages of job-hunting within third quarter (July to September)
- Influx of summer jobs – contract, internships, On the Job Training (OJT) particularly catered to first time jobseekers.
- A lot of employees take vacation at this time of year, resulting in a relaxed, quiet atmosphere at work.
- With a relaxed environment, hiring managers have more time for filling those summer roles.
Disadvantages of job-hunting within third quarter (July to September)
- More employees on vacation may mean the workload is increased which new jobseekers would be expected to immediately assist.
- Less formal time for training
- High competition as newly graduated university students are trying to enter the working world.
- With employees taking summer vacation, the teamwork spirit of the company can be compromised.
Advantages of job-hunting within fourth quarter (October to December)
- High influx of seasonal jobs due to Christmas period
- Busy time for many companies in terms of promotions and workload, therefore the hiring process would be shorter
- Lots of projects and activities for new hires to be preoccupied and gain practical experience
Disadvantages of job-hunting within third quarter (October to December)
- Training budgets may be mostly utilised resulting in less onboarding time
- Faster pace of work
- Greater financial need to be employed at this time therefore there may be high competition for jobs.
- Seasonal jobs are not guaranteed to be permanent. A lot of contracts may not be renewed into the following quarter when the volume of work diminishes.
Tips on getting hired any time of the year
The following measures will serve to prepare you for your next role and make anytime the best time to look for a job:
- Always be ready! If you’re thinking of switching careers, a proactive mindset is helpful to keep you updating your skills, practicing your pitch, having your recommendations and preparing for those random opportunities.
- Change your perspective. Don’t chase dream jobs. Look for opportunities that offer growth, potential or development of skills that are in high demand by employers in your local Caribbean territory.
- Keep learning. Education does not stop at graduation. Life is all about change and if you want to be hired at any time, you must have a full range of useful skills in your arsenal to provide to employers.
- Network like your life depends on it! Meet new people consistently, particularly gatekeepers within your industry of choice.
- Stay abreast of company/industry news. You cannot expect to be hired in an industry you know nothing about. Stay informed about the companies and sectors you would like to work in.
- Make your hiring manager’s life easy. Post-pandemic employers love candidates who can make their lives easier. Simplify the hiring process for your recruiter by having your one-paged CV and value points.
