New Year holidays are just around the corner. Does it make sense now to continue active job searches or is it better to postpone them until “after the holidays”? Job for You asked HR managers of well-known companies about this.
Marina Lashtabega, HR manager of the manufacturer window systems PROPLEX:
Jobs are always worth looking for. It's a myth that New Year the demand for staff is greatly reduced. But because of this misconception, most HR professionals face a serious shortage of applicants before the holidays. Therefore, candidates should take advantage of the situation in the labor market and the opportunity to be in a more advantageous position. In addition, the willingness to come to an interview on the eve of the holidays characterizes you as a purposeful and responsible person. So do not miss the chance to get the desired position.
Ekaterina Tikhvinskaya, HR Director, Uponor Rus CJSC:
They say New Year's Eve
Whatever you wish -
Everything will always happen
Everything always comes true...
But seriously, it all depends on how urgently the work is needed. In principle, December and January are considered "dead" months for employment or finding new employees. Therefore, it is hardly worth making serious plans. But if, due to circumstances, you find yourself without a livelihood, then look for a new place and look actively.
If you are thinking of changing jobs in February-March next year, you need to start now: make a competent resume, look at the relevant vacancies, decide on your desires. With such a responsible approach to business, you will then spend much less time to achieve the final result - successful employment.
Anna Koshkina, head of recruitment, adaptation and assessment of personnel at Delikatny Perezezd CJSC:
There is a widespread opinion that it is not worth looking for a job on New Year's Eve or, for example, in the summer, since there are few offers on the market, and in this regard, many job seekers suspend active work. But in my own way personal experience I can say that the need for new employees before winter holidays exactly the same as in ordinary times, and often more. Indeed, often at the beginning of the first quarter, many companies launch new projects, and already now they are recruiting a team for them. Again, a relaxed New Year's Eve environment makes it easier and faster for a new employee to fit into the team. Continue active searches, because the competition in the labor market during the holidays and vacation seasons is reduced, therefore, the chances of those who remain active increase several times.
Read the answers of other HR managers in "Work for you" (No. 101 of 12/23/13). All newspaper issues are available
The person was left without a job or just wants to change it. And ahead of December-January - almost "dead" months for employment. Why is it difficult to find a job during this period? Or, perhaps, on the contrary, this time is quite even in the hands of the applicant?
The second half of this month is considered extremely inactive. Almost everyone who was going to find something new postpones this decision until January. However, not all job seekers and employers think this way - the job search and recruitment, although sluggish, is still going on. What are the pros and cons of trying to find a job during this period? Here's what our experts say.
Editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Work for You”, editor of the portal SPB.RABOTA.RU, recruiter Igor Abramov: “December is the month of the lowest activity on the labor market, both on the part of employers and job seekers. The choice of vacancies is less, and this is a minus for the applicant. But in conditions of reduced competition, it is easier for an employer to catch right person on their own, perhaps not very attractive terms.
Anastasia Dmitrieva, Human Resources Manager at BANKO: “Some companies reduce expenses in December due to corporate events. They reduce open vacancies in order to save money and fill them with existing workers. Yes, and among personnel officers, the desire to find new employees is approaching zero at this time.
Margarita Bragina, recruiting consultant for the AVICONN recruiting company: “Of the disadvantages of finding a job in December, I can note the fact that the employer can postpone the decision on the candidate (especially the final one) to the period after the holidays. And in the new year, the applicant can remain “at zero”, without paid days off.”
Vladimir Volkov, General Director of the Successful Manager recruiting company: “From the point of view of the employer, it is most profitable for the latter to find an employee in December, but with his release to work only in January, after the holidays. Indeed, in this case, the employer does not lose money during the New Year holidays. Therefore, the applicant has a chance.
Anastasia Dmitrieva: “When an applicant decides to start looking for a job in December, he is guided by the thought: “I will start looking now - I will bypass competitors while they are resting.” And this is quite likely, because the number of applicants is really declining.”
