How to find a new job in January

Tips on how and where to find a job in a highly competitive job market are often sought, especially when thinking about changes in your life. Are you also thinking about changes in your life? A new year, a new job, new interests… If you are thinking about how to find a job, it is important to look for different opportunities and methods, also to consider where to find a job that will meet your expectations and goals. That’s why many people in the job market are willing to start looking for their dream job right after the New Year’s eve.

When do Slovak people most often look for a new job?

According to surveys, the most common time to look for a job is the beginning of the year (January and February) and the beginning of autumn (September and October). Why is this so?

A new job is our New Year’s resolution

At the end of the year, we are used to making resolutions. We want the next year to be better, more beautiful, more interesting and more financially stable than the previous one. None of us like change, but in the aftermath of Christmas, when we’ve had time to relax, spend more time with family than at work and reflect on our lives, we usually all come to the same conclusion – we want more. If your home environment is stable and you’re happy with your life, what you’re keen to change is either your body (gym passes sell fastest at this time of year) or your work. But finding a job at this time is more difficult because the job market is crowded with competition. Many people decide they want to change their lives, which is why there are many more CVs for job offers than at other times of the year.

After the summer holidays, we reassess our work and life

If we talk about the next period when the labour market is really competitive, it is the period after the summer – September and October. People relax on holiday and succumb to the desire to change something in their lives. The beginning of summer, even in adult people, gives the feeling that a kind of period of obligation has ended and now we have two months of peace. Even though most of us adults work in the summer, the psychological effect of ‘you can’t get anything done in the summer anyway’ reduces our productivity and our desire to work until autumn arrives. And after two weeks in Crete, you might even change your mind about whether your work is meaningful and fulfilling in your life.

When do employers advertise the most?

Unfortunately, we’re going to let you down. January and September are definitely not months in which companies advertise a lot. Companies publish most job ads in May and June, before the summer starts (according to data from ekariera.sk). However, this is also the period when fewer people are looking for a job, which is why there is the least competition in the labour market.

What can help you find a job at the beginning of the year?

In fact, our advice can help you in your job search at any time of the year. We want to give you some advice on how to get a job and stand out above the competition when it’s at its highest.

How to find a new job in a highly competitive job market?

• Internet

We are not just talking about job search portals or employment agencies. Also pay attention to social media marketing or groups where your colleagues or clients gather. We also recommend that you visit the websites of companies you’d like to work for and keep an eye on them to see if they are currently offering job offers that might interest you.

• Experience

The fear of not being able to find a job at an older age is understandable. But it’s by no means lost! For many positions (e.g. management, executive), a person with experience is a better candidate – don’t be afraid to demonstrate your skills and abilities on your resume (try to improve your resume by our resume skills tips article) and at the interview.

• Determination

What recruiters find on your CV or portfolio is only a fraction of what you can do to impress them. If people are equally educated and equally experienced, the recruiter will go with the person who has the most positive attitude. Be determined to change your life, spread positive energy and you will become memorable. You must differentiate yourself from your competitors with esprit and radiance, not just experience and skills.

• Loyalty

Be careful what you put on your CV. If you’re applying for a job Java developer senior, you don’t need to say you worked as a bartender in high school. It has nothing to do with your current job search. Likewise, if you are in an industry with high fluctuation (e.g. marketing, industrial manufacturing, warehouse work, etc.), think twice about what you put on your resume. The high fluctuation rate gives recruiters the impression that your only motivation is money and that your loyalty to the company means nothing to you.

• How to prepare for an interview

January is really competitive, so you can’t underestimate how to prepare for a job interview. You don’t want to be the one who can’t even remember what company you came to interview for or what job you are applying for. If you really want to impress recruiters or business owners, you should study basic information about the company, arrive at the interview on time and prepare a set of at least three questions to ask at the end of the interview. We recommend that the questions should be about the company culture and company goals rather than the possibility of a pay raise after the probationary period. Show that you care about your job and helping the company, not just personal gain. We believe you will find your dream job. And if you dream of a career in IT, you’ll find our job offers here.