New year, new challenge? A recruiter’s guide to preparing for January job hunters

It’s not just a cliché - January really is the time that dissatisfied employees kick into action and make finding a new job their top priority.

Recruiters should take their practices up a notch this month. Five of the top ten job searching days of the year fall into January, and you should make the most of it.

With this rush now well under way, you should already be prepared for January job hunters. But, just in case you’re not, here’s our special ‘recruiter’s guide’ to making the most of the jobs rush:

Why do more people look to change jobs in January?

There are many reasons that people get itchy feet and begin thinking about a new job come January:

• The old work routine just doesn’t seem quite so engaging after the excitement of Christmas – especially when that mound of catch-up work comes into view
• They may have met with more successful friends and family members, and think they should have made the same progress in their career
• A new job is a popular New Year's resolution, or can be tied to another – like getting married or travelling more regularly
• The time off has given them scope to take stock and think about a career move, or the holiday chaos temporarily put an ongoing job hunt on hold.

Whatever the motivation, these ambitious employees are chomping at the bit to make a change. As a recruiter, you can make the most of this enthusiasm.

How can recruiters, HR staff and hiring managers prepare for the January rush?

You need to make sure you’ve got everything in place to appeal to the top talent on the job market this January. These tips will get you started:

Start early

The competition between recruiters reaches its high point in January. Use this time to fine-tune your recruitment materials and make yourself visible to those eager candidates who jump the January starting gun.

Adapt job ads

Now you know a bit more about why people often search for a new job in January, you can adapt your job ads to stand out from the pack.

Speak to candidates in a way that’s sympathetic to their January mindset. Highlight aspects of the job that offer an element of adventure, career progression or exposure to exciting new technologies.

Of course, a good job ad is worth nothing if it’s not backed up by a strong employer brand. Make sure all these ideals are mirrored on your company website and social media feeds.

Scalable recruitment process

Providing you’ve got everything lined up nicely, chances are you’ll be inundated with applications from eager applicants.

To cope with this, you’ll need a talent management suite that can easily scale up to handle more candidates.

Your talent management suite should have features that give you scope to post your job ad in multiple places at the same time, automatically schedule interviews and send out instant communications to keep candidates happy.

Just like all those January job hunters, you can make a real change this month that will set you up perfectly for a productive 2017. Follow these simple tips and you can’t go far wrong.