Why January can be awesome for your career

Inspired by Time Out’s mission to stay in with style and make “your living room one of the most exciting places” to be this month, we’ve got another reason to keep the couch warm – job searching! January and the job hunt go hand-in-hand and here’s why. We’ve already got the whole dry Jan/get fit/have a healthy start to the year vibe going on, so let’s add it to it. The time has come to secure that career-starting internship or job. Ready?

• According to the latest figures published in the annual Graduate Market study, published by High Fliers, the number of graduate vacancies is on course to reach a ten-year high this summer. As well an increase in the availability of paid internships and summer or course-based placements, starting salaries look set to rise. This is great news for those looking to go into an entry-level position, but it does come with a warning. Employers are urging students and grads to seek valuable work experience during breaks in education or employment in order to put themselves ahead of the competition. A third of roles are anticipated to be taken by those who have already completed internships or placements, so seize the moment and seek experience to boost your CV now.

• January is prime job hunt time! There are a variety of industries and different roles out there, so doing your research is crucial. Head to LinkedIn and Twitter to create your own profiles, make connections, follow industry figures and engage in debates. Discover careers blogs for advice on applications and tips on what you should be reading and where you can access this information. Now channel what you have learnt into creating a kick-ass application.

• Big data is a significant growth area for the UK economy, with a growing number of jobs available. What is big data? A huge amount of data is generated every single day, from social media to internal data, opening up opportunities for graduates in analytics, administration and support.

“It’s vital that we attract new talent into the industry to ensure that businesses have the skilled staff they need to grow and be successful”

Karen Price, Director of the Tech Partnership

• An increasing focus on company culture and finding the right candidate to match the values and environment of a business has meant employers are now doing more to entice graduate talent! Your skills, background and personality need to shine through in a job application, but it is also important to find a company that suits you as much as you suit the role. Great perks, exciting career development plans and dynamic, sociable (but professional) environments are all on offer from certain companies, so what better time to get fully involved in the January job hunt?

If you’re after more information about the kind of roles that are out there and how you can apply, head to Inspiring’s latest vacancies page where you can view all opportunities or filter by industry.

Katie is a digital marketing executive at Inspiring. A dancer, sport and health & fitness enthusiast, she likes to move, tweet and blog.