Give yourself an early holiday present – why this time of year can be the best time to look for a new career.

Does “the most wonderful time of the year” mean spending time with your loved ones and enjoying all of the delights of the season and, especially, putting off that pesky job hunt until January 2nd? Here’s something to consider…

If you think the New Year is the best time to change your career or look for a new job, you are definitely not alone and no one would blame you for telling recruiters to just go away and chill on some eggnog. But we’ve been at this a long time and can say with confidence that the holidays are one of the best times of the year to focus on your career!

Below are three reasons to plan your next career move during December:

1. Your competition is enjoying their holiday time

The advantage to you? The field is a little more wide open and your resume will likely get the attention it deserves. And contrary to popular belief, although many businesses run with smaller staff as employees take vacation time over the season, hiring managers and key executives will often make themselves available and are interested in offering exploratory and meaningful interviews – especially to strong candidates.

2. You have room to breathe and think

It can feel as if the world stands still during the last two weeks of December. That can be a good thing – it gives you the time and space to think about your career direction and what your plans are for moving it forward. And, come January 2nd, you’ll be ahead of the game!

3. It can be the ideal time to make a big change

If your business is quiet during those two weeks and you’re taking a bit of time off, perhaps it’s a good time to explore other parts of the greater Vancouver area and open your mind to considering work in locations in that you might not previously have thought of. You may have also already received a year-end bonus or evaluation and you may be in a stronger position to “not leave anything on the table” and better positioned to negotiate with your future employer.

By taking the time to focus on your career goals and discover your value in the marketplace, you can enter the New Year, focused on what the future holds, rather than the past. How energizing and motivating is that?