Do you find that your job applications keep getting overlooked by potential employers?
These days there is a lot of competition for certain jobs, especially if they are widely advertised. You may find that there are dozens of people applying for the same job, and your application gets buried.
Fortunately, carefully choosing the time of year you apply can help maximize your chances of success. There are also certain tactics that you can use to make sure your application stands out at any time.
So, let’s take an in-depth look at the best times of year to apply for jobs and how to impress employers.
Contents
When to Apply for a New Job?
January and February are usually the best months of the year to apply for a new job. This is because most companies get their hiring budgets at the start of a new year. After the winter break, many companies reevaluate their staffing needs and decide to take on new employees.
However, each month of the year features different advantages and disadvantages when it comes to hiring. It is best to try and time your application so that it will be received just as a staffing need arises.
Let’s take a look at how the different seasons can have an impact on your chances of getting hired.
Winter
December is the most difficult month of the year to get hired as many hiring managers are on vacation. Companies tend to wind down towards the middle of December and prepare to take a break. Human resources are focused on finishing up work and planning the staff party rather than reviewing job applications.
While job postings start to appear from the middle of January, they tend to attract a lot of applicants. Therefore, the intense competition for these jobs reduces your chances of getting hired. However, people who submit job applications in February have a much better chance of getting hired.
Spring
March, April, and May are said to be the best times of year to apply for jobs. Many hiring managers take their vacations in the summer and want to have their staffing needs met before they leave. Therefore, a large number of job positions are advertised during these months, and hiring managers schedule numerous interviews.
Summer
It can be tricky to find a job in June, July, and August. Many employees with children take advantage of the school break to book their family vacations. As a result, there are fewer job postings at their time of year, and responses from hiring managers can be slow.
However, each company has unique staffing needs, and employment opportunities may still become available. If you find a job posting you are interested in, it is still worth applying. Competition for available jobs is likely to be lower as potential candidates may also be on vacation.
Fall
A large number of jobs tend to become available in September and October. Hiring managers are back from their vacations and focused on filling their staffing vacancies. Former employees may have reevaluated their needs while on vacation and decided to change companies.
Hiring activity starts to decline in November as thanksgiving approaches. People are less willing to change jobs around the holiday period, and there are fewer available jobs to apply for. Therefore anyone who sends job applications or letters of introduction in November may not hear back for several weeks.
The Best Day to Apply for a Job
The day of the week that you send your application can have a big impact on your chances of success. It is best to avoid sending applications, letters of introduction, and other official documents on Monday. When returning to work on Monday, hiring managers have a lot of emails to deal with, and your application may get buried.
The same thing goes for Friday. Busy professionals are desperately trying to deal with all their regular correspondence on Fridays in preparation for the weekend. They are unlikely to have the time or inclination to review applications or read letters of introduction. The best days of the week to send new correspondence are Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Choosing the Right Time of Day
It is also important to try and send your application at the right time of day. You need to try and time important emails so that they reach the recipient when they are the most productive. If you send your email in the evening, it is likely to get buried beneath many other emails.
The best time to send your application is between 06:00 and 10:00. Sending your email early ensures it will be one of the first things the hiring manager sees. This maximizes your chances of getting a response straight away and being called to schedule an interview.
When to Apply for a Seasonal Job?
A huge number of college students apply for summer jobs to fill time and make extra money between studying. By the time the weather starts to get warmer most summer vacancies have already been filled. Therefore, it is important to start your job search as early as possible.
Plan ahead…
It is a good idea to take a little time during the winter break to work out where you want to apply. You should make a list of at least five companies along with the name and email address of the hiring manager. Make sure that the companies you target match your interests and allow you to highlight your strongest skills.
You should send your applications for summer work between January and March. While you are waiting for a response, use the time to research the company. This information will be useful if you are called in for an interview.
How to Maximize your Chances of Success?
Even if you time your job application perfectly, it can still be tricky to land the job of your dreams. It is important to make sure that you are the strongest candidate by working on your skills. Keeping the following points in mind will help to gain an edge over the competition.
Update your resume
Make sure that your resume reflects your recent work experience, skills, and achievements. If your resume is full of gaps or looks too generic, it is likely to get overlooked. Each time you gain new skills, include them in your resume straight away.
Your resume needs to be tailored to the industry and company you are applying to. If you are interested in several industries, it is a good idea to write a few versions of your resume. This will make tweaking your resume to match specific jobs much quicker and easier.
Keep your skills up to date
Many industries are constantly changing, and companies need to make sure that they follow the latest trends. This is especially important if you are looking for a career in IT. New software and platforms are regularly introduced and adopted by companies.
It is important to keep up with the latest trends in your industry to ensure that you have the necessary skills. To remain relevant, you may need to take an online course to brush up on your skills. Make sure that you include details of your latest skills in your resume as well as your cover letter.
Do not give up hope
Although it may be difficult to maintain momentum sometimes, your persistence will eventually be rewarded if you keep applying for jobs. It can take several weeks or even months for some hiring managers to get back to you. Use the time to work on your resume and interview technique and keep sending out applications.
Looking For More Tips and Tricks?
Well, look no further! I have put together a comprehensive guide to land that perfect job; just check out Answer Why Best Candidate Position, How Do you Handle Stress, How To Answer What Is Your Greatest Strength, What Makes You Unique, Why We Should Hire You, as well as Why Do You Want To Work Here in 2023.
If you’re wanting to work on your personal skills for interviewing, take a look at What Is Your Work Style, What Are Your Career Goals, How Would You Describe Yourself, or even maybe What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?
Or maybe you’re worried about your resume? In that case, How To Write An Introduction Letter, How Long Should A Cover Letter Be, How To Write A Letter Of Interest, How To List Education On A Resume, Most Important Skills To Put On A Resume, and Work Experience On A Resume can help get you started.
Final Thoughts
If you are not receiving application responses, it is time to consider changing tactics. First, it is a good idea to think about the types of jobs you are applying for. The reason you are not getting hired may be that you do not have the necessary skills or experience.
It is also a good idea to take another look at your resume and see if there is room for improvement. There may be certain grammar, spelling, or formatting errors that are damaging your employment chances. Making a few small adjustments to your resume could dramatically improve your prospects.
Happy Job Hunting!