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Don’t Send Your Job Search on Summer Vacation

Winter is coming—I mean, summer. But still, isn’t summer a hopeless season for job search? Everyone is off vacationing, leaving hiring on hold, right? Wrong. Don’t let summer job search myths stop you in your tracks. Turn up the heat and put your job search into full drive.

Summer is a fruitful time for job search. While others drop out of the race to vacation and put their search on hold, you’ll find a great opportunity. With fewer people competing for the jobs at hand, you have a more open playing field. So beat your competition while they’re at the beach and make the most of the season with these tips.

Network and Reconnect

Network, network, and keep networking. Have we said it enough? Summer is a great opportunity to network at informal events. Whether you’re talking over coffee or sitting poolside, continue to form connections and build your web of contacts. Forge new relationships during networking activities and mention you’re looking for new opportunities. Mention you’d love to follow up and invite them out to lunch or coffee sometime. As people go on summer vacations, the workplace tends to slow down—but this can be to your networking advantage! This is a great time to be able to get people out of the office for a meet up.

Is there someone you’ve been meaning to reconnect with? Call them up and set a time to get together. Refresh their memory or inform them you’re in career transition. It’s always beneficial to renew your existing connections—they might even have a potential lead to share with you. The number one way to get a job is through referrals. So don’t let your past networking efforts fall flat and go to waste. Put them to use and reap the benefits of your network.

Refresh Your Marketing Materials

Make sure your marketing materials are up to speed. These include your resume, business card, and social media profiles. Is everything up-to-date, clear, and correct? In many cases, your marketing materials will precede a face-to-face encounter with a recruiter or hiring manager. Ensure they sell your best self and support a positive first impression.

If you’ve been on the hunt for a while to no avail, this is especially important. Take some time to re-group and thoroughly proofread, edit, and rewrite where you can make improvements. Does your resume show what you want to do, versus a list of what you’ve simply done? You might need to revise and refocus with the perspective of a target employer in mind. The network that you’ve been nurturing can serve as an additional set of eyes. Ask them to check your materials and give you feedback. Just as raising a child takes a village, so does cultivating a successful job search.

Assess Your Skills

Do you feel like everyone is on vacation but you? Maybe you haven’t heard back from the companies you’ve applied to or you don’t see any momentum in your job search. At this point you’ve made sure your resume sells you, but maybe it still needs a finishing touch—like a commitment to continued learning.

Take the initiative to do some industry research and assess your skills against the demands of the market. If you’re not currently employed, it will benefit you to show you’re doing something to stay sharp and maintain your skillset. Consider taking classes, attending seminars, volunteering in your professional community, or obtaining certifications. Exemplify your passion and commitment to your field to enhance your professional persona.

Follow Up

If your job search is underway and you’ve already applied for positions, now is the time to follow up. Be proactive and move the process forward. As people go on vacation there tend to be less office meetings, and schedules can free up. Those left manning the fort might have additional time to talk with you and answer questions. Take the opportunity to get in touch and get the ball rolling.

If you’ve already interviewed, follow up and offer to supply any further information they might need. Do you still need to meet with other members of their staff? Do they know when you’re available for a final interview? While you want to stay visible and push the process forward, don’t berate them with demands or your frustrations. Be considerate of their schedule and offer to do what you can to make the process run smoothly. And of course express your continued interest.

Make the Most of the Season

The bottom line is, hiring doesn’t stop in the summer. While others wind down their efforts, you have an advantage to make the most of the season. Keep the momentum flowing and remain vigilant. You’ll regret missed opportunities and the wasted time it takes to get back up and running if you put your hunt on hold. Actively search, network, and apply for jobs this summer to get a jump on everyone else not looking. By staying visible and amping up your game, you will have something to celebrate as you land your next job and conquer summer job search.