When to start applying for jobs

There is a season for most things in life, and this includes the job market. Knowing the right times to apply for jobs can help you avoid peak times, beat the competition and bag the best jobs on the market. According to a McKinsey report, 86% of organizations admit they have a skills gap or will have one in the next few years. This goes to show that there are plenty of opportunities out there, you just need to get the timing right!

We’ll give you the low down on some of the best and worst times of the year to start applying for jobs, looking at:

• Winter: the start of the new year
• Spring: the beginning of the financial year
• Summer: graduate programs kick-off
• Early autumn: the final uptake wave
• Late autumn: hiring slows down
• Best time of day to apply for jobs
• Best time of the week to apply for jobs

Winter: the start of the new year

Often, a company will receive fresh hiring budgets at the beginning of the calendar year. Subsequently, this is an excellent time to start applying for jobs, as businesses will have higher recruitment budgets and some may be catching up on the backlog of hires that they couldn’t employ due to previous budget restraints. This makes January and February great months for your job hunt.

At the start of the year, employees and decision-makers will also be back from their holidays, and be ready to get stuck back into completing all the tasks they’ve been putting off. This means the interview process is likely to be much swifter and make the hiring process much more enjoyable for you – you may even get a start date much sooner than you’d expect!

Spring: the beginning of the financial year

As companies will have plenty of budgets to work with, the start of the financial year can be a great time to start your job search. In fact, month on month statistics show an increase in job numbers between April and May in 2022, representing a 16% boost for permanent positions and 19% for contract roles.

At this time of year, with many existing employees due to go on annual leave during the summer, companies also feel a greater deal of pressure to hire new talent. However, it’s important to note that competition may be high at this time as everyone will have the same idea as you. So, you’ll need to make sure you bring your A-game. We recommend you work hard on your CV, curate a compelling cover letter and practise for your interviews!

Summer: graduate programs kick-off

On the other hand, summer is not the best time to apply for a job as most businesses will have already allocated most of their budgets for the year and have a robust team in place. Likewise, many people choose to take their annual leave during the school summer holidays, meaning there are fewer people available to manage the recruitment process and train new hires. So, it’s likely you’ll have a hard time finding a job at this time of the year. And, if there are job openings, they are typically for entry-level positions.

For example, the summer months are a fantastic time for graduates to get stuck into their job search. Most employers will be looking to hire graduates fresh out of university from August onwards, so it’s crucial that you get yourself down to job fairs, get online and start applying!

On average, it takes 27 days to fill a position and in peak times, this can take even longer as there are more applications to sieve through. As most companies will be understaffed at these times, it’s important to be patient with employers and understand that you may not get a response right away. If you choose not to apply in the summer, instead, you can use it as an opportunity to research the job market, brush up on your application and interview skills, or even get some more training under your belt.

Early autumn: the final uptake wave

Hiring happens in waves, and waves have an ebb and flow. Early autumn, around September and October, is the final flow for the year. Employees are refreshed from their summer holidays, and have more time for reviewing applications and taking interviews, ready for one last hiring spree.

And, for businesses whose budgets refresh in the new year, early autumn is a race to spend all resources – the perfect time to hire!

Late autumn: hiring slows down

Unfortunately, in late autumn the wave begins to ebb again, and hiring slows down between November and December. This is mainly due to employees taking time off for the holidays and depleted hiring budgets. We recommend taking this time to wind down, prepare for a fresh start in the new year and take on your job search with a bang!

Best time of day to apply for jobs

Studies of over 1,600 job applications reveal that you are much less likely to receive an interview, if you apply past 7:30pm – just a 3% chance! And, any applications sent past 4pm had even less chances of a call-back, too.

The study showed that the best times to apply for jobs are between 6am and 10am.

Best time of the week to apply for jobs

According to a 2015 study, these are the best times of the week to apply for jobs:

Job application best practices

1. Use downtime to boost your credentials and improve your job application.
2. Apply to jobs as soon as you see them – jobs will be snatched up before you know it (especially the good ones).
3. Regularly check for job listings, even in off-peak times – you may find a hidden gem.
4. Be proactive with your job search, especially during competitive times.

To summarize

All that being said, it’s important to not overthink it and remember that many companies hire all year-round! If you look hard enough and stay persistent, you’ll be sure to land yourself a fantastic job in the industry of your choice.

At FDM, we have over 30 years of experience launching tech careers for graduates, returners and veterans, providing them with expert career development programs and opportunities with some of the most prestigious companies in the world.

If you’re looking to launch your career but don’t know where to start, check out the FDM Career Development Program for fantastic opportunities working with industry-leading companies – we’re always looking for new talent!