New Year, New You

November is now upon us, and with Christmas fast approaching, thoughts quickly lead to the New Year and the new you clichés. Making a career change ranks high on many people’s lists of New Year’s resolutions and with the job market winding down towards the end of the year and picking up again in January, it is actually a great time to begin your research for a work based change. Appropriately dubbed the “fresh start effect”, the preparation for a career change can actually start long before the festive season is underway, especially with the average interview process now taking up to 23 days, up from 13 days just four years ago, according to a new report from Glassdoor Economic Research.

There is also the personal preparation to consider. Updating and registering your CV with key job boards and basic research on your preferred company can all take time, so if you are set on making a career change in 2017, there's no time like the present to get the ball rolling.

Starting a new role in January can have positive psychological effects. Rejuvenated after a well-earned festive break, starting or coming back to a job search after the holidays certainly adds to the ‘fresh start’ mind-set. Also the case for businesses with the majority having new budgets in place at the start of the year, people are looking and planning to leave their current positions, which in turn creates turnover and a vast amount of openings

Whilst the conditions for job seekers are relatively positive, it is important however not to be over confident. Start your research well in advance, now ideally, and don’t be overconfident enough to hand in your resignation before getting an exact idea of what your next move is. Think about who you wish to work for, perhaps even sign up with a recruitment consultancy like ourselves, who can keep you in the loop and inform you of upcoming roles. Not only will this put you ahead of the game, it will also allow you to still work your current position until you find something suitable.

Ashleigh Wright, Commercial Director of Westray Recruitment Consultants states that January always tends to create a surge in applications. Whilst most industries hire throughout the year, there is something about the New Year that makes people all philosophical and keen to make a career change.

If you’re looking to progress your career, speak to one of our consultants today about starting your job search on 0191 492 6622