It is official, the holiday season is over and most of us are trying to get back in routine for the new working year. A lucky few may still be on holidays, dreading the thought of having to go back to all of those emails!
Whilst the job market has been quiet in December, it tends to pick up towards the end of January. This is no mystery as many people resign just prior to Christmas, resulting in vacancies in the New Year. Unfortunately, it is also a time when some firms make redundancies.
If you are ready to make a move, it would be beneficial to begin preparing as soon as possible so that you are not too overwhelmed with the process. Proactive tasks such as updating your resume (and your LinkedIn profile), so that when that opportunity presents itself, your resume is ready to go! Also, start reconnecting with your networks – get in touch with your preferred recruiter, trusted colleagues and friends, and think about who you would ask to be your referee.
Of course you shouldn’t go shouting your news off the rooftops and telling everyone that you are planning on moving, so be smart about who you talk to.
If you see a role advertised or you hear about potential opportunities, it would definitely be beneficial to start doing research into the role and putting your hat into the ring. With some decision makers still on leave the process may take a little longer just now to organise interviews, so be prepared and factor in the time it takes to conduct references and get a contract signed. Keeping that in mind and factoring in your notice period, you could still be looking at a late February or March start date.
Lastly, don’t get too frustrated if you are keen to move now. Everyone is either just settling back into work or yet to return and employers are still considering their needs. If you need advice about the market place feel free to drop us a line for a confidential discussion and we are always happy to have a CV sent in so we can start getting to know you and what you are after in your next role.