As we head into the holiday season, a lot of professionals will postpone a career change until the New Year. On the surface, this makes sense. People often assume that hiring peaks in January as businesses get going with new budgets, new projects, and a renewed sense of productivity after the holidays. But why wait until January? These 6 compelling reasons will convince you that the best time to look for a new job is right now.

1. Reduce the Competition:

While the crowd sits and waits until January to apply, there are a lot of currently open jobs that need to be filled. If you wait to apply for these great positions in January, you’ll be just one resume among the flood of new resumes that employers begin to receive every day. Why not reduce the competition and search for a new job now? You’ll have an easier time standing out among the pack because the pack will be greatly reduced.

2. Use it Or Lose It Budgets:

For a lot of hiring managers with a little extra cushion in their budget, there’s a renewed fire lit under them at the end of the year. Why? Because a lot of companies run their budgets with a use it or lose it policy. If these hiring managers don’t make smart hires and spend their budgets now, they won’t get the same budget in the New Year. So, as the year draws to a close, a lot of these hiring managers want to hire people now, but those hires are in the budget for this year, and wait to bring on these new hires for their first day at work next year.

3. Increased Unemployment Rate Leads to Reduced Compensation:

While the IT unemployment rate is consistently much lower than the general unemployment rate, even the general unemployment rate is fairly low at the moment. For the Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington area, it’s sitting at a low 3.4%. For the Los Angeles, Long Beach, Anaheim area, it’s just 4.3%. This won’t stay the same until January. You can expect these rates to bump up a little bit because a lot of people quit their jobs before the new year to go on long vacations during the holiday season. So, if you wait until the new year, the unemployment rate will go up and lead to job offers with less compensation because there are more people available willing to work for less. That’s right: waiting until January could lead to a reduction in your compensation.

4. Taking Time off for Interviews is Less Conspicuous:

One of the most difficult things about a career change is scheduling the interviews around your current position. Who doesn’t take time off here and there during the holiday season? While your employer might get suspicious of all of your random Wednesday “dentist appointments” stacking up in January, taking time off for interviews during this end of the year season filled with holidays, get-togethers, and vacations will be less conspicuous.

5. Avoid Post-Holiday Blues:

We’re all familiar with that feeling of dread returning to work at a job you’re not a fan of or have just outgrown after a vacation or a holiday. If you wait until January to start your job search, you may get a case of the post-holiday blues. But, if you start now and find a new job you really love, those post-holiday blues will be replaced by the excitement and energy boost that comes with a new job.

6. Set Your Goals All at Once:

When you wait until January to find a new job, you may have to amend all of your newly-minted New Years’ Resolutions and goals for next year so they’ll fit with your new schedule and the requirements of your new position. But, if you go ahead and find a great job now, you can set all of your goals at once and start next year off on the right foot!

When you look for a new job now you’ll reduce competition, increase your compensation, and so much more. There’s no reason to wait until January for a career change, start your search for a great new job today!

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