Canny companies benefit from 'seasonal disgruntlement'

"This is the period of the year when a certain degree of 'seasonal disgruntlement' sets in and it's usually not salary- or bonus-related, but rather people taking a reflective look at where they are now in their jobs and where they want their careers to go," said Debbie Goodman, Managing Director of Jack Hammer Executive Headhunters.

"Many people have definite career goals and set those an annual basis, and it's now when they bring them out for review and weigh up staying put against moving on to get where they want to be."

Goodman noted that it was human nature to go through periods of reassessment, and this was typically the time of the year when people did so.

"Some industries pay bonuses at this time of the year, or at least tell people what kind of bonuses they can expect, so it does make people stop and think about whether they are getting proper recognition and financial reward."

There was a seasonality factor that made people more open to hearing about new career challenges and headhunters were usually very busy at this time of the year, Goodman commented.

"Companies review their requirements now because they are laying business plans and strategies that often require new skills or an increased headcount. We are placing people for the first quarter of next year, but companies approaching the 'seasonally disgruntled' should expect them to start late in the first quarter or early in the second quarter of 2006."

According to Goodman, it usually takes about three months, on average, from the time a candidate is first approached until they start work at their new job, but could take up to six months and companies should factor this into their planning.