It may be cold and dark, but February is the most popular month for people to begin their search for a new job, according to research from search company Torres and Partners.

The firm reviewed its candidate activity levels over a period of four years, and found that despite the fact February is a shorter month, average activity was around 40% higher than in January and 11% higher than in March.

This goes against traditional thinking that the new year is the busiest time for recruiters, said Torres and Partners’ managing director Chris Keeling.

“After the gloss of the Christmas break has faded, the skiing holiday has been and gone and new year’s resolutions look like distant memories, people want to break out of the monotony and seek a change,” he said.

Keeling advised employers to invest in areas such as teambuilding, training and fun events to keep employees motivated.