Margarita Bragina: “The advantage of finding a job in December is that there are more chances to successfully pass the competition. In the pre-New Year bustle, the employer is in a hurry to close the vacancy as soon as possible and calmly go on vacation. And many candidates are in no hurry to enter the labor market (again, on the eve of the holidays), so there are fewer competitors.”
The long holidays are over. Companies are starting to make plans for the current year, including revising the staffing table. The activity of both sides of the labor market participants is increasing sharply. The number of applicants is increasing. However, there are more vacancies. And it's hard to say which is growing faster: supply or demand...
Vladimir Volkov: “Of course, it is very difficult to “swing” after long holidays, but nevertheless, those who have firmly decided to change their lives purposefully begin the search. And there are many. So the competition is very high.”
Igor Abramov: “Yes, in January there are a lot of vacancies. But the January competition among applicants can no longer be compared with the December one - after all, most people „ new life“It is from the New Year that they begin.”
Margarita Bragina: "Of the advantages of finding and going to work in January, it is the psychological aspect itself that can be noted:" In the new year - with a new job!
Igor Abramov: “The second half of January is the time of market recovery. Already at the end of the month comes the first peak of the year in activity. The second such happens only in the beginning of autumn. During this period, you can catch something that is more difficult to find at other times: after all, there are more vacancies not only in terms of number, but also in terms of assortment.
Search whenever you need it
In general, it is necessary to monitor the emergence of new vacancies constantly. Quite a worthy offer can come at any time - regardless of the season. Therefore, you can search for a job even in seemingly unfavorable moments for this.
Anastasia Dmitrieva: “I believe that it is worth starting to look for a job at any, even inappropriate, time and not inventing any excuses for yourself. After all, in any case, you win in almost everything.
Frame from the movie "Bridget Jones's Diary"Draw a line, make a wish list, promise yourself to lose a couple of pounds - all these are traditional must-dos at the end of the year. But what to do if there is a desire to radically change life right here and now, and you decide to start with work ─ explains Natalya Koroleva, senior consultant for Lux & Media at the Hays recruiting company.
On the one hand, changing jobs at the end of the year seems like a very logical decision: this is a good reason to draw a line in your career development and calculate your “final points”. In addition, the principle “start a new life on Monday” works here. But there is one important point that should not be overlooked. By the end of the year, we accumulate fatigue, including from the current place of work. This is completely normal. Believe me, most of your colleagues go through similar experiences. If so, I would not advise you to immediately think about changing jobs - with the normal course of events, your apathetic mood will pass by the beginning of February. But if this desire has been brewing for more than a month, you can start looking for options and consider proposals.
Postpone until February
If you are serious about changing companies, it is better to think about looking for a new job in advance - in August-September. The selection stages are not a quick process, especially when we are talking about leadership positions. A series of tests and interviews with different levels of management and headquarters (if we are talking about an international company) can take several months. Exact dates no one will call you, but you should not rely on the fact that everything will be decided in a couple of weeks. Especially in January.
If we talk about the liveliness of the market by the end of the year, it strongly depends on the economic situation and the results of companies. Of course, the number of offers decreases by the time of the holidays, as top management often takes vacations, and Western colleagues leave for the holidays even earlier than we do. Therefore, if the goal is to watch the market, it is better to set yourself up that a new active period will begin in February. But nothing prevents you from monitoring the situation and keeping your finger on the pulse. If suddenly the “dream company” starts searching in December, you will have the opportunity to be the first to know about it.
Don't miss out on the annual bonus
With the transition to a new place in late December ─ early January, not everything is so simple, you can stumble upon pitfalls that you might not have thought about when you were in a hurry to enter the next year with new career opportunities. Many large companies pay out a fairly large annual merit bonus at the end of the year, which you can miss out on. If, despite this, you are not eager to stay at work and are in a hurry to transfer, this may be a wake-up call for a new potential employer: perhaps everything is not going well at your current place or you have not met the required indicators for receiving a bonus. If, when accepting an offer, you realized “What about my bonus?” Do not despair and talk to a potential employer. Host companies, as a rule, are sympathetic to the desire to receive a well-deserved bonus and reach new job already in January.
