The holiday season is upon us, and everyone is busy with shopping, parties and family gatherings. No one is thinking about hiring…or are they?

In fact, studies show that companies hire more people in January and February than any other month of the year. This is usually due to several reasons.

1. Hiring managers receiving their budget for the new year and therefore are able to increase headcounts
2. Employees wait for their Christmas bonus before quitting, hence the rush for exits in January, leading to a subsequent wave of hiring
3. Projects on hold during the holidays are now back in full swing, along with the need for people
4. Backlog of hiring from the previous year as hiring managers and HR personnel return from vacations

All of the above give someone looking for work more reason to pause festivities and start looking for work now. In fact, it is the best time to land a new job. According to Forbes magazine, the top reasons to job hunt in December are:

1. Less competition
2. Hiring managers are thinking about next year’s projects and needs
3. Greater opportunities for networking as most people are gathering for holiday parties
4. Lots of temporary work available around the holidays
5. Let’s face it, people are a bit nicer and feeling a bit more charitable during the holiday season

All the more reason to gear up your job search during the holidays. So what are you waiting for? Start your search now!