Is This the Worst Time of Year to be Looking for a Job?

Reactor

If you were planning on rewriting your CV and sending out hundreds of them is it okay to do it before Christmas or should you wait until Spring or does it make any real difference do you think?

tenchi-fan

Reactor wrote: »

If you were planning on rewriting your CV and sending out hundreds of them is it okay to do it before Christmas or should you wait until Spring or does it make any real difference do you think?

Hi again!
I'm in the same boat. It's a bad time to look for permanent jobs. However, temporary jobs often turn into permanent jobs so it might be a case of being in the right place at the right time.
Personally, (if i wasn't so lazy!) I'd apply now and make follow up calls in late January - nothing stopping you sending in your cv again.

Just follow the advice I gave in your last thread, and that is don't cold-send your cv, never address it to "dear sir or madam" and absolutely never address it to the "HR department" (unless you're applying for a job in the HR department).

Reactor

Thanks for all the help Techni, I promise Ill stop spamming the place when I get a job

DublinWriter

I've always found this is the best time of year as companies have set budgets for the next financial year and are looking to recruit.

Scráib

I got an email from a company I applied for saying they're postponing the hiring process until after Christmas. So at this stage it could very well be the case that if there's jobs open the interviews won't kick off until January.

That said, that's only one example, other places may be looking to get the hiring done before the Christmas break and have people start in early 2011.

MysticalSoul

I was recently made redundant, and was not sitting around in the hope of things improving. The time to act was now! Anyway, this turned out to be in my favour, as not only did I get called for interview, but got offered a permanent job, with a six month probationary period. If there are jobs being advertised, the company are obviously looking for someone now IMHO. They may well interview at this side of Christmas, for a Jan start. By the way, only started the new job this month.

Berty

Yes is the answer, there are jobs out there. I started looking for work on the 23rd november and had two interviews last week. Both were with companies who were looking direct. BMS tell me November was their busiest since 2008 for both revenue and candidate placements.

Also I sent many many e-mails to companies i know, companies I competed against in sales over the years and every recruitment agent in the land. I connected with most on the LinkeIn website and checked the internet every night after work.

The jobs are out there. People just need to be ruthless in looking for them. It's simply cold calling. The more you do the more chance you have of a result.

My contract is expiring on the 31st December so I'm hot on the heels looking for work as well.

My area is Field Sales to give you an idea of what market Im saying the jobs are in.

murphym7

There is nothing that makes this a bad time of year or a good time of year. Different organisations have different hiring needs that occur at various times of the year. We have interviews scheduled here up to the 23rd and starting again on 5th Jan. Some companies need to fill positions immediately due to business reasons.

I would continue applying as usual, don’t stop.

starlit

A lot depends what your situation is. If you are in college, recent graduate or experienced professional or has some bit of work experience behind you. Sometimes it varies, it can actually be the best time to look for a job. Researching, networking with companies, employers and searching for jobs at this time is a good start. Better to be looking now than at the start of the new year. Best to let a few weeks pass and late January or early February seem to be fairly good times too look for a job when Christmas has passed. No harm updating your C.V and researching jobs during the festive period though.

I wouldn't stop looking for jobs wholesale, look for one every now and again, a few day to day or just have a look at the weekend or devote a day for it each week. Choose a couple of them you wish to apply for. You might have to talior your cv/cover letter for the specific job to show you are a suitable candiate. It might be an idea to have a cover letter prepared too, practice aptitude tests, go through a series of questions that you might be asked in an interview whether face to face or a phone interview. A SWOT analysis and a personality test might be a good thing to go through too.

Always be prepared, you never know from one day to the next you might be offered something or something might be promising! Best of luck OP.

dan_d

Keep looking!!
You've nothing to lose, don't mind the time of year!