Scheduling a job interview can become a tricky proposition, particularly around the end of the year. Many hiring managers decide to take a week or two off in December; and those who choose to stay at their desks might be swamped with all kinds of activities, such as budgeting for the next year.

With that in mind, perhaps it’s no surprise that an overwhelming percentage of technologists don’t want to interview for new jobs during the holidays, according to the latest data from Blind, which anonymously surveys technology-company employees. In fact, an overwhelming number don’t want to sit down for that interview 2-3 days after the holidays have concluded, either.

If you’re applying for a new gig, and you’ve been fortunate enough to progress to the interview stage, things might be a little easier if you try to schedule your interviews either before the holidays (i.e., early to mid-December) or else in the beginning of January. Interviews (especially later-stage ones) at many companies often involve potential team-members, and trying to schedule everyone to be present at the same time during the holidays might lead to excessive aggravation; also, scheduling well before or after the holiday means that you have the interviewers’ full attention, because the holidays themselves often lead to a loss of focus. 

Or as one anonymous Microsoft user explained it to Blind: “Many won't be in the mood to interview people. Folks are wrapping up and finishing tasks, making sure that there are no urgent bugs; in their dreams, they are already on vacation with their family or friends.”

This season, many (if not all) job interviews will also be remote, so it’s important to keep “Zoom fatigue” and the impact of online meetings into account when you’re booking your job interview. Do your best to schedule your interview slot for your “optimum time,” whether that’s first thing in the morning or later in the day; and if you’re booked into multiple interviews for the same position, make sure to space them out so you have some “down time” to recoup.

Remember, the holidays (as well as just before and after) are a stressful period for many folks. If you’re interviewing, remember to remain positive and flexible—and consider re-scheduling for sometime after the holidays are finished.