There are a few more months to go until Christmas.

More people find jobs in the time between the end of the summer holidays and Christmas eve than in the rest of the year combined.

Managers return from their vacation full of energy and tackle one of their most noble goals: Avoiding budget cuts for the following year. This is just one reason why employers in Germany are keen on hiring in the last quarter of the year.

This is a piece about timing in your job search – and how you use it to your advantage.

SEE ALSO: Find a job in Germany

Companies place job ads throughout the year. But the truth is: Often they are not in a hurry to actually fill those positions. There are even job ads that are not meant to actually attract candidates.

Rather, their sole purpose is to demonstrate growth to investors or mislead the competition. This is something I had to learn the hard way while I still worked as a headhunter. I spent long hours and lots of money in finding the right candidate, just to hear that the company changed their mind and wasn't in a hurry to hire at all.

Many companies are in no rush to sign a work contract even after they already decided that you are the right person for the job. I don't have a rational explanation for this.

More than a vague idea

My guess is: It comes down to human nature. Someone has to sign your contract and that task is simply not very high on their list of priorities.

So, there's the weekend and then someone goes on holiday and “we haven't heard back from the Betriebsrat*…” Don't be surprised if it takes several weeks to sign a work contract after the verbal confirmation that you got the job.

After the summer holidays this changes. Managers have to secure their budget for the coming year. It's much easier to justify your funding demands if you already have “bums in seats” instead of a vague idea when you will hire someone.

The result is simple: For once your interest and the employer's interest align: You both want to sign the contract as fast as possible.

Photo: Depositphotos/pressmaster

That's why I strongly advise that you make good use of these days till Christmas. You might find employers are way more open to talk with you.

We light the candles on the Christmas tree on  December 24th in Germany. A lot of expats will find their next job before this happens.

But: It's important to understand whose interest align here. It's your wish for fast employment and your future department head’s wish for a complete team. So the manager is the one that you have to talk to. For HR nothing changes. Because for them nothing is at stake. Business as usual.

To move your career on the fast track: Talk to those who have the same urgency as you. Your future supervisor.

ABOUT CHRIS PYAK

Chris Pyak is the Author of “How To Win Jobs & Influence Germans“. The managing director of Immigrant Spirit GmbH has worked in four different cultures and lived in five different countries.

Chris returned to Germany in 2011. His mission: Bring the Immigrant Spirit to his home country. Chris introduces international professionals to employers in Germany.