Research reveals the best window of opportunity for job seekers to get a role in time for the New Year

Data from recruiter Michael Page shows, on average, it takes 33 days from a candidate’s first application to signing on the dotted line

A study of 5,000 UK workers revealed almost a quarter want to kickstart 2024 with a new job ( SWNS)

Job seekers have been given a two-week window of opportunity to get their CVs out there if they want to land a role in time for the New Year.

In order to start on Wednesday 3rd January, the first day back at work after seeing in the New Year, applicants need to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later.

Data from recruiter Michael Page shows, on average, it takes 33 days from a candidate’s first application to signing on the dotted line, and adding a one-month notice period, meaning the prime time to apply for a January start is during the next fortnight.

Job seekers may want to take note of these timings, as a study of 5,000 UK workers revealed almost a quarter (22 per cent) want to kickstart 2024 with a new job.

Of these, 40 per cent say they are waiting until the New Year to apply for a new role.

But applicants holding off until January could miss out as more than half (51 per cent) of those involved in hiring say they want to get the ball rolling in the Autumn so that their new recruits can ‘hit the ground running’ in the New Year.

Doug Rode, Managing Director UK&I at Michael Page, part of FTSE 250 PageGroup, said: “We know that people like to make New Year’s resolutions and January feels like the natural time to make a big change.

“But this data shows that when it comes to landing your dream new job, it can actually be advantageous to get ahead of the game.

“In fact, smart businesses will be thinking about hiring now so that new starters can kick off in January in order to get maximum impact for the new year.

“That means that the savviest hiring managers are likely to be locking down their new recruits now.

“Taking control of your career and applying before the end of the year could make all the difference to your job search, with other job seekers missing out on great opportunities by waiting until 2024 begins.”

More than half of survey respondents (53 per cent) said the new year represents a new start, which makes it the perfect time to embark on the next chapter of their career.

And 38 per cent think it is beneficial to start a new role then because it allows them to set goals for the year ahead.

The data also revealed that pay (50 per cent), work-life balance (40 per cent) and the chance to develop new skills (33 per cent) are the top reasons why workers want to start afresh.

And money is talking louder than ever before, with the highest proportion of workers (26 per cent) expecting a healthy five to 10 per cent salary increase in their next role.

Meanwhile a significant 13 per cent of workers said they would expect a hefty 30 to 40 per cent salary hike in their next offer.

Working styles matter to job seekers too, with 60 per cent keen to consign the 9 to 5 to history by applying to companies with flexible start and finish times.

And 44 per cent are actively seeking out firms with four-day working weeks, which they believe to be a far more appealing prospect.

Additionally, almost half of workers (48 per cent) have come to realise they will need to seek a new job in order to climb the corporate ladder, with this ambition underpinning their 2024 job hunt.

However, 45 per cent of job seekers would be tempted to stay put if they received a counteroffer from their existing employer, the findings conducted via OnePoll found.

Doug Rode added: “A quarter of the UK workforce are set on starting afresh next year when it comes to their career.

“And there is plenty of opportunity out there, with almost a million jobs still available in the UK according to recent ONS data.

“We see a lot of competition in January for roles with many workers trying to realise their resolutions but what candidates may not realise is that October can be a brilliant month to get on the front foot with their search and beat the post-Christmas rush.

“And when it comes to counteroffers, it’s worth taking plenty of time to think it over.

“If you have gone through the effort of securing an exciting new role, with great benefits and plenty of opportunity, there is likely to be a good reason.”