Or still decide?
If practices annual bonuses your company doesn’t, it’s better to agree to go to work at the end of the year - in the December hurricane it will be easier to get involved in the business, get to know the team, make plans for the next year, understand the logic of decision-making in the company, and the New Year’s corporate party can be great a step towards rapprochement with future colleagues and immersion in corporate culture.
Usually, companies at this time conduct a review - sum up, discuss opportunities, plan a budget. The host company understands that the candidate may use the offer as an opportunity to discuss with the current employer their opportunities in the current company. Remember that a potential employer also weighs the risks and may be cautious about making an offer during this period.
A few important steps from Natalia Koroleva
Step 1: Be honest with yourself about why you want to change jobs.
If you do not understand the reasons, you can find yourself in a situation where you received an offer and suddenly thought: “Maybe this is just a series of bad days?” My experience is that the momentum that motivates you to look for a new job does not just happen, it is always the result of a lack of motivation, dissatisfaction, a career ceiling in the current company, etc. And if now it seemed to you that you were just tired, after a conditional six months this desire will most likely arise again.
Step 2 Decide what you need.
This applies to the sphere, and career development, and salary expectations, ─ everything. The more clearly you define all your goals, the more likely it is that in the new year you will finally enter your dream job.
Step 3. Develop a search strategy.
The search itself is a methodical process. HH.ru is one of the most common resources. If you have little experience, your position is intermediate or entry level, then be sure to update your resume. This will help you gather more information about different markets and offers, you will be found faster and interaction will be more effective.
If you are in a leadership position, it is worth contacting a familiar consultant from a recruiting company, so your request will be correctly understood, and hundreds of phone calls will follow with offers that are unlikely to interest you. In our age of digitalization, often the search and communication with candidates takes place through Facebook, this is a very fast way to communicate. Therefore, I recommend that you indicate the current position on your profile page. This will increase the chances that you will be found and offered something worthwhile. LinkedIn was also popular until recently, but now there are limitations in its use. But it's better to create a page there.
It's best to end your relationship with your current employer on a positive note - you never know what might happen tomorrow. If you feel that you will let your colleagues down by leaving, talk to the host company. Most likely, they will meet halfway there, and this step will characterize you as a responsible employee, and will only once again convince the new employer of the correctness of his decision.
Should I start looking for a job before the New Year?
To many, this question will seem strange: isn’t it better to take care of gifts and where to send children for the winter holidays at this time? Most people who have decided to change their lives since the new year really prefer to calmly finish December in their usual team, and only from the second half of January begin to think about “changing places”.
| But sometimes the need for a New Year's Eve job search is not due to the desire of the applicant, but to circumstances beyond his control: downsizing; information about the company's development plans for the next year (which may not include salary increases or career advancement); conflicts with colleagues or with management, etc.
The activity of employers in December, as a rule, decreases: preparations are underway for New Year's corporate parties, annual reports are being submitted, it's time to pay the 13th salary and bonuses - so is it worth hiring new employees? In addition, in December-January, business in Russia traditionally freezes and the financial situation of many companies worsens. |
- low competition of applicants in the labor market;
- some employers are interested in starting the year with a full staff (this is especially true if a new project is planned from January);
- when you get a job in December, you will be able to attend the final annual meetings of the company, which will give you the opportunity to learn a lot about it and about its plans for the next year;
- New Year's corporate events will allow you to meet colleagues in an informal setting and get an idea of the corporate culture;
- having worked less than a month, in January you will receive a weekly paid vacation.
The success of the New Year's job search also depends on where the applicant applies, what working conditions he agrees to and, of course, on the vacancies for which he applies. You will be welcomed with open arms:
- in the hotel, restaurant, tourism and service industries;
- in recruitment agencies that recruit temporary staff in the manufacturing sector with a continuous work cycle. It is up to you whether the temporary job becomes permanent;
- in small private companies, which are often in a fever at the end of the year;
- in reputable and long-standing companies that consistently recruit staff throughout the year.
