Holiday Hiring: Here's Why Q4 Is a Good Time to Find a Job

Just because the holidays are coming up doesn’t mean your job search should take a holiday as well. In fact, some experts say the Q4 is a great time to be looking for a job, especially since many other people will likely be taking a break. That means less competition for the positions you’ve got your eye on.

Despite all the decorations and holiday parties, recruiters are still hard at work talking to candidates and filling open positions. And just think; with fewer people applying for those jobs, you’ve got the advantage of meeting with recruiters who have a little more time to get to know you and your skills.

Don’t be spooked by Halloween, career experts tell us hiring keeps going all throughout Q4. Some jobs become open after employees get their year-end bonus and quit. HR managers have to work quickly to get those roles filled. So, get out there and network, hit those holiday parties, and let people know you’re looking. We rounded up advice from recruiters and career experts who agree; Q4 really is the most wonderful time of the year … to look for a job.

Jessica Cataneo, CyberCoders Executive Recruiter

"Hiring in Q4? I’m all for it. Whether you work with startups or big corporations, Q4 is a great time to hire.

Big corporations often have a ‘use it or lose it’ budget and need to make their hires before the New Year. That means managers are scrambling to have offers out and accepted by the second week of December regardless of whether the candidate starts before the end of the year."

Most of my clients are tech startups, and there is no slowing down around the holidays…the founders are trying to get their business/platform/product up and running and they need people, and they needed them yesterday!

Q4 is also when candidates stop being passive and start looking around. This is because bonuses are usually paid out in Q4. If they are unhappy with their current employer, once that bonus check hits their bank accounts, they are out – honestly, at this point in Q4, candidates who are one foot out the door are already interviewing and most likely entertaining a few offers."

Alison Green, author of the Ask a Manager advice blog

"Probably the biggest thing to know about job searching in the last quarter of the year is that hiring is still happening! People often mistakenly assume that no one is hiring as we get closer to the holidays, but plenty of hiring still happens then. It's certainly true that some searches slow down or get put on hold, but lots of hiring still moves forward. And the advantage to candidates is that they may have less competition, because a lot of candidates search less actively at this time of year or pause their searches altogether.

Of course, job searching toward the end of the year does mean that you should be prepared for the process to potentially take longer, because interviewers and other decision-makers may be on vacation. That can mean that there are more delays, or that you need to be more flexible with your own schedule since the hiring manager may have limited availability. But if you're willing to be patient and flexible, it can be great a time of year to job search."

Vicki Salemi, career expert and former corporate recruiter

"Newsflash: It’s a total myth that companies aren’t hiring right now. In fact, employers are scurrying to fill jobs with qualified candidates by year-end.

As a former corporate recruiter, I can tell you—the pressure was on in December! If job openings didn’t get filled by the end of the month, the finance department typically questioned why and wrongly assumed that the reason the position was still open was because the department didn’t really need the additional headcount.

Bottom line: Recruiters need to find you as soon as possible. I extended countless job offers during many Decembers, so new hires were sitting pretty in their new office by the time the new year rolled around."

Nancy Collamer, Founder MyLifestyleCareer.com

"The holiday season offers great opportunities for networking. Between neighborhood potluck dinners, trade group parties, and community gatherings, there’s no shortage of events where you can meet new contacts and reconnect with old friends. You might find that one of them was hired recently and can give you a few pointers.

Just be careful to keep social interactions social — for goodness sake, don’t hand out your resumé at a party. If you have a conversation with someone you think might be helpful to your search, ask for his or her contact information and follow up later."