The Best And Worst Times To Search For A New Job

Originally published at Forbes.com by 

Jack Kelly

Not all times of the year are equal when it comes to seeking out a new job. The most opportune times are when you’re happy and succeeding at work, during the first few weeks of September and the start of the new year. Avoid embarking upon a job search during the holiday season and summer, especially in the month of August.

Look For A New Job When You’re Feeling Positive

Although this may run counter to what you might think, individuals should look for a new job when they are at peace and flourishing in their current role.

In addition to possessing all the requisite skills required for a job function, hiring managers want self-assured, positive and motivated candidates.

You'll perform better in the interview process when you are confident and feel good about yourself. Since you already hold a job, the pressure is less intense than being in between roles. Your mindset will be, “If I get this new job, that’s great. If not, I have a perfectly fine job to return to.”

Most people strike out when interviewing because they are nervous, lack confidence and come across as afraid or even angry and resentful that they were forced back into the job market. The interviewers pick up on their negative vibe. When the job market is tough, it’s easy for the hiring manager to take a hard pass on the applicant with a poor attitude and move on to the next candidate.

January And February Are The Top Months To Apply For Jobs

A week or so into January and February are two of the best times to engage in a job search. The beginning of a new year is a joyous time when people feel like they are starting fresh with a clean slate.

People make their New Year's resolutions of losing weight, going to the gym or finding a new job. The holiday season is over, and you revert to that back-to-work mentality. From a practical standpoint, companies set their yearly budgets and headcount, so they are ready to interview candidates and make hires. Businesses have given their yearly reviews and performance evaluations at the end of December. Based on the outcomes, workers decide to stay or feel the pressure to leave of their own volition rather than suffer the fate of waiting to get the ax.

Search For A New Job After The Summer Is Over

Like January, September is an ideal time to get into search mode. The summer is over, and workers experience the equivalent of the back-to-school mindset when they were kids. They’ve enjoyed the leisurely feel of three-day weekends, taking vacations, enjoying the nice weather and coasting, as there’s an unspoken mutual understanding that we can slow down the pace and enjoy life in the summer. The wheels start turning again in September; jobs are posted online, and the hiring cycle kicks into gear.

The summer and holiday season, starting around Thanksgiving, are the most difficult to interview since most companies slow down during those periods. Most people take their vacations and paid time off in July and August. The turnstile of workers coming and going away makes it hard to interview. The human resources person is on a family vacation at Disney World. When they return, the hiring manager is out at the beach and can’t make the interview. Then, the candidate will be traveling abroad for the rest of the summer, so the interviews must be postponed to September.

The Best Days To Submit Your Résumé For A Job

The best days to submit a résumé are mid-week or later. The “Sunday scaries” push people to send their résumés out to employers, as the dread of Monday looming forces them to reevaluate their jobs and lives.

The challenge is that too many people feel this way, and your résumé could get lost in the growing pile. Due to the high volume, HR and managers may not immediately see the résumé. Therefore, you may want to time sending out your résumé on late Tuesday or Wednesday after the initial burst of résumés subside.

Toward the end of the week, the résumé submittals dwindle. It might be worthwhile to send in your résumé on Thursday or Friday, as there will be less competition, and your résumé will stick out in a less-crowded field.

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Jack Kelly

5 Ways To Find A Low-Stress, Easy Job In 2023

Relaxed employee in a tranquil office

GETTY

Originally published on Forbes.com  Rachel Wells

Contributor

In recent years, the concept of work/life balance and transitioning into roles that preserve one's mental health have been increasing in popularity and significance in a candidate and employee-driven job market.

In my recent Forbes article, "10 Low Stress, Easy Jobs That Pay Well In 2023", which lists the role of art director as being low-stress, a commentator reached out to me directly and noted that from his extensive experience within the entertainment industry, an art director's job is anything but easy and low-stress. He pointed out the demands of the role including late night working, unregulated hours, and tight deadlines for big budget productions.

It is important to note however, that a demanding job does not automatically translate into it being stressful.

"Stress" indicates the negative toll that one's job takes on their mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing; whereas "demanding" simply indicates that the role requires more critical thinking and effort, is fast-paced, and often time-consuming. Consequently, what one might perceive as stressful could be fairly easy and manageable for another working the same job.

There are a variety of influences that influence our perception of stress in a role, therefore it is essential to weigh all of them into consideration when deciding to leave your current job or if seeking a new role:

Workplace culture. If your current or potential employer fosters a toxic culture where you feel unsupported, discriminated, harassed, or abused in the workplace, or you have uncertainty about your standing and job stability, this can result in a direct correlation to increased stress levels and consequently, your mental health.

Personal life. Sometimes the circumstances in our personal lives, particularly major life disruptions such as a divorce, health struggles, or trouble with family relationships, inhibit our ability to enjoy our work. These personal circumstances compound undue pressure that negatively impacts our work performance, thereby resulting in stress.

Recognition and reward. A Socialcast study uncovered that 69% of employees would work harder if celebrated and praised more at work. If you are recognized and acknowledged for your hard work it will have an enormous impact on lessening your stress levels in any job, despite its demands, and increasing your positivity in the workplace.

Five factors to consider

Here are five criteria to apply when assessing if a job is the right one for you and if it will promote your wellbeing:

Passion and interest

Virgin boss and billionaire Richard Branson is famously quoted as saying, “If you aren’t having fun, you are doing it wrong. If you feel like getting up in the morning to work on your business is a chore, then it's time to try something else.”

If the idea of a career in event management excites and inspires you, then regardless of how demanding the role is, you would never wish to leave that career because that is where your passion lies.

