If recruitment is on your January to-do list, you may be thinking about opening up your laptop over the next few days (or when you get back to the office) to pop a job post on your socials, advertise on the job boards or upload to your careers page.

At any time of the year, the time you choose to advertise your jobs can make a huge difference in the response you get. But, when it comes to the New Year and early January period, timing is even more crucial.

It’s the typical ‘New Year / New Me’ season. But it’s also a period when routines are disrupted, so the usual rules about the best posting times may not apply.

We also know lots of other employers will be posting now too. So, maximising your ad spend, getting to the top of the search results and being visible to your target candidate pool may need a little more planning and creativity.

Whilst it’s not an exact science, here’s my recommendations, based on many New Years in recruitment, for when to post your job ads over the next few weeks to ensure they reach the right people at the right time.

The Best Times to Advertise Jobs

Generally, certain days and times perform better than others when it comes to job postings, but naturally it depends where you’re posting them…

Across job boards like Total Jobs and CVLibrary, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are best. Most jobseekers browse these platforms during the first half of the week, particularly between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. People are back at work after the weekend, and the early-week blues often drive them to think about making a change.

On social media platforms, it varies. For LinkedIn, Tuesday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. are prime times—when professionals are either preparing for their day or winding down. Facebook and Instagram cater to a broader audience and see higher engagement in the evenings, typically between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m, whilst X (formerly Twitter) tends to spike around lunchtime and in the early evening.

The New Year Effect: Holidays and Back-to-Work Week

For this week, many jobseekers are still in holiday mode. Between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, many are spending time with family or relaxing, but the desire for change is brewing. As January 1st approaches, interest in job searching spikes. Decorations come down, the diet begins and lots of people want a fresh start! That typically means:

• December 31st and January 1st: Many people start researching their options but may not apply just yet. A social media post during these days could catch their eye and plant the seed.
• January 2nd to January 5th: As people return to work, they’ll often start browsing job boards more seriously. Posting early in the week, especially on Tuesday and Wednesday morning, is your best bet.
• The Weekend of January 6th and 7th: While weekends aren’t typically the best time for job ads, the first weekend after New Year can be an exception. By this time, jobseekers have had a few days to adjust and might dedicate their weekend to exploring opportunities.

Tailor Your Strategy to Your Audience

But there’s a caveat to the above: all of this depends on the type of job you’re advertising and the audience you want to attract. Remember that different audiences will be online and active in their search at different times.

For example:

• If you’re hiring for corporate roles, stick to weekday mornings and LinkedIn during the early January period.
• If you’re looking for retail or customer service staff, evenings and weekends on Facebook and Instagram is your optimum time.
• If you’re hiring part-time roles, consider when children go back to school or students return to college or university.
• For niche or specialised roles, you might need to experiment with timings and platforms to see what best attracts your target candidates.

A Few Final Tips

Over the years, I’ve learned that getting a good volume and great quality of applicants is tricky, but timing and placement are key. If you’re not getting the results you want, here are a few final things to check:

1. Don’t underestimate the power of a good social media campaign. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram can help you reach passive candidates who aren’t actively job-hunting but might be open to the right opportunity.
2. Refresh your ads. If you’ve posted a job and it’s not getting traction, try tweaking the title or description and reposting during a peak time.
3. Follow the trends. Jobseekers’ behaviours shift, and what works one year might not work the next. Pay attention to your analytics and adjust accordingly.
4. Build an audience. This all works better if you have an existing following ready to spot your jobs when they go live. If you’re planning a series of new hires this year, now may be a good time to consider your employer brand presence and reviewing your social recruiting strategy to connect with prospective applicants over the coming months.

Timing your job ads over the New Year and early January can give you a competitive edge, but remember—it’s not an exact science. The key is to understand your audience, experiment with post times, and monitor your results.

Good luck with your recruitment efforts, and here’s to a successful start to the year! For any HR Managers or Business Owners who want to know more about this, or need a check on their planned posts/adverts, please get in touch.