4 reasons to keep job hunting during the holidays
The holiday season is approaching, but that doesn't mean that job opportunities close for the year. December through January can be a great time to look for your next job.
Employers may be keen to start the year with new talent already on board, and while others may have hit pause on their job search, you can seize the opportunities as they arise.
Here are four reasons to keep job hunting – and stay motivated – during the holidays.
1. Opportunities don't dry up
Businesses may still have a hiring budget to spend at the end of the year, so job opportunities don’t necessarily slowdown in December.
“Companies can’t control when people resign,” says Leah Lambart, career coach and director of career consultancy Relaunch Me. “And it’s not like people don’t resign in December, so employers may need to post an ad right away, and it could be the job you’re really looking for.
“Some industries like retail, tourism and hospitality ramp up their hiring in summer, and some companies may also need to fill roles to start a project in January, so they might be actively hiring people in December. It definitely pays to keep looking and to stay active in the market as the year winds to a close.”
2. Less competition in the market
Many people hit pause on their job search toward the end of the year and resume in January. That’s backed up by data from SEEK, which shows that there are fewer people applying for roles in December, so you’ll have less competition during that month.
“We see the largest spike in applications in January, and I think that’s tied to people thinking about a fresh start in the new year,” says Clare Ryan, enterprise account manager at SEEK.
“While others are taking a break from job searching in December, you could find what you’re looking for before the new year.”
Lambart adds that many people assume that recruitment pauses in December.
“That’s why many job seekers stop looking –they think there are no jobs out there – so if you stay active, you might have an edge.”
3. Job offers may come faster
Companies looking to fill roles before the new year may move through their hiring process faster. This means a job offer may come sooner than you’d expect.
“If key people are going on leave but they need to be involved in the hiring process, then hiring managers will try to keep things moving along a little quicker to get those offers out before people leave for the holidays,” says Lambart.
“When a lot of the day-to-day work slows down at the end of the year, companies also have more time to dedicate to recruitment, so the process can often move faster.”
4. It’s a perfect time to explore your options
The year might be coming to a close, but there are still new job opportunities to explore.
The new year is often viewed as a time for a fresh start and many people are motivated to take on new challenges and explore new opportunities - once the calendar ticks over to January.
That makes the end of the year the perfect time to keep ahead of the game and stay on the job hunt.
“A lot of people can think that if they don’t have the job they want by November, they’ll have to wait until February because they think recruitment slows down over the holiday period,” says Lambart.
However, that’s not the case. Job seekers should “be open to contracts that may be advertised at the end of the year and take opportunities to network.” She adds, “But make sure that you also give yourself a bit of a break and enjoy the holiday season.”
Job opportunities don’t stop for the holidays, so neither should your job search. With less competition in the market in December and the potential for faster job offers, it may be the ideal time to find the job you really want and to start the new year on a high.
Independent research conducted by Nature of behalf of SEEK, interviewing 4,000 New Zealanders annually. Published November 2024.
