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While the tech job market always seems to be hot, January is an especially good time to be searching.  Many companies begin their fiscal year in January and have the budget to hire new IT professionals.  IT recruiters also find that companies often start development life cycles in January.  With new applications to develop, companies will have their technical recruiters looking for new software programmers, web developers, UX/UI developers, etc to hire.  It’s also worth noting that it’s very advantageous to get hired at the beginning of a development life cycle.  Having experience with a project from beginning to end (or beginning to maintenance) looks excellent on a resume.  IT staffing firms love to see that kind of experience on your resume.  So if you’re ready to look for new IT jobs, January is the time to do it! Here’s a checklist to prep yourself.

• Your Resume: Get it updated and clean out old/irrelevant experience (probably anything older than the last 10 years or anything that’s in a totally different, irrelevant field).  Remember to use your bullets to show off your contributions and achievements at the companies you’ve worked with.  Help hiring managers and IT recruiting agencies see the value you bring as an employee.  Post your updated resume on the job boards, especially if it’s been a while since you last searched.
• Your LinkedIn Profile:  This is almost as important as your resume.  Since the vast majority of people in tech use LinkedIn, it can sometimes be considered a red flag if you don’t have a profile there.  Make sure you update your LinkedIn profile more concisely than your resume.  You can use your resume to elaborate on your technical skills and experience.
• Your References: Check in with them and let them know you’re job searching.  Give them an idea of the kinds of roles you’re looking for.  Thank them for their help with your job search. (And don’t forget to thank them again when you land your new job!)
• Your Portfolio: If you’re a Graphic Designer, Web Developer, UX/UI Developer, or have a skill-set in a similar vein, you may want to get your portfolio ready.  Make sure you have your latest and best samples of your work added in.  Be aware of copyright issues and don’t openly break them if your company won’t allow you to share examples of your work for them.  No employer wants to hire somebody who seems untrustworthy.
• Call IT Recruiters: If you’ve already developed a relationship with recruiters, give them a call and send along your latest resume.  If you haven’t worked with IT staffing companies before, now’s a great time to do it!  Find an IT recruiting firm that has a great reputation and reach out with your job search materials.  A good technical recruiter will help you find a job that you love and can succeed in.