By the way, if you are hired in December, then it is quite possible that you will have to start your duties only from January! And you will meet the New Year and Christmas days in a good mood and confidence in your future.
Larisa Kupriyanchik
New Year's Eve job search can turn into a "going through the throes." The fact is that since the beginning of December, all firms and organizations begin to reduce documentation, their leaders are planning their New Year's holiday. Engage in hiring of new employees, their training and internships for HR, at a time when colleagues from other departments are preparing for new year holidays of course you don't want to.
Most applicants think this way. But is this really the case in firms and organizations?
Job search is also a kind of work that requires a lot of effort and is performed regardless of the season, weather and mood. People who are looking for work, somewhat reduce their activity and lose their assertiveness before the New Year holidays. Experts say that the labor market has its own cycles. And it cannot be ignored when distributing one's forces and time, when making plans for the future. by the most optimum time for employment, the period from February to May and from September to December is considered. Summer is the time for holidays and vacations. Many bosses at this time are somewhere in the resorts. And in the winter New Year's Eve hype and holidays significantly reduce the chances of finding a job.
However, experts say that even in such situations, one should not stop looking for a job. The more a person strives for employment, the more chances he has to find a decent job. workplace with good wages. As the saying goes: "Knock and it will be opened to you."
Many owners of firms and large enterprises categorically disagree with the point of view of specialists regarding the decrease in the activity of the employer. They argue that such a theory is designed for small firms and small companies. They have a limited staff of employees and updates in the team are extremely rare. Plants and factories with a thousand employees are another matter. At such an enterprise, employees are always valuable, regardless of the time of year or holidays.
At some enterprises, managers, on the contrary, are interested in starting the new working year with a fully staffed team. Therefore, they conduct interviews and recruitment until December 30th. Some companies are trying to hire workers before the end of the year so that they begin their duties immediately after the holidays.
Experts say that recruitment is suspended only at those enterprises where there are no urgent tasks to perform. Such teams can afford to fully enjoy the holidays, corporate parties, celebrations.
There are special career consultants who give people recommendations regarding their employment. So, they argue that for a person who urgently needs a job, any time - be it New year's night or the height of summer vacation - ideal for interviews and employment. After all, all job seekers think approximately the same way, and once you discard these stereotypes, you get undeniable advantages in finding a job on the eve of the holidays.
Now let's try to look at the problem through the eyes of the employer. What should he do if, precisely in the New Year's turmoil, he urgently needed a worker, and all the workers fell into a New Year's hibernation? Since competition in the job market is noticeably reduced during the holidays, you get a great opportunity to get one or another job. In normal times, you would have to fight dozens of competitors for such a place. And on the eve of the holidays, you get a kind of head start.
Fewer competitors isn't the only benefit of holiday employment. As a rule, the working process during the holidays is somewhat relaxed. Some employees take days off, which reduces the amount of work performed. It will be much easier and easier for you, as a beginner, to familiarize yourself with the list of your duties and get up to speed. Yes, and to properly establish relations in the new team also does not hurt. And what better way to bring people together than New Year and Christmas…
When starting a job search, one should not forget that this is usually a lengthy process. You should not expect that by contacting an employment agency today, you will get the job you want tomorrow. You need to look for a job with a margin of two to three months. Approximately for such a period it is realistic to find a workplace that meets your requirements.
When sending a resume to a company or organization before the holidays, make a control send after the holidays. Make sure the letter is delivered to the addressee. Indeed, in the pre-New Year's number of congratulatory letters, your letter can easily be lost.
And in conclusion, I would like to note that only those people who are trying in every possible way to "get around" the work are looking for an excuse for themselves. That time of the year is not suitable for them, that the place of work does not suit them. Or the salary is less than the level of their dignity. You can always find an excuse for your unemployment ... And only those people who have specific life goals and plans will be able to get a job at any, even the most inopportune time.