There’s a common misconception that companies don’t hire during the summer. Sure, more employees take vacations in these warmer months and companies tend to slow down over the summer, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get hired.
Employers are looking to hire talented professionals at all times of the year, especially during a tight labor market. In fact, savvy job seekers can use the summer weather to their advantage.
Keep reading to find out how to be strategic about your job search this summer and land an interview before Labor Day.
APPLY TO JOBS WHEN THERE’S LESS COMPETITION
After years of being told that summer is not a good time to find a job, you may still be skeptical about whether or not you’ll land an interview this summer. But just think – if you’re still unsure, that means there are other job seekers out there still believing this myth and not applying to jobs during the summer months.
And while other job seekers are using this time to plan their next vacation, you could be using it to apply to jobs without hundreds of other applicants applying at the same time. The fewer applicants, the better your chances of the right person seeing your resume.
However, this doesn’t mean you can get lazy and send a generic resume. You still need to tailor your resume to the position if you want to stand out.
REACH OUT TO KEY DECISION MAKERS
The summer can seem slow at businesses while employees are on vacation and clients are out of town, but this is actually an advantage for job seekers. Many leadership professionals and decision-makers can actually be easier to get a hold of directly during these slow periods.
Job seekers can use this time with executives to stand out and impress. For example, describe a problem the company has that you can fix or how hiring you will actually save them money down the road. These kinds of direct conversations with busy executives are harder in the fall so make sure to take advantage of this time while you can.
LEVERAGE WARM WEATHER TO NETWORK
Long days and warm weather are the perfect excuses to attend an outdoor networking event or invite an old colleague to reconnect at an outdoor cafe. People will be more likely to say yes to this type of extracurricular activity before the weather turns cold and harsh.
The summer months also give you an excuse to reach out to old contacts and have a conversation. You can have a conversation with them about any upcoming vacations or events they have planned and use this opportunity to ask if they know of available jobs or opportunities you might be a fit for.
BE FLEXIBLE
Between companies’ summer hours and employee vacations, it can be hard to find time to schedule interviews. There are often many people involved during the hiring process and it can be difficult to coordinate schedules.
The best thing you can do is make sure your schedule is flexible and you’re easily accessible in case something changes or someone has to reschedule. Be careful not to seem impatient or take it personally if you aren’t able to schedule an interview immediately.
Also, summer PTO is expected and common during the summer months. Don’t be afraid to ask for time off during these months to accommodate your interviewer’s schedule.
DON’T GET DISCOURAGED
Warm weather, BBQs, and vacations can make it hard to focus on your job search, especially if you’re not landing any interviews. Don’t let this get you down. Even if companies aren’t hiring during the summer, by reaching out to hiring managers and following up with companies now, you will be top of mind when companies ramp up their hiring in the fall.
The important thing is that you make progress during the summer, whether that means attending a networking event, submitting a resume, or even taking a summer class to advance your skills.
While most people use the summer to pause their job search, get ahead of the competition by being strategic about your search and using the summer to your advantage. Reaching out to hiring managers during slow periods, networking, being flexible and not giving up are the keys to landing an interview before fall.
And when you do land that interview, check out our free candidate interview guide below to help you prepare!
