At the end of the year, many people take stock – and decide that something has to change. The planned changes often include a job change. But be careful: there are also high and low seasons in the labor market. When is it most worthwhile to write applications?
The recruiting company interim writes on its website: “The need for qualified personnel in companies knows neither holiday nor Christmas time!” Of course, it is true that qualified personnel are needed in most industries at any time of the year. But there are times when more positions become available and times when new applications pile up in the HR departments’ offices, sometimes for weeks. There are also a few things to consider when it comes to termination.
The problem with the Christmas bonus
According to interim, it is advisable to find out exactly about the company’s internal deadlines before submitting the termination: Anyone who terminates before a decision has been made about the payment of the Christmas bonus may have to expect a lower bonus.
The Christmas bonus should also be taken into account when planning a job change in December. During the probationary period of up to six months, employees often receive – if at all – a comparatively low Christmas bonus. You are often only allowed to take a vacation after six months. Whether it is worth taking this depends on your own financial situation and how urgently you want to do this new job. For unsolicited applications, it can make sense to wish for a first working day in the new year.
New job: Would you rather start in December or January?
The advantage of this is that after Christmas, a breath of fresh air comes into the company with new projects and financial resources and the new colleagues come out of the Christmas break refreshed. On the other hand, if you start in December, you get involved during the often stressful end-of-year business, before everyone goes on vacation.
While it doesn’t necessarily sound tempting, it also has advantages: According to the job exchange Jobchannel, around 20 percent more people are looking for a new job at the beginning of the year than during the year. This means that there will be more qualified competition applying for the same positions during this time. At the same time, the HR department may still be on vacation, meaning applications can sometimes be piling up on the tables for weeks. So if you want to start your new job before Christmas, apply in the “off season” so to speak and may have better chances in the application process.
If the result of this year’s annual assessment is that a job change is imminent, it may be worthwhile to write applications in early autumn next year. This also has the advantage that in some industries a breath of fresh air blows after the summer break, similar to after Christmas, and new employees are sought for new projects.
The best time to apply varies from industry to industry
In fact, the best time for applications depends heavily on the industry. The ArbeitsABC points out that many jobs are advertised in the catering and hotel industries in March and April – simply because the holiday season is approaching.
Ultimately, there is no one time when you should definitely write applications. Anyone who sees an advertisement for their dream job – no matter when – and is ready for a job change should give it a try, regardless of the time of year. However, Christiane Gerwing, personal development coach, tells the Frankfurter Rundschau a fixed rule: starting a new job only makes sense if you have the energy for a strenuous probationary period and for finding your way in a new environment. Ultimately, the job change should improve the situation and not lead to excessive stress and exhaustion.
Editorial team finanzen.net
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