5 Ways Your Job Search Could Heat Up Sooner this Summer

5 Ways Your Job Search Could Heat Up Sooner this Summer

Summer is here along with higher temps and slower workdays. With pandemic travel restrictions gradually easing and fading away your colleagues’ beachy or poolside vacation plans put on hold from last year are popping up all over Outlook. Out-of-office replies fill your inbox every morning, and you’ve made zigzagging through your team’s vacation time blocks to pin down meeting times into an art form. The days are getting longer, and hotter, and the Zoom calls are getting shorter and more numbered. More team meetings are getting postponed or canceled altogether to accommodate more frequent three-day weekends that often spill into four or five-day weekends.

Saying sayonara to your To-Do list is getting easier on Fridays. Pushing dates back in Asana means more time in the pool or reclining feet up, iced tea in hand, and air conditioning on full blast. Sound familiar?

The slower pace of work in the summer might make you think that it’s the last time you should be continuing or worse, starting your job search. But don’t assume that employers are putting their big plans on ice during the warmer months leading into the busiest business quarters on their calendars. Even though interview schedules can be complicated in the summer—a process that usually takes a few weeks may take five or more—most companies are filling positions faster during the hottest months.

Here are five benefits of kicking off your job search this summer:

1. Taking time off to interview is easier.
Let’s face it, the summertime has a way of slowing everything down. More managers are taking long lunches or longer vacations. Some employers even have Zoom-free Fridays or early leave for in-office employees to enjoy the weather or get back to kids on summer vacation with a whole house to themselves.

So, you don’t have to be a ninja to pop out of your corporate or home office unnoticed. Or, if you are asking for multiple days off out of the blue, your manager probably won’t think it’s strange. Vacation days are expected in the summertime and with a busy Q3 and even more hectic Q4 just months away, most supervisors encourage people to soak up some sun and PTO during the warmer months.

2. The talent market may be slimmer.
Just like your colleagues, your competition—those other job candidates—may have vacations planned or might have their next trip in the works. As you know already, job searching is an unpredictable and tough-to-time process, let alone challenging to schedule around week-long getaways or staycations. Some prospective candidates take themselves out of the running to pad their timing around their family travel plans.

And many other candidates still have misconceptions about there being a major summer slump in hiring, and so they put their job hunt on pause.

The good news? Companies are hiring and there may be fewer applicants.

3. Hiring managers have more time.
Undeniably, you’re going to get your share of auto-responders from recruiters and hiring managers, (because they have vacation plans too). However, normal working hours are up for grabs with more availability than usual. That means more time to vet job candidates sooner and set up a steady rotation of job interviews.

Hiring managers aren’t caught in tax season and they aren’t going to be sucked into big year-end projects anytime soon. A lighter project load means more time and attention ripe for standout job candidates—like you.

The odds of getting interviewed sooner and sailing through the interview stages are looking good. There aren’t as many professional fires to put out or high priorities to postpone or temporarily delay hiring decisions.

4. The interview process might be shorter.
While it’s important to be patient because summer vacation schedules can draw out the hiring and interviewing process, they can sometimes speed things up too. To avoid the complexity of vacation times piling up, some employers streamline the interview process with multiple layers and decision-makers to one day.

5. Prepare for a smooth transition.
The summer is the ideal timing for kicking off a new position because it’s generally less chaotic. Colleagues, trainers, and managers have more time to answer questions and offer guidance. Even with more people on vacation, the team members who are working have more time and resources handy. You can get to know people who are in less of a rush, and if you’re relocating or changing your work schedule with kids in the mix, you don’t have to put them through any major transitions like switching schools mid-year.

Don’t let the summer stop you.

Remember, any time of year, patience is critical to your job search. Vacations happen, out-of-office messages are abundant, so, don’t get discouraged if getting responses, interviews, or offer letters take longer than usual. Staying clear-minded, confident, and taking your time can help you nail down the perfect position.

We can help.

At Staffing Strong, we understand that launching your job search can be intimidating—no matter when you start. Even with the toastier summer afternoons and the travel plans, many employers are hiring in abundance. Submit your resume and connect with us.

Meet the Author

Evelyn Vega is the Founder and President at Staffing Strong and the Past President of the Phoenix American Marketing Association. Since 1999, she’s made her career about supporting her clients in building meaningful careers and partnering with businesses in finding quality hires. In her free time, Evelyn sits on various advisory boards and enjoys practicing on her drum set!

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