Want a New Job in 2023? You'd Better Start Looking Now

This is one task you really don't want to put off.

There are plenty of reasons to want a new job to kick off the new year. First, if you're at all unhappy with your current job, that's reason enough to look elsewhere. Despite rampant recession warnings, the U.S. labor market is actually quite strong right now, and there are lots of opportunities to be had.

A new job could also pave the way for more career growth. If you're stuck in a dead-end role, the sooner you bust out of it, the more progress you can make.

And let's not gloss over the financial benefit of getting a new job. A higher paycheck could make it possible for you to boost your savings, pay off some credit card debt, or meet any other financial goal you have in mind. 

But if you're serious about starting off 2023 with a new job, then you really need to begin searching for one immediately. Wait even a few weeks, and you may find you're stuck at your current job until 2023 gets underway.

Why you shouldn't delay your job search

At this point, you might think you have a solid 10 weeks or so until the start of 2023, and there’s plenty of time to look through job listings and set up some interviews. But one thing you must remember is that companies tend to be short-staffed during the holiday season, which effectively kicks off around Thanksgiving and lasts all the way through Dec. 31. 

Because people tend to take time off around the holidays, you may find that job listings slow down. Or even if listings don't slow down, interviews might, simply because the people who need to conduct them and make decisions are out of the office. As such, it pays to get ahead of the holiday season by kicking off your job search in October. 

Another reason to look for a new job now and not wait? Sometimes, hiring budgets get used up toward the end of the year and don't renew until the following year. That's fine if you're looking to start a new job in, say, February or March of 2023. But if your goal is to line up a new job ahead of the new year so you can start off 2023 in a new position, then you don't want to wait to start looking.

How to job hunt effectively

Looking for a new job can be a full-time job. And if you're currently working, you'll want to do what you can to seek out a new job efficiently to make the most of your limited time.

To that end, first, figure out exactly what you want. Is there a specific job title you have in mind? That alone could narrow down your search.

Next, do some networking. Blast out an email to your friends, former colleagues, neighbors, extended family members, and anyone else who might be in a good position to send job leads your way. 

Finally, make sure your resume and LinkedIn profile are up-to-date. You don't want to get as far as an interview only to realize you failed to update your most recent work experience.

A new job could do a lot for your career and your financial situation. But if you're serious about starting off 2023 with a new job, then the time to start looking for one is right now.