Happy New Year from all of us at JR Personnel! 

A New Year often means new starts for many of us which is why it’s no secret that January and February are the most popular and busiest months of the year for job seekers and employers alike.

For candidates the first two months of the New Year is a great time to be applying and interviewing for a new job. You’ll find that January is the time of year when the greatest number of decision makers are in office so you’re more likely to get a speedy response from sending your CV in for a role or for an interview. For many companies, new hiring budgets come into force in January so all those roles which were put on the backburner in November and December are finally getting recruited for!

If you’re a candidate looking for your next step this New Year here are a few tips to help make the process more efficient and smoother.

1. Make your CV work for you

January is often a time for reflection and making new resolutions and that old cliché of “New Year, New Me”. That means that whilst you have made the decision to start afresh and look for a new career, potentially so have many others which is why it’s vital that you make your CV stand out from the rest. Simple tasks such as ensuring your CV is spell-checked and your employment history is listed chronologically (most recent role at the top) will make your CV easier to read by potential future employers.

2. Be Prepared

So you’ve done the hard part of getting your CV noticed and you’ve been invited to interview; don’t fall at the final hurdle by not preparing properly for the interview. You can find handy hints and tips for the interview process on our website here: https://www.jrpersonnel.co.uk/career-advice and finally, remember: research, research, research! The more knowledge you have on the hiring company the more equipped you are to succeed at interview stage.

3. Don’t assume it’s in the bag

If you’ve gone new-start-crazy in January like so many do and applied to lots of different roles it may be that you are waiting to hear back from several positions at once. If you’re offered a position and it’s not your 1^st choice, think long and hard about if it’s an opportunity you can afford to miss out on – so often we see candidates delay their response to a job offer because of this and end up missing out altogether. Employers will lose faith and confidence in candidates who take time to respond to job offers.

Starting a New Year is a good motivation for starting along a new path in life but can seem a little daunting at times. That's why JR Personnel are here to help and take the stress out of job hunting and recruitment for you. We pride ourselves on being an approachable, friendly agency who can offer advice and guidance in a professional and confidential environment. Register your CV with us online now or call the office on 01509 211 211 if you would like to speak to a member of staff.