The dawn of a new year, as with the dawn of a new day, brings hope and potential for change. At this apt time many people in the fields of engineering, construction and manufacturing are inspired to consider a new and exciting opportunity to further their career growth. But is the new year the best time? Are there better months than others to consider a job change?
Not surprisingly, numerous executive search firms site January and February as the best time of year to look for a job. In fact, Career advisors actually consider these the top months for hiring.
The reasons make sense. To start, it is during these months that companies receive their hiring budgets and updated sales forecasts, therefore, Human Resource Managers and engineering manufacturing and construction company executives have the best idea of their hiring needs.
Also, hiring that may have been put on hold in the fray of holiday activity, can now take place. The month of December is also a time that many employees receive their annual bonus, so job movement in this month is generally slow.
Finally, most employees that leave their posts for greener pastures or retirement, do so at the end of the year. Therefore, firms tend to hire replacements at the start of the new year.
Interestingly, February may be seen as the more ideal of the two months to consider a career change, as engineering, construction and manufacturing job seekers who flood executive recruitment firms and human resource departments with resumes in the month of January, are fewer in number in the following month. Moreover, as people are sometimes slow to come back from holidays, the middle of January and early February may be the best time for the most important executive recruiters and decision makers to be at the table together, allowing for crucial hiring decisions to be made quickly and efficiently.
With the month of year narrowed, one must also consider further timing. It may come as no surprise that Monday and Tuesday are the best days of the week to apply for an engineering, manufacturing or construction job, and more specifically, in the morning. An in-depth study found that 30% of candidates who applied for a job on a Monday received an interview, while Tuesday is arguably a better option than Monday. Moreover, the morning seems to be the best time of day to apply for an engineering, manufacturing or construction job. While one study sites 11 a.m. being the best time, another source, found the period between 6:00-10:00 a.m. ideal. Regardless, the morning is better than the afternoon for your application to be seen and prioritized, increasing your chances of getting a callback.
Now that we have narrowed the job search down to month, day and time, window of opportunity must be addressed as well. Generally speaking, the old adage “the early bird gets the worm” speaks volumes. Job seekers who submit their applications within 96 hours of a posting were 8X more likely to proceed to the interview stage. With each passing day after the initial 96 hours, the chances diminish as much as 28%. Don’t let your engineering, manufacturing or construction job opportunity be a missed one.
So, the time is now—literally, and our executive search firm can help you begin your journey towards fulfillment in 2020. At PHM Search | Simply Technical we recruit 100K+ Senior & Executive Engineers and Construction Talent across Canada and the USA. Contact us today to discuss how we can tailor an executive recruitment strategy that suits your needs.
Sources:
https://careers.workopolis.com/advice/the-best-time-of-year-day-of-the-week-for-finding-a-new-job/
http://www.executivesonline.fr/en/blog/2014/07/31/data-reveal-best-time-year-hire-find-job/
https://careersidekick.com/whats-the-best-day-to-apply-for-jobs-online/
https://www.smartrecruiters.com
https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/job-search-recruitment-cycles
https://www.businessinsider.com/why-tuesday-is-the-best-day-to-apply-for-a-job-2015-4
https://www.topresume.com/career-advice/the-best-times-of-the-year-to-job-search