The best and worst times of the year to look for a job

Looking for a job is not an easy task, especially when the job market is already saturated.

Before you start your search, there are so many things you need to take into consideration.

Besides making sure that your resume is updated and doing the much-needed research on the kind of employers you want to work for, there is another important aspect you need to focus on before starting your journey.

Timing matters
In case you didn’t already know, let us tell you that there are good and bad times to look for a job. Timing is a very important factor that you should not overlook and when you begin your search for a job at the right time, your chances of getting a job also increases. Here’s a rundown of the good and worst months to start your search.

January, February and March (good time)
For companies whose financial year starts in January and ends in December, this is the perfect time to look for a job in such organisations. There are many reasons why you should explore for opportunities in January, February and March in most MNCs because this is the time when the annual budget is determined and the requirements for the next year are drawn. If vacancies are created or new resources are required, the concerned department would start their hunt for candidates after the holiday season is over.

April, May and June (best time)
This is a great period to apply for jobs in companies where the financial year ends in March. Also, let’s not forget that a lot of organisations reward their employees with annual benefits or bonuses towards the end of the financial year, which means those who are planning to quit are more likely to do that after getting their dues. This creates a large pool of vacancies in such companies after the old employees quit their job to join greener pastures.

July, August and September (not-so-good time)
The mid-year is normally not a very encouraging time to look for a new job. Then reason being simple—the companies fill most of the vacancies at the beginning of the year and promotions happen mostly during this period. A person is less likely to leave his job, which he has joined just recently unless he is under much pressure or gets a very good offer from somewhere else. All these reasons make July, August and September not very easy-going months for people who are looking for a job. However, the silver lining is that most people know about this and they do not normally look for jobs during this time—which means the competition is at it’s lowest and in case there are any vacancies, your chances of grabbing the opportunity also increases.

October, November and December (average time)
This is the period of the festivals. People are most relaxed and this also happens to be the time when employees take their annual leaves. Work comes to almost a standstill. However, since the year is about to end, the concerned department would already be making plans for the next year’s requirements. This perhaps would be the best time to spruce up your resume, do your networking with the right people and ask if there will be vacancies soon. Utilise these months to do your homework and when the right time comes, which will be just around the corner, you will be all set to explore the opportunities. Good luck!