Heads Up: This Is The Best Time Of Year To Look For A New Job

A quick scroll of posts on LinkedIn will offer a sobering glimpse into how difficult job searchers currently have it. From those who apply to hundreds of jobs over a few weeks, only not to be invited to a single interview, to others who do advance through several rounds of interviews, only to then be ghosted by the company, attempting to secure a new job or advance your career can be absolutely daunting.

Unless you're next in line to take over the family business, there's no surefire way to guarantee that job offer. Even if you do everything right, such as tweaking your resume to fit the job description and sending those "thank you" emails after the interview, there are many other job seekers vying for the same position. Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of July 2024, there were 5.6 million people not in the labor force looking for a job. This is in addition to those who currently do have a job, but are looking to transition elsewhere.

Still, it's not impossible; though, as it turns out, searching for a job might be better at certain times than others. While knowing where to look is certainly key — with tons of job boards and networking opportunities available — job seekers also need to know when to look for a job, as the time of year can greatly impact their job prospects.

For many people, as they watch the ball drop at Times Square on New Year's Eve, they're thinking about their resolutions and what they'd like to accomplish in the next 12 months. Among the goals of fitness, travel, and saving money is finding a new and better job, likely a position that offers stronger work-life balance and financial stability (though in the meantime, finding this one thing at work can make one happier in their current position).

Making such a resolution works out perfectly, as most employers post their highest number of job openings from the second week of January through February. There are a few reasons for this being the case. Usually, yearly budgets — including the total funds available for new hires — are finalized in the fall, which means companies are ready to start interviewing candidates and making offers after the holidays. Additionally, December is often the month of yearly performance reviews. If a worker doesn't receive the feedback or raise they were expecting, they may leave, thus putting their job up for grabs in January.

"They need new people [in the new year]," Marc Cenedella, founder of job search site Ladders and resume writing site Leet Resumes, told USA Today. "So there's a whole slew of new job requisitions, making this one of the peak times of the year for new hiring activity."

While the first few months of the year may be ideal for job hunting, all hope isn't lost if you don't receive an offer by the end of February. Most companies continue to hire throughout the year, though postings might not be as frequent, and job applicants may be up against more competition. Still, if you're patient, there's another ideal time to pick up the pace when it comes to sending out resumes: the fall.

Just as companies have a "back to work" mindset in January following the holidays (here's how to budget to stay out of debt after the holidays, by the way), the same holds true for September after the summer. From June through August, hiring managers and recruiters alike take vacations and enjoy shortened workweeks just like the rest of us, which means they're less likely to schedule many job interviews — or even post that many jobs — during that time due to lack of availability on their end. Yet post-Labor Day, it's all hands on deck once again to secure fresh talent. Then, starting around Thanksgiving, job postings will again slow down, with the cycle picking up once again in January.