Don't wait until the new year for a new job

You'll be familiar with the 'new year, new career' trend. At the beginning of each year, there is always an influx of candidates who have made the decision to start their year off with a new job. It makes sense — the new year provides an opportunity to start fresh and give something else a go. However, if you're a candidate who is seriously considering this notion, this is our best piece of advice: don't wait and start applying now. 

We're giving our clients the exact same advice, that now is the best time to recruit and find their perfect candidate. If you wait until the new year, you'll be in competition with a lot of other highly-skilled candidates and it's likely you won't start a role until March or April. Here’s a breakdown of how a recruitment process starting in January might play out:

• Clients may not fully return to work until the end of January and may not engage a recruiter straight away
• A recruitment process normally takes around four weeks, which then pushes out the search for the perfect candidate until the end of February or start of March
• Once the ideal candidate has been found, time needs to be accounted for paperwork, training and inductions
• It could be April before you properly get into your new role and are familiar with your new environment — the new year has well and truly been and gone! 

It's actually in your best interest to get hired before Christmas; you can attend the Christmas party, get to know everyone, start your training and induction, and slowly ease your way into the role. After a few weeks of work you'll get to enjoy your Christmas and New Years break — and come January, you'll already know the team, the job and you'll feel comfortable enough to get straight into it.

There’s also the fact that it will be easier for you to stand out in a smaller pool of candidates now, compared to the many who will apply in the new year. The market is currently candidate short, so the people you will be up against are likely to have a diverse skill set — meaning that clients are less inclined to choose a candidate based on the boxes they tick or the qualifications they have, but rather who has the ability to grow into the role and fit in with the team. If you apply for a role now, it might just play to your advantage.

It’s a busy time of year for everyone, but don’t let that stop you from making the best career move for you. Our team of recruitment consultants are here to help you navigate the job hunting process now, so you can enter 2022 with confidence. To get started, please reach out to us via hello@oneeighty.co.nz. We’d love to help you achieve recruitment success.