When is the Best Time to Look for Work?

It’s a strange time of year when it comes to searching for a health care job or entering a health care profession.

The holidays probably aren’t the best time to look. Most companies have ratcheted down activity for the holiday break and have slowed hiring.

However, the coming New Year might be a prime time to look at entering a health care profession. Many organizations have new budgets in place and are ready to fill employment needs and ratchet up hiring.

So, when exactly is the best time of a typical year to look for work? To find out, we asked some of our resident Concorde graduate employment specialists to get their takes. Here’s what they had to say.

When to enter a health care profession is in the eye of the beholder

Joan Kilna, BHRM, Graduate Employment Specialist at Concorde’s campus in Portland, Ore., chose to remain pragmatic in her response.

“The best time to look for work is whenever you need to be employed,” she said.

There are certain times of the year when there are fewer job openings, Kilna said, such as between Thanksgiving and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. But, you still should be doing daily searches.

“If you are looking for a job in the winter, sign up with a few temp agencies that specialize in medical or dental careers,” Kilna said. “Employers will need temporary staff to fill in for sick or vacationing employees, so temping is a great way to get practical experience.”

Kilna said the big health networks have annual hiring cycles, where you see 15-20 job openings instead of the usual 5-6.

While jobs are scarce, Kilna said to use that time to bulk up the resume through volunteering or adding another certification. This is also a great time to contact your graduate employment specialist and schedule a practice interview or other career prep tasks.

The time is NOW for entering a health care profession

Johnniecia Corwise, Graduate Employment Specialist at Concorde’s campus in Memphis, Tenn., said in today’s competitive job market, any way to get ahead of the competition is worth pursuing.

“If you are wanting to work and are looking for an opportunity, the time is now,” she said. “There is no better time than the present to go for it. They key is to do your due diligence. Research the company, learn more about the scope of the job and how it lines up with your goals and morals.”

Corwise said, whatever time of year, apply for opportunities that you feel confident about. It’s not just about being a perfect fit for the company. It’s also about the company being a good fit for you.

Pursuing your health care profession at the beginning of a new year

Danielle Van der Knaap, Graduate Employment Specialist at Concorde’s campus in San Antonio, agreed that early in the calendar year is as good a time as any to pursue that health care profession.

“Generally, end of fall/beginning of winter are the slow times for employment,” she said. “Companies are usually closing out budgets and are on hiring freezes until then.

“I definitely say to continue putting your resume out there, because there is always some place that is looking.”