One question I get asked frequently this time of the year is “Should I wait until January to job search?” I will explain why this is a bad idea and what you can do from now until January to help your job search build some momentum.
Let’s start with some of the objections that I hear most often:
WHAT ABOUT MY BONUS?
If you are just starting a job search now, it is not likely that you will secure a new role before the New Year. If you are in the middle of a job search already and are close to securing an offer, you may not need to start your role until January, which means that you can have the rest of the year to put in your notice and finish out strong with your current organization and receive your bonus. Typically, a new organization would prefer that you receive your bonus as well since they wouldn’t want a candidate to try to negotiate a sign-on bonus or additional compensation to make up for a lost year-end bonus.
NO ONE IS HIRING
This is a myth! Companies are actively hiring now. Not every company can wait till January to fill their roles so it’s a fantastic time to capture these opportunities.