You may have heard of the September Surge. With summer vacations ending, kids back in school, and end-of-year goals coming back into focus, some employers go on a hiring spree. Even in the rockier job market this year, delayed Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows the U.S. added 119,000 jobs in September, far more than expected.
On the other side of the equation, job seekers are often busy applying left and right in September. But around the holidays, many press pause on their job search.
“People assume that companies aren’t hiring or that they just stop hiring from Thanksgiving through New Year’s, and that is not true,” Vicki Salemi, career expert at Monster, tells CNBC Make It.
“Some job seekers may say, ‘It’s Thanksgiving and then the holidays; I’ll wait until January,'” she adds. But “if the majority of people do that, then you actually have more opportunity to stand out because there’s less competition.”
Behind the scenes
Karolina Severova, a senior talent acquisition specialist in higher education, says the fourth quarter was always one of her strongest when she was an agency recruiter, filling positions across businesses and industries.
“Some companies have to spend the remainder of their budget, or they will lose it going into next year,” she says. Teams could be rushing to fill spots that have already been guaranteed for this year, since they don’t know what they’ll get next year.
If an employer has a big project kicking off in the new year or just wants to start the year strong, they might want to onboard talent now so they can hit the ground running in January.
A good time to connect
The end of the year can also be fruitful for networking.
“The holidays just present a very natural opening for reconnecting with others,” career expert Amanda Augustine previously told Make It.
Industry or vocational groups often have year-end parties, and the added festivity around the holidays can alleviate some of the usual pressure of networking events.
Outside of events, you can send a quick note to check in with people in your network, share an update from your work and life, and wish them happy holidays and a wonderful year ahead; even a short message can help bring you to mind for job openings. Since November and December are slower at work for many people, you may also be able to schedule time to catch up.
Of course, there are many reasons people might want to scale back their job search around the holidays. It’s often a time for family, celebrations, and rest. Job seekers may also want a break from this tough job market.
But if your holdup is that you think hiring has ended for the year, think again. If a team needs to fill a position before the end of the year, Severova says, “they will make sure to do everything in their power to pursue a new hire.”
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