When to look for a new job...

[macmet]

Pretty straight forward question, is there a time of year that is better to look for a new job than others? Does it change a lot between the different industries out there?

I know new graduates often get hired in the spring but I have been working for a few years now so the type of job I'll be looking at might be differt.

Any thoughts?

 

[TheTick]

Traditionally, summer is a slow season. Still, there are jobs out there.

January is when new budgets take effect and hiring for new positions ramps up.

Opportunity has its own season.

 

[Heckler]

If you have a good network in place anytime will be a good time to look at other opportunities. I've been asked many times in the past if I know of any engineers looking for work long before the job gets posted on Monster, Hotjobs, or classified ads. So that means network with college buddies, people you meet technical seminars or coffee shops.

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 4.0 & Pro/E 2001
o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

"Avoid the base hypocrisy of condemning in one man what you pass over in silence when committed by another." -- Theodore Roosevelt

 

[csd72]

I would suggest that you start looking now and stay in your current job until you get the right opportunity.

Also being in a current job gives you a bit more power to get the terms that you want. If they wont come up to your requirements then you dont have to take it.

csd

 

[KENAT]

Both my jobs started in October, which I understand is usually in the slower time of year.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[ewh]

Layoffs do tend to pick up right after Labor day, but I guess that sometimes they overdo it and have to re-hire.

 

[Heckler]

I remember when LM lost a $10B NMD contract to BO.....LM hemorrhaged engineers throughout all business sectors. Whereas six months earlier they were marching them in 50 abreast.

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 4.0 & Pro/E 2001
o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

"Avoid the base hypocrisy of condemning in one man what you pass over in silence when committed by another." -- Theodore Roosevelt

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Checking my resume shows that ALL my jobs or transfers happend during the summer - June to August.

Not sure why --- but a definite pattern.

 

[zuccus]

All of my job transfers have been in the March time frame. Which means I was interviewing in Febuarary because the budget was probably approved in January.

Take CSD's recommendation and start looking now. It took me about a year or looking at monster, career builder, and networking to find the job I wanted to take, not the job I had to take.

Zuccus

 

[macmet]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I have been looking online for jobs now and then but nothing has really hit me as something I have to get.

The reason I want to wait a little bit still is I have a personal committment that I really want to keep. If the situation came up where I had to find a new job I could break this committment but I really enjoy it and would rather wait.

 

[RDK]

If you are thinking about looking for a new job then the best time is right now.

There are advantages and disadvantages to almost any season. I have heard people say that the Christmas season is a good time. Not as many jobs out there but fewer people looking and decision makers in good moods. Other people say lack of jobs mean not worth looking.

Summer is sometimes a good season. People are more relaxed and have to make hiring decisions quickly before they go on holidays. Other positions might het delayed while the ultimate decision maker is on holidays.

Some specific industries may have a seasonal component, like construction in Canada when things slow down in the winter, but winter is also when designs get finished and tenders put out to bids. Things even out over time.

Don’t over analyze things, just do them.



Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[MedicineEng]

My jobs started in September, May and my next one in coming October, in different countries, so the most important is timing. Your CV must arrive in the moment that they are really looking for it.
As per type of hiring, the first one was a contact from university, the second was a reply to a newspaper ad and this third one was purely networking. And the importance of keeping the actual job is quite big. Other important thing is to know your competitors. In all positions with exception of the first one, where they only interviewed me as they had already chosen, I tried in a informal talk with my interviewer to understand who I was against with. This served to adjust my conditions. And in both ocasions after I had the information, I adjusted the conditions up, so I managed to get a better deal than I was expecting.
Good luck.

 

[Comcokid]

Just a suggestion on getting more information on how the job market varies over time, or even how a particular discipline, skill, or a company's hiring varies over time.

Go to the job web site "indeed (period) com". Type in and search the skill/item/company you want trend information on and search. When the search info results come back, then click the "trend" link at the top above the search box.

Indeed is a job aggregator-type site with a database skimmed from many other sites.

I used to go to some of the big job posting sites, search certain skill terms, look at the number of hits, and save the number in an Excel file for future reference. Always helpful for understand trends in the job market, or even the state of the economy.

 

[IRstuff]

I would go with RDK's advice and just DO it.

While my job starts have been:
July, August, Sept, Oct, Oct, near as I can tell, there have been other extenuating circumstances.

Summer is often hard for getting decisions made, as many people are on vacation. My last job start was Oct, but I actually interviewed in June.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[Ashereng]

I am not aware of one - other than the traditional on campus interview of colleges.

Other than that, most companies hire when they need to.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[josephv]

Personally, I believe engineers should always have their eyes open to new opportunities. Because things change very quickly in our business. Now it doesn't mean one has to be sending their resume out every week, but like others mentioned networking is very important.

 

[PSE]

In agreement with josephv, keep tabs on what is going on in the employment marketplace as well as the industry in general. The best time to find a new job is when you do not need to find one but wish to. Time of year seems immaterial once you get past the entry-level type positions as you no longer end up competing with recent graduate cycles.

Regards,