3 Reasons Summer is a Great Time to Job Search

Sometimes people will reach out to me and ask which time of year is best to look for a new job. To be honest, I don’t really think there’s a “good time of year” or “bad time of year” to make a career change. Hiring trends vary based on the industry, whether or not a company needs to fill roles, and the future growth plans of the company.

I believe that summer can be a great time to search for a new career opportunity for several reasons. Let’s go over a few of the top reasons below and I’ll explain how you can make the most of these seasonal advantages!

The Summer Slowdown

Everything happens a little more slowly in the summer, and that includes hiring. While there typically may be fewer positions available during the summer (keep in mind that there are exceptions), that just means recruiters and hiring managers can spend a little more time reviewing the resumes they do receive. Plus, there’s likely to be less competition for the role!

You still need to grab their attention with powerful personal branding and you also need to make sure any gaps in your employment history are explained. They might not get glossed over as easily as they would during a busier hiring season. Also, your cover letter is going to be especially important during “the summer slowdown” so use this precious real estate to explain why you’re perfect for the role and showcase your fun personality. 

A More Flexible Schedule

Chances are, you have a little more flexibility in your schedule during the summer. Maybe you are able to take Friday afternoons off, or your boss is cool with you working from home more often. Use this flexibility to your advantage to do some extra networking, go on job interviews, or consider spending your extra time to do volunteer work and build up some skills you’re currently lacking in.

If you’re working fewer hours in the summer, you might also consider contacting organizations you’re interested in working for someday and ask if they would be interested in hiring you as a contractor to work on a side project. It’s a great way to get your foot in the door, even if you’re not quite ready to make a full on career switch quite yet. Just make sure this doesn’t violate the terms of employment at your current job first.

Network Opportunities Abound

This summer is likely going to look a little bit different than we’re used to due to COVID-19, but you should still see an uptick in network opportunities, even if they’re mostly virtual networking opportunities. The summer usually means more charitable events, lunch and learn meetups, happy hour mixers, symposiums, and the like. 

Even if you don’t plan to attend any bigger organized events this year, summer is a great time to invite someone out for coffee or a walking lunch so you can ask them questions or talk about a potential job opportunity. Friday afternoons are perfect for this! We normally think of networking in terms of more organized events, but one-on-one meetups are also super valuable and you should make an effort to get them on your calendar regularly.

Are you planning on making a career change this summer? If so, hop on down to the comments section below and let me know what your biggest roadblock is when it comes to the job search process.