Why December Is the Best Time to Search for Jobs

For today’s job seekers, December may be the perfect time to get in front of potential employers. See four reasons why this month could be great for your job search.

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4 reasons to start your job search before the new year

According to a study by the New York Times, hiring tends to slow every December before rebounding in January. While it may be a slower month, job seekers have plenty of reasons to keep up their job search this time of year. To help get you to work sooner, PeopleReady shares four benefits of applying for jobs in December.

Employers have additional holiday hiring needs

The holiday season often leads to increased demand for temporary and part-time workers in industries like retail, hospitality and events, providing flexible job opportunities.

Plus, existing employees may take time off during the holiday season, which means companies will have to hire temporary or flexible workers to cover their roles. If you are still looking for seasonal work opportunities, check out these holiday jobs!

Fewer workers are applying for positions

Fewer job seekers may be active in December, believing that most companies are under a hiring freeze during the holidays. But actually, it can be a busy hiring month for many industries. You’ll be more likely to find a new position in these industries with less competition from other job seekers.

Some workers also use this time to move on to other companies, creating new openings that need to be filled. As a result, hiring managers may employ temporary or temp-to-hire workers for their open roles. If you’re interested in beginning a new career path or want to build your skills, there are plenty of jobs to explore.

Some companies have extra year-end money

Companies often play it safe with their yearly budgets to be prepared for any financial setbacks. By the time December rolls around, they may be in a position to hire people for jobs they couldn’t afford earlier in the year.

Another important thing to remember is that sometimes temporary workers can get good news at the end of the year. Many companies like to hire people who have been working for them on a part-time or temporary basis and offer them full-time jobs.

People in charge of hiring have more time available

With many workers on vacation, HR managers often have a lighter workload this time of year. As a result, they may have more time to devote to recruiting for their companies. That means HR managers may be more responsive, and employers more willing to offer incentives such as flexible schedules.

As companies prepare for the start of a new year, they may launch new projects or initiatives that require additional staffing, creating opportunities for job seekers who are seeking flexible jobs.

Start your end-of-year job search with PeopleReady

PeopleReady can help match job seekers like you with flexible jobs that fit their skills and schedules. Either through our website or our JobStack app, you have access to a variety of seasonal or temporary jobs to help you expand your skills. This makes it easy to find jobs that are just right for you!

PeopleReady has jobs available now in a variety of industries. For example:

  • Retail
  • Hospitality
  • Events
  • Manufacturing
  • Construction
  • And more!

Looking for work in your area?

PeopleReady, a TrueBlue company (NYSE: TBI), specializes in quick and reliable on-demand labor and highly skilled workers. PeopleReady supports a wide range of industries, including construction, manufacturing and logistics, retail and hospitality. Leveraging its game changing JobStack staffing app and presence in more than 600 markets throughout North America, PeopleReady served approximately 83,000 businesses and put approximately 226,000 people to work in 2022.