Summer is upon us, at least here in New York’s Capital
Region. Finally, the lovely summer weather we have all been eagerly awaiting
for months now! It’s time to get outside, barbecue with friends and family,
enjoy the sun and get a tan. It’s also a perfect time to put some quality work
into your job search!
Summer is slower for a lot of the business world, hence the
term “summer slump.” The warm weather often causes distractions in a company’s
hiring process as people (hiring staff included) take vacations and personal
time, and the work schedules of many change for a few months. This can mean
slower response rates for applicants and less availability to interview for
prospective candidates, inevitably extending the hiring process. However this
is not true for all businesses, as many will have their busiest season during
the summer or will try to take advantage of the slower pace in the office to
focus on recruitment. Do not take the concept of the “summer slump” as a catch
all which includes the job search for a few months; understand that the need is
there and the effort put in on the part of the job seeker can become an
advantage to them down the road.
Remember, hiring is a year-round activity which will always have
its highs and lows, but it is hard to say where those periods are seasonally
unless we look specifically into industry. Typically the summer and the holiday
seasons are two of those low periods, but that does not mean job seekers should
abandon their search during those times of year. In fact, they should be doubling
their efforts at those times.
Research and network as much as possible throughout these
potentially slow periods so that when hiring picks back up you are ready to go.
The networking opportunities you have in the summer are seemingly never ending:
happy hours to large outdoor events, golfing, camping, fishing, festivals, etc.
Basically, it is a natural time of year to get together with others, so make it
count. Make an effort to attend community events and network with people that
you do not already know. You never know when a casual conversation may lead to
a new job!
The summer affects many of us in a positive way, making us
feel more energized as a result of the nice weather and longer periods of
daylight; make this a driving force as a job seeker and use it to your
advantage. Make the search fun–summer gives us the opportunity to go outside
while researching companies, positions, or doing a little social networking, where
you may even possibly enjoy the time spent working on a job search. Distraction
can come easily, as hanging out with friends at the beach will be more fun, so
stay focused on finding a new job!
In the end, don’t give into the lazy summer days–use this
time as an opportunity to get a few steps ahead of the competition and land
that job you have been waiting for!