Is January the best time for software developers to find a new job?
Developer Careers Emma Tracey
When it comes to finding the right job, timing isn’t everything, but it can certainly be influential. Paying close attention to annual recruitment cycles might give you a decisive edge in finding your perfect role. For software developers in particular, January is one of the best times to find a new job.
Hiring Budgets
January opens not just a new calendar year, but also a new financial year. With minds and budgets refreshed after the holidays, hiring managers are eager to see open positions filled in order to execute projects. Job seekers who make contact right at the start of this cycle have the best chance of being hired with their favoured companies.
Lots of decision-makers in the office
December can wreak havoc with hiring process of a company, especially since hiring decisions at tech companies are so team-driven. With people leaving for well-deserved Christmas holidays, the decision to hire a software developer can extend to twice the normal length. But come January, with teams coming back to the office, decisions can again be made much quicker and more efficiently.
Demand outweighs supply
If you are a software developer, you know that demand nearly always outweighs supply, but this is particularly true in January. Strong hiring periods, like the first quarter, offer even more opportunities to find a job which ticks all the boxes for you.
Go searching when it’s not urgent and follow your career resolution goals
If you are currently just coasting along in your position, January might be exactly the time to start your hunt and improve your position. Instead of having the pressure to find the next paycheck you can focus on your career resolution goals.
In our survey of software developers, we found that salary is far from the main motivator for developers in joining a new company.
Maybe its time to think about finding a company with a more modern tech stack or one which lets you tinker with open source. Or perhaps you want to join a team with a superstar CTO or even learn a new programming language!
