It’s a myth that no one hires in November & December. In fact, I filled a tremendous number of openings in November and December because I forced my clients to forfeit their budget & headcount if they didn’t fill a position that was open for more than 90 days by the end of the year.
I’m heartless, but nothing motivates a manager like budgets, money, and span-of-control.
So don’t be depressed or discouraged about your job search based on the myth that no one gets a job at the end of the year. People do get hired. Be depressed and discouraged that society places so much stress upon us during the holidays.
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Not sure if I’m ready to be depressed or not. Right now I’m living in my condo alone. My wife is in another city. I’ll join her there as soon as I find a job. Preferrably one of those jobs that will be filled in November or December. My place is filled with brown boxes and feels a little grey. The boxes are ready to go as soon as I find someone to rent out my place. My big bed is half empty. My wife has the dog and the dog has my wife. Since they’re not here, there isn’t anyone sleeping on my head (I’m talking about the dog here people) or shedding on my pillow (again, the dog).
Then I come in to work this morning and kick off our canned food drive and a ‘greeting cards for the troops’ drive. I realize once again that I have a job, a place to live and pretty much anything I want to eat. I have a big ol’ bed to sleep in and come to think of it, right now I’m not getting kicked in the face while I sleep.
Dammit Laurie, you made me get all reflective and shit!
Thanks.
I’m curious about the metrics on that approach. Were many companies making more “bad” hires than usual simply because they feared losing the budget and headcount? Did you see a difference in quality and performance of those employees hired in the first 10 months of the year, compared to those where the hire was “rushed?”
My company celebrates service anniversaries. I can tell you that November – January are the most abundant service anniversary months…..Stay strong, your time is coming!
I would agree. I know the LINKUP.com job status is ever increasing. Linkup ONLY has jobs from company websites, about 70% of which are never advertised elsewhere.
We show jobs open all over the fricking place.
The two best months in the history of my recruting company (since 1975) are December & July. Proving that the holidays and the month when “everyone is on vacation” are good times to get a job!
I’ve worked in staffing & recruitment for 7 years. I’ve consistently found that during the holidays it is easier to schedule interviews and that the hiring decision comes much faster than during other times of the year. Never assume that a hiring manager isn’t interested in seeing your resume. Now might be the perfect time to get it in front of them.
I think my company likes to hire people the week of Christmas festivity madness to see if they can handle it. We have lost a couple of people—but the good ones stay—because they can hang : )
This is absolutely the best time of year to raise your professional visibility–whether you’re looking for a job or wisely managing your career. The budget is done, the holiday parties are being scheduled (such as they are this year) and people are anticipating filling the new jobs that get funded in the new budget year. And if you’re a manager with one of those newly approved, not yet funded positions tantalizingly shimmering off in the future, wouldn’t you say “yes” to an information interview with someone who was referred to you who looks like a good candidate? You bet you would! This is the time to really put the pedal to the metal and be fearless!
17 years of recruiting experience saying “the next two months are great hiring windows!” We hire alot of people during Nov and Dec. The caveat being that if we hire them after Thanksgiving, they often don’t start until first of the year.
I think the end of year slowdown is an urban legend. In almost 10 years of recruiting I’ve really only seen one quiet holiday period and that was in 2001. Every year I make lists of things to accomplish – creating a new filing system for myself, writing more, creating a strategic plan for the coming year – and I never get to them because we never actually slow down. Don’t underestimate the movtivation to “wrap up” a search before a manager takes off for a week or two of vacation.
A helpful hint for job changers – The Thanksgiving to New Year window can be a great time to connect with recruiters and hiring managers who may have a little more unscheduled time to talk and coach you in your search than other times during the year when there tend to be more deadline driven projects.
@Glen Dude, such good perspective. I felt that way when I lived in Chicago and Ken lived in Michigan in 2003. Then I felt that way when I lived in Michigan in 2008 and Ken moved to North Carolina. Totally depressing — but really, I didn’t have cancer and my cats still loved me. So it’s all about perspective. Thank you.
@Bruno This comment requires a thoughtful post, actually, because we’re learning that our hiring processes are less effective than mental aptitude tests. Does it really even matter if we rush through the hiring process? More to follow!
@David Yeah!
@GL Love, love, love LinkUP for job seekers. CAN I SAY THIS ENOUGH?
@Fran Exactly. Who takes a vacation, anymore? Not me.
@Friday Awesome, perfect, thank you!
@InkedHR Now that’s just masochistic!
@China Darn it, this is so well said. Where is your podcast?
@Puf If you can book a job now that doesn’t start until January 1st, you are a lucky SOB in my book. Have the holidays. Do stuff. Then start fresh after New Years.
@Susan Love that tip for job changers. Thank you!
I agree– an urban legend created by the lazy to cruise through the last two months of the year. People get hired in Nav & Dec– just not as much as the first quarter.
Well, a couple of good places to start are a couple of Gladwell articles from The New Yorker:
One focuses on how do we hire we don’t know who is right?
http://gladwell.com/2008/2008_12_15_a_teacher.html
The other (9 years ago) speaks to the flaws of interviewing:
http://gladwell.com/2000/2000_05_29_a_interview.htm