Looking for a job over the Christmas period – why it’s a better option than you think

As well-intended as their advice might be, there is little truth or logic to this common myth. After all, Christmas may mark the end of a chapter for Employees, but for business leaders, the festive season is a mere break between the third and the final quarter of the financial year. If there are any skills gaps in the business, unexpected exits or a sudden need for more talent due to influx in demand, these are issues that Employers will look to resolve before rather than after the Christmas break.

If you are unhappy in your role and eager to start the New Year on a high, don’t hold back:  looking for a job over the festive period could see you taking the next step in your career sooner than you might have thought.

Fewer Candidates means less competition

Considering most Candidates view Christmas as a time to relax and reflect on the past year, Candidates who do put themselves forward for a role will benefit from a fairly empty market. Meanwhile, those who do choose to put their job hunt on hold for the Christmas break may miss out on opportunities they might have otherwise been eager to follow up. As the old adage goes, the early bird gets the worm: if you want to beat the January job rush and get ahead of the competition, you shouldn’t delay your search.

Companies look to fill end-of-year vacancies

Unexpected exits from members of staff taking the opportunity of the New Year to make a career change can leave businesses desperately seeking talent to take their place. With this in mind, the Christmas period could see a number of new vacancies appear that you wouldn’t have seen had you stepped away from the job search. Keep your eyes peeled in the weeks leading to the holidays for openings in companies you’d like to work for or go a step further and get in touch to ask about their coming talent requirements. They could be putting it off until the new year, but with the right impression, you will be front of mind when their recruitment drive begins.

Most people are in a better mood

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and the simple truth is that hiring managers (and most members of staff) are in a better mood this side of the holiday season than the other. Taking advantage of this might seem a little unfair, but the happier and more relaxed the recruiter, the better chance your application has of making it onto a shortlist. Wait until January and your CV will be scanned by a busy professional with a daunting pile of priorities and no holiday in sight. It’s simple psychology, and perhaps it shouldn’t make a difference to the outcome of your job application, but it can do.

It’s easier to get a hold of hiring managers

If you’re sick of sending job applications and refreshing your email inbox every minute in the hope of a reply, you’ll be relieved to know communication is greatly improved at this time of year. With less applicants bombarding their inbox, hiring managers will usually make more of an effort to provide a personalised response to each Candidate. You might also take this opportunity to give them a call to find out more about the role.

If you’re about to start the job hunt but are unsure of where to begin, get in touch with our dedicated team today.

Over the last 20 years, we have grown as a business to become one of the leading independent Recruitment agencies in Oxfordshire, and in 2018 have opened our first London office, to service Clients in the capital.

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