Specialist logistics recruiter, Innovate Talent, shares its expertise as to why January remains the busiest month for recruitment and how businesses are missing a trick if they aren’t already tapping into the market.
The new year, new job trend has been a seasonal pattern in the jobs market for many years. In 2023, there was a particular boom in January, with job applications 32 per cent over the 2022 average, higher than any other month[1].
Innovate Talent, which specialises in the recruitment for the transport and logistics sectors, predicts the same forecast for the start of 2024 as demand across the industry spikes.
Despite major changes to the recruitment landscape in recent years, which has seen candidate shortages, prolonged inflation and a competitive jobs market, the January spike remains.
With 25 years’ experience in recruitment, Mark Chopping, Talent Solutions Manager, explains why: “Resolutions and cliché aside, January is a month of fresh starts for many people.
Something is in the air, everyone is reviewing their current situation, whether that be lifestyle, diet, or job role – it’s inescapable!
“For many, returning after an extended period out of work makes them realise how much they dislike their current job or simply want a new challenge. For others, they held off in December as they were waiting for their end of year bonus. January also offers a quieter period giving the time and space to think about a new job or go to interviews.”
Candidates aside, Mark explained how January is prime for employers too, as the start of the year is the key time to reassess workforce needs and align them with long-term plans.
He added: “January is often when a lot of companies have completed yearly budgets and know exactly what costs they have assigned to recruitment. With strategic plans outlined across the business, it’s the perfect time to coincide for a strong start to the year.”
The recruitment boom at the start of the year coincides with a wider pattern predicted for 2024, where nearly half of employees are likely to actively seek out a new job[2]. This is particularly prevalent among 18-24-years-olds (63 per cent).
Mark said: “For some areas of education, January also marks the start of a new academic year, which means there’s an influx of active job seekers, graduates, and fresh talent which employers can access.”
Working within the logistics industry and as sponsors of Generation Logistics, a government-backed initiative and awareness campaign aimed at those in their teens and early twenties, Innovate Talent recognise the opportunity for businesses during this time.
Mark added: “If you’re an employer who isn’t tapping into the January recruitment market then you’re certainly missing a trick. Navigating it however takes effective and targeted planning, and as we have learnt in the past year, adaptability will continue to be key to ensure a successful hiring process.”
