If you’ve decided that you’re going to start looking for a new job in the new year – you’re not alone. Hospitality career job application numbers soar in January, with one estimate as high as over 60% more than during any other month.
If you finally want to get into a hospitality career management role, if you’re a sous chef determined to get your first head chef role, or are looking for a new and exciting location to work in – now is the time to start looking (and applying) for jobs.
There are a few different theories as to why the hospitality job market is so buoyant in January, but the truth is – this is a great time to land a new role.
In this blog, I want to share with you why the new year is the perfect time to reassess your hospitality career, and how to take advantage of this peak in job opportunities to land a great new role.
Why January?
It is the case across almost all sectors that January brings the best job opportunities – but why?
The job market generally stalls in November and December, as people are more occupied with preparing for Christmas than they are with looking for a new job, and it picks up again in January. Not only with the uptake of everyone who would have ordinarily applied for a new job in November and December (if Christmas hadn’t been in the way) but the job market is also bolstered by those inspired by the well-known phrase ‘new year, new job’.
While some people are put off by the thought of competing with a hoard of job seekers in January, it is still the best time to apply, despite being the busiest – because of cause and effect. The large amounts of people leaving their jobs create new opportunities and gaps in the market that weren’t there pre-Christmas.
The new year is also considered to be a great time to apply for a job as hospitality employers come back to work after their (albeit brief) Christmas break and have their new year targets in mind.
Many hospitality career employees assume that as January is typically the quietest time in the business, then this means that job opportunities are at their lowest – this is not the case.
While Christmas and high summer are the busiest times in hospitality, employers need great staff all year round, and they are now looking earlier and earlier in the season to employ a skilled and talented team to take with them through the< year.
Which Role?
Working with hospitality and catering candidates of all skills, abilities, ages and backgrounds, we understand the vastly different roles and opportunities that are available to hospitality employees – we often place candidates in positions that they didn’t know were possible.
But when deciding on your next role, you must first determine what you are aiming to get out of this job – are you looking for a temporary position to try out a new skill, a new type of restaurant/catering establishment you have heard about and want to try, or a new geographic location you want to work in?
Restaurant and hotel employees should use the new year to search and apply for management roles if they have been working towards this goal in the previous year. January is a great time to update your CV, and to talk about in your job interview your successes of the peak season you have just made it through – did you have your busiest ever season? Did you lead a team of relatively new-starters throughout the Christmas period successfully?
Do your research and think carefully about if this role in this company is the one that is going to bring you closer to your ultimate career goal. Many employees start their job search on their own, either Googling jobs in their local area, or speaking to friends about potential new places to work – but there is another way.
Beginning Your New Job Search
Many hospitality candidates that we work with are surprised by the level and depth of service we provide for candidates; in helping them find their perfect role – all free of charge! We are dedicated to making the right hires for our hospitality partners, and this is why we put as much effort and detail as we do into our candidate search and screening process.
If like many other hospitality employees we work with, you have never worked with a recruiter before to find your next role – now is the time to start.
With the skills shortage that is currently squeezing the UK catering and hospitality industry, recruiters and employers are upgrading their services and looking even harder for the very best talent (like you).
We understand that in the busy life of a chef, a hotel manager, bar staff, waiters and the plethora of other staff that keep the UK hospitality sector ticking over, it can seem like you haven’t got the time to begin your new job search. Some candidates we work with tell us that they had been planning on leaving their role for many months, but they hadn’t had the time to get round to it – don’t let this be you!
A quick phone call with one of our consultants on 0121 702 1428, or sending your CV to us is all you need to do for us to begin your new job search. After listening to what you want from your not only your next role but ultimately your career, we will update you with positions that we think are perfect for you and help you at every step of the process, from the interview to negotiating your wage.
Thanks,
Dawn.
About KSB Recruitment
We are expert recruiters in the catering and hospitality industry with over 28 years in business, placing the best candidates in their perfect roles with obsessive attention to detail.
KSB is proud to be a Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) member, accredited investors in people, and both Data Protection and Home Office Compliance registered.
We specialise in roles in Birmingham, Staffordshire, the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire and Northamptonshire.