You therefore need to undertake some introspection and ask yourself, "Is my current role providing me with fulfilment and satisfaction? Is this something I am truly passionate about? Or am I working here merely to survive?"

Compensation package

Undoubtedly, if you are underpaid in your role because your employer does not appreciate your market value or is slashing budgets, your enthusiasm for your job will dwindle and it will become stressful.

Especially is this true now more than ever, with the increasing costs of living, where many employees are compelled to work twice as hard, taking on other gigs and jobs just to survive.

If you have researched the standard market pay for someone of your qualifications and length of experience and believe that your salary is subpar, you should seriously consider switching employers.

Work/life balance

Does your current or prospective job permit you to work in a way that is conducive to high performance? Does your employer pay due consideration to your overall wellbeing and provide you with ample time to spend with loved ones and in rejuvenating yourself?

If you're cramming every waking hour into work, taking your company laptop with you on vacation or working the weekends habitually when your actual contract stipulates Monday to Friday, it's time to reconsider your current role and look elsewhere.

Job security

Industries that are more prone to experience setbacks and layoffs such as talent acquisition/recruitment, and wholesale and retail, may result in more stress because you are at greater risk of unemployment, and will always be on edge and uncertain about your career future. Therefore it is essential to establish a solid footing when planning your next career move and weigh up all options carefully.

Career advancement opportunities

Does your current or anticipated role (or employer) afford career growth and development? Will you be able to move vertically after a period instead of remaining on the same level and moving sideways? Can you expect to have opportunities to build and flex your skill set?

These are some questions you must always consider when evaluating a new or existing role, to prevent stagnation and job boredom.

In addition to the above, factors including employer-led support structures and individual tolerance levels, can influence how "easy" a job really is. For example, what you might have had high energy expenditure for when you were younger and at the cusp of your career, would cause sheer burnout in your mid-to-late career.

Ultimately, an "easy" job is subjective. While some jobs may be less demanding, every profession is unique and has its own set of attractions and challenges. In some instances, the drawbacks may outweigh the benefits. However, it is down to you, whether actively searching for a job or not, to evaluate contributing factors including career goals, work/life balance, and employer support and recognition, and be the architect of your own career future.

Follow me on LinkedIn. Check out my website. 

Rachel Wells

I am the 23-year-old Founder and CEO of Rachel Wells Coaching, a company dedicated to unlocking career and leadership potential for GenZ and millennial professionals. As a corporate career coach with over 8 years of experience in developing professionals from graduate to senior executive level, in public and private sectors, I have coached clients in more than seven countries globally and counting. I've also directed teams and operations in my previous roles as public sector contract manager, to deliver large-scale national educational, career development, and work-readiness programs across the UK. I am a LinkedIn Top Voice in Career Counseling, and LinkedIn Top Voice in Employee Training, and am a former contributor to the International Business Times. As an engaging motivational speaker, my passion is in delivering motivational talks, leadership and career skills masterclasses, corporate training, and workshops at events and in universities. I currently reside with my family in London, UK.

Entry-level jobs offering student loan repayment have doubled since 2019—where to find them

 

(Getty Images)

originally published by CNBC.com 

Jennifer Liu@IN/JLJENNIFERLIU@JLJENNIFERLIU

Many student loan borrowers will resume making payments on their debt this fall, and some may get an extra boost from their employer.

The share of entry-level jobs that mention student loan repayment programs has more than doubled since 2019, according to data from Handshake, the career platform for college students and recent grads.

As of June, 3% of jobs on Handshake include a student debt repayment benefit, compared with 1.2% of job listings mentioning such benefits in June 2019.

Employers in some sectors are more likely to offer college loan assistance. The industries on the platform with the most full-time jobs mentioning student loan repayment benefits include:

1. Health care and services: 31%
2. Non-profit: 23%
3. Government, law and politics: 14%
4. Financial services: 8%
5. Education: 8%

Some common jobs that are more likely to mention student loan repayment keywords in the description include clinical pharmacist, nurse practitioner, software engineer and insurance sales advisor.

The work benefit can give employers a competitive edge, particularly in demanding fields, says Monne Williams, chief impact officer at Handshake.

“Graduates in the health-care and medical field are known for carrying notable amounts of student loan debt,” Williams tells CNBC Make It. “When paired with a high demand for frontline health-care workers and practitioners, these factors make student loan repayment options a competitive benefit.”

The same goes for college grads going into government and non-profits. “Organizations in those fields are often competing for the same talent as the private sector, so prominently advertising student loan benefit programs can provide a compelling edge,” Williams says, whether they’re offered by the organization or as part of larger public service programs.

Outside of Handshake, 17% of employers offered some type of student loan assistance as of a 2021 survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

Types of student loan benefits

Student loan repayment assistance takes many forms, including debt payment counseling or education, granting access to 401(k) loans, or direct payment help.

Other businesses make additional 401(k) contributions to employees paying off student debt, which Travelers, the insurance company, began in 2020.

Each year, the company will match an employee’s student loan payments or their 401(k) contributions for the year, up to 5% of their pay (and a max of $7,500) and deposit that amount into the employee’s retirement plan.

The aim is to ensure that even if an employee wants to pay off their student debt, they don’t have to sacrifice making retirement contributions at the same time.

So far, the program has paid out 1,600 employees to the amount of $6.6 million, says Greg Landmark, who heads up Travelers’ benefits programs.

While the urgency around student loan payments has slowed in the last three years, Travelers anticipates increased interest in the program by October, when repayment on federal student loans resumes. It’s especially popular with new hires and early-career workers.

“We’re focused on helping our employees succeed in work and in life, and this felt like a meaningful way to have an impact,” Landmark says.

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Check out: 70% of college seniors with student debt say looming repayments will impact their career plans