Tag: job market seasonality

Market Updates

Why November–December Is a Smart Time to Land a Job (If Prepared)

Tate

New Zealand and Australia favour proven high performers who are prepared

The Two-Stage Formula

1) Excellent Preparation

  • Easy “yes”: Your strengths are obvious, relevant, and decision-ready.
  • Faster trust: Clear proof of value lowers perceived risk for hiring managers.
  • Better replies: Strong materials attract personalised, human responses.
  • Interview confidence: Your wins are top-of-mind and easy to articulate.
  • One story, many formats: Every asset reinforces the same value proposition.

Once prepared in this way, you are ready to present and also communicate because your head will be swimming in your strengths—top of mind and able to clearly represent yourself.

2) Next step: talk to me directly

Skip the guesswork. If you’re serious about NZ/AU roles, book a no-cost intro. I’ll review where you stand, show you what “best-in-class” looks like in your sector, and map the shortest path to employer responses and interviews.

Why Year-End Works

  • Relaxed pace: Lighter KPIs and friendlier calendars = easier access to decision makers.
  • December offers, January starts: Sign now; onboard after holidays.
  • Warmer conversations: More space to discuss fit, timelines, and hiring plans.

What “Best-in-Class” Looks Like

Best-in-class happens when all of your professional strengths are presented comprehensively, using multimedia effectively to communicate job fit to employers in your sector. This is universal across countries and industries because every hiring manager must make a sound decision. From their perspective, good hiring decisions happen when they understand your strengths and feel comfortable with your fit for the role.

  • Comprehensive: Nothing important is missing; proof is succinct and decision-ready.
  • Relevant: Strengths are mapped to the role’s real-world demands in your sector.
  • Credible: Achievements are specific, comparable, and easy to verify.
  • Memorable: CV, LinkedIn, video, and visuals all echo the same story.
  • Portable: A manager in any market can quickly see where you add value.

Post-Holiday Hiring “Bubble” — Proof & Drivers

1) Proof of the hiring bubble (with quotes)

  • US — Glassdoor (week of Jan 13):
    “The week of January 13 is likely to be the most active… with 19% more job seeker activity than a typical week.”
  • US — Glassdoor (January overall):
    “January… 11% higher than in a typical month.”
  • UK — Indeed Hiring Lab (early-Jan spike):
    “The first or second Monday after New Year’s Day typically registers the highest number of job searches… in the entire year.”
  • US — Indeed Hiring Lab (2024 reality check):
    “Job postings did not experience their typical January bounce.”
  • US — Indeed Hiring Lab (2025 search lift):
    “By Jan. 29, search levels were 22% above Dec. 10 levels.”
  • AU and NZ— SEEK (seasonality):
    “Job ads generally peak in January.”

2) Why the bubble happens (drivers & sub-reasons)

  • Headcount resets (budgets unlock): New calendar/fiscal budgets open hiring processes that were paused in Nov and Dec. This allows for backfilling after year-end exits and retirements.
  • Holiday onboarding aversion (operational): Teams delay permanent hires during leave periods whenever staffing is not available to conduct onboarding of new staff. There is also the issue of holiday-pay overhead. All that changes in January.
  • Bonus-season mobility (post-payout moves): Early–mid Q1 budgets plus post-bonus departures create vacancies. Many people prefer to secure year-end bonus before moving on.
  • New-year project kick-offs (demand): Approved initiatives start in Q1, creating urgency once managers return. With new goals come new staffing plans and budgets follow.
  • Function seasonality (Sales / Business Development): Sales targets reset at the end of the year; ads peak in January (AU and NZ data both indicate new hiring peaks in after the holiday).
  • Supply leads demand (timing gap): Job-seeker searches surge right after New Year’s while employer postings can lag a few weeks. For this reason, both January and February should be considered for job hunting opportunities.

If you want specific job targets tailored to your profile, this comes standard with my services. Everything we do will be customised to your profile strengths and goals.

Mindset That Wins

  • Start before you feel “ready”: Like the gym or a new class, all new projects begin with uncertainty or weakness before building confidence and strength.
  • Normalise vetting: Questions from employers are progress; they mean you’re in a real conversation.
  • Compound momentum: Warm contacts now become January interviews and early-2026 offers.

Talk to Me (No-Cost Intro)

If you’re aiming for New Zealand or Australia, let’s get you decision-ready and into real conversations with employers.
Bring your current materials; I’ll show you the exact upgrades to reach best-in-class and the quickest moves to boost replies and interviews.

Send your CV to me as a first step. Your CV, even if it is not perfect, will help me to understand your job opportunities. You may also include a couple of sentences about your job goals by email. Send to Tate@EmploymentForImmigration.NZ – I will respond within 1-day.