The start of the summer is officially here. Time for some well-earned rest, cocktails at the beach, and unlimited barbecues. Why wouldn’t you pause your job hunt, companies hardly ever hire during the summer period anyway, right? Well, we’ve got news for you: summertime is actually the perfect time to advance your career! Let’s kick off the summer by showing you how you can put the sunshine to your advantage in your desire to make a career switch.
Although a lot of companies indeed tend to have a bit of a more laid-back attitude during the hottest months of the year, the idea that they cut back on or stop their hiring process completely is based on false assumptions. In general, organizations fill their positions at the same rate as they usually do, and some organizations might even increase their hiring pace. The only downside of applying during summer isn’t a lack of vacancies but scheduling interviews and timing can be a bit more difficult than usual. A lot of people are on a holiday, and you might have plans to hop on a plane yourself as well. It’s a factor that may potentially slow down the process by a few weeks, which is why application processes during summer demand a long breath. On the other hand, it’s exactly that patience that could pay off massively. Many job-seekers like lack that patience and decide to postpone their job hunt till fall entirely. Be smart and use it to your advantage! Less competition also means better odds of landing that job.
Easy-going job search
One other major advantage of being on the look for a new position during summer is that businesses in general slow things down a bit. Although the whole application process might take slightly longer, that time factor can also be advantageous. According to Kurt Heikkinen, president, and CEO of Modern hire, businesses tend to have fewer projects, which means that there’s more time for initiatives such as hiring. Job-seekers also find themselves with more time on their hands at their current company, which provides a perfect opportunity to spend more on applying. Who knows, it might even be the perfect time to land a specific position you’ve been targeting for a while now. Another benefit of applying during the summer is that hiring managers usually have a lot more time to invest in the application process, which means there’s room to do an in-depth analysis of potential candidates, which provides you with the golden opportunity to set yourself apart from the vacationing competition.
Create a top career profile
When hiring managers have less on their plate than usual, chances are your application will also be inspected more closely than usual. This means you need to go the extra mile to create a top profile. Luckily, Josie has your back. On this platform, you can simply upload your current LinkedIn profile to get a ‘career score’, which is a rough estimation of how desirable you currently are. After receiving your score, you will get useful pointers on how to improve your LinkedIn profile and resume. You will be reminded of gaps in your resume, or advised on what skills you could list to really impress. Once you’re finished you can even download your tip-top resume directly, so you don’t have to worry about that. Another way to score major points is to check out the ‘Demand insights’ page, where you’re able to see what skills are in high demand for the specific position you desire. You will find out what skills you already possess, or learn how to improve the skills you lack by applying for one of the many courses on their ‘Courses page’ to work on during summer. Eventually, all your hard work and patience will also pay off during the summer. But please, don’t forget to relax a little as well, and please do have that cocktail we mentioned earlier.
