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When Is the Best Time to Apply for a Job in the UK?

14 December 2023 By Falmouth Fairfax

​​The UK job market can be competitive for students, fresh graduates, and people who have work experience. Sometimes, timing can also play a crucial role in the success of your job application. There are months that are busier and those that are quieter. Every industry and position is different, so there isn’t a universal hiring season. However, many experts agree that the beginning of the year is a great time to look for a new position for a range of reasons. If you understand the timing, you can have a more planned approach in your job application. At Falmouth Fairfax the majority of our roles are for experienced professionals, so we will focus on that in this blog, but we do sometimes have graduate roles so don't hesitate to get in touch for more information or guidance.

As previously mentioned, there is no official time period for recruitment and companies hire staff all year round, especially people with work experience. Although there is no employment cycle like graduate and internship roles have, there are months that are quieter than the others.

Usually, January to March is the best time to look for a job. During this time, many companies allocate their recruitment budget, people come back from their Christmas or New Year breaks and hiring managers are driven to fill vacancies which were paused due to this period of time off. People also tend to use this end-of-year break to reflect on their current roles and responsibilities, often making resolutions to find new opportunities in January and thus creating more vacant positions.

There are still plenty of roles in the market in April and May, mostly due to the openings from January to March. However, during this time, the job market can get very competitive because there are more people applying for jobs too. It is essential to review your CV and prepare well for your interview.

Summer months are usually more quiet. There are not as many vacancies as there are in January or February, and there will be fewer interviews due to hiring managers being on holiday. You may need to try harder to find something suitable during this time. If you cannot find a job you like, you should not worry too much. The market will start picking up in September again, and there will be more jobs. Summer is also an excellent time to improve your interview skills to be ready for upcoming interviews and increase your chance of success in Autumn.

Regardless of the time of year, it is always wise to keep an eye on available roles so as not to miss any potential dream jobs! Click here for our vacancies.

Sources/Credits: LinkedIn & Business News Daily