CAREER CHANGE · NIV NICOLAS NOWBAKHT
Everyone says January is the best time to look for a job. The data says something different — and knowing the difference could save you months.
- January has the most applicants — not the most jobs
- March/April and September/October are the real peak hiring phases in Germany
- The people who land jobs don’t optimize timing — they use the quiet phases differently
- Preparation during slow months beats perfect timing every time
The January Myth
Ask anyone when to start a job search in Germany and you’ll hear the same answer: January. New budgets, new goals, fresh start.
It sounds right. It’s too simple.
What actually happens in January: applications surge after the holiday break while job posting volumes remain close to December levels. The result is more competition for the same number of openings — or fewer.
More applicants. Fewer jobs. That’s not the best time to apply — that’s the most competitive time to apply.
What the Data Actually Shows
The German hiring calendar has two real peaks — and neither of them is January.
March and April are structurally stronger for job postings than January and February. According to IAB labor market researchers, significantly more companies look for staff in March and April than in the first two months of the year. Budgets are confirmed, planning is done, hiring decisions get made. This is when the market actually opens — most job seekers have already given up waiting for Q1 to deliver.
September and October are the second main hiring season. The reason is straightforward: managers want a complete team before the year ends. An unfilled position at year-end means a smaller headcount — and a smaller budget next year. So September is when hiring resumes at pace, with urgency. Spring and autumn are the most active recruitment seasons in Germany — fewer holiday interruptions, clearer headcounts, lower competition than the January rush.
July and August are slow. The Sommerloch is real — vacations, reduced decision-making, fewer postings. But this is where most people make the biggest mistake of their job search.
November and December are structurally quiet. Companies with remaining budget move fast in October — by November it’s late.
One honest note on the current market: the German job market in 2025/2026 is significantly weaker than two years ago. According to the IAB-Stellenerhebung, open positions in Q2 2025 stood at 1.06 million — down 47% from the peak of nearly 2 million in Q4 2022. Seasonal patterns still hold. But in a tighter market, timing alone doesn’t get you hired.
The People Who Land Jobs Don’t Optimize Timing
Here’s what I’ve observed in over 12 years of coaching career changers in Berlin and beyond: the people who successfully change jobs aren’t the ones who launched their search at the perfect moment.
They’re the ones who used the quiet phases for everything everyone else skips.
During the slow months — July, August, the turn of the year — they networked. Not to find open positions, but to have real conversations with people in fields they wanted to enter. They researched — not job ads, but companies, trends, what’s actually changing in their field. They practiced — interviews, their own story, how they talk about what they want and why. They built their setup: CV, LinkedIn, references, a clear narrative.
And they built something harder to quantify: the confidence that comes from knowing exactly what you want and being able to articulate it.
“By the time September came, they weren’t starting a job search. They were finishing one.”
The people who struggle are the ones who decide in October they want to change jobs and launch cold into the worst month of the year. Or who wait for January, spend February applying, and wonder why nothing is moving.
The calendar isn’t the variable. The preparation is.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Look at the full year, not just the peak months.
If you’re returning from a career break — parental leave, illness, or a deliberate pause — this calendar applies to you too. The preparation phase matters even more when you’re rebuilding confidence and clarity at the same time. If that’s where you are right now, you might find it useful to read about feeling stuck in your career.
If you’re reading this in summer: this is your window. Not for applications — for the groundwork. Networking, research, practice, building confidence, sharpening your story, building your setup. Six weeks of focused preparation in July and August means you enter September ready — not scrambling.
If you’re reading this in Q1: don’t wait for March. Start now, but adjust your expectations for January. Use February to finish your preparation and be fully ready when March opens.
If you’re reading this in Q4: October is still viable — move fast. November is late — use it for networking and preparation for Q1. December is planning time, not application time.
The best time to change jobs isn’t a month. It’s when you’re ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is January really not the best time to apply for jobs in Germany?
January has the highest application volume of the year — which means the most competition for a number of postings that remains close to December levels. Applications surge after the holiday break while hiring decisions are still slow to resume. March and April typically see more job postings with lower competition. For most professionals, late February through April is a stronger window than early January.
When should I start preparing for a job change?
At least two to three months before you want to be in active application mode. If your target window is September, start in June or July. Preparation — clarifying your direction, building your network, sharpening your narrative — takes longer than most people plan for.
Does the seasonal pattern apply to all industries?
The broad pattern holds across most white-collar sectors in Germany. Exceptions include public sector roles, which follow their own budget cycles, and startups or international companies, which are less affected by the Sommerloch and year-end freeze.
I’m Niv Nicolas Nowbakht, career and business coach based in Berlin and Barcelona. I’ve worked with professionals navigating career transitions for 12+ years, grounded in ICF Certified Coaching Education and an M.A. in Communication Studies. If you’re figuring out your timing — and your preparation — let’s talk.
Figure out your timing and your preparation — together. No pitch, no commitment.
Niv Nicolas Nowbakht
ICF-educated Career & Leadership Coach, Berlin · 12+ years of experience · M.A. Communication Studies
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