The first working Monday of the year has consistently seen a spike in job seekers, new research has found. Year-on-year job search engine Adzuna.co.uk has reported seeing a 36 per cent uplift in users compared to any average Monday.
Web traffic regularly peaks at 1pm on the first working Monday – meaning Brits are using their lunch break at their current job to look for a new role at another company.
Over the past five years, Adzuna has seen a consistent flurry of job seekers on the first Monday of January; 2014 saw 39.2 per cent more traffic than the average Monday, 2015 had 35.6 per cent more, 2016 boasted a 39.7 per cent increase, 2017 gained 28.7 per cent more and last year received a 37.1 per cent increase.
“With New Year comes self-reflection and typically brings about the urge for a fresh start, so it’s not surprising so many are looking for their next career move. The resolutions of ‘New Year New Me’ followed swiftly by the most the miserable day of the week bring about the perfect storm for Brits to start searching for a new work challenge,” said Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna.
“Based on previous years we expect to see around 36 per cent increase in traffic this Monday 7. When it comes to job hunting, the next few weeks will be some of the most challenging to stand out from the crowd. At this time of year, it’s even more crucial for job seekers to be efficient with their time and take the right steps to maximise chances of success”
Top tips on how best to arm yourself for your next career move
1) ‘New Year, New You’ – be the most up-to-date and best version of yourself
First impressions count on paper as much as they do face-to-face. As the first step on your job hunt, you’ll need to do some housekeeping by brushing up on your CV to make sure it’s representative of your career path and your current ambitions. Ask yourself, does it accurately present your journey so far?
Silly mistakes should also be avoided – proofread, proofread and proofread again. Check your CV is written and formatted correctly and most importantly, that it is mistake free. One riddled with typos and grammatical errors is the biggest gripe with employers, according to findings from the New College of the Humanities (NCH) where researchers interviewed more than 860 recruiters.
2) Know your worth
Before you go sifting through all the thousands of live UK jobs – Adzuna currently has 860,466 on its website – it’s key to find out what your salary should be to discover what roles you should apply for.
3) Beat the paper sifting stage
Your CV looks great and reads well; you’re almost set to apply. So, the final question is: Can it be read by the software so many recruiters now use at the paper sift stage?. You could be consigning it to the virtual recycling bin unless you double check.
The ValueMyCV tool uses the same type of software that recruiters use, so it will make sure your CV passes this preliminary test. Giving you a full picture of how recruiters will read and analyse your CV, you know it will be seen by the right people and you have the best chance of getting the salary you deserve.
4) Listen to your desires and ambitions
When job-hunting we’re mostly looking for something that our current role is lacking. It may sound obvious but try to be sure that the roles you’re approaching genuinely offer those key things you’re really yearning for – either by looking at the job description or by asking specific questions during an interview.
5) Use tools to manage your search effectively
Job searching is a job in itself, as such, it’s a process that requires management. You’ll need to keep track of potential employers and jobs, applications both pending and complete, and the contacts you make as you try to further your career.
