Holiday / Summer Job Search Strategies

Have you ever wondered if employers are really hiring during the holidays or summer months? You apply to job postings but aren’t getting many responses. No one is really hiring, are they? I have worked with many job seekers that feel this way. The truth is that employers are hiring during these times and it is critical to stay active. Also, because many job seekers stop searching during the summer and holiday season, you have less competition. Here are some great tips on how to stay active as well as reasons why employers hire during the holidays and summer months.

Employers are hiring during the summer and holiday season for the same reasons they hire throughout the year: positions become vacant, companies undergo organizational restructuring, and/or business grows and more employees are needed. Current employees often take substantial time off during these months as well, so employers want to be sure they are fully staffed at all times and have qualified resumes on hand for any unexpected hiring needs. According to executive recruiters, 69% of employers post the same amount if not more jobs during November and December compared to the rest of the year. Furthermore, 53% of employers are actively interviewing candidates during the last 2 months of the year.

Here are a few tips on how to stay active and make connections during your search:

1. Use outings/events to reestablish or maintain connections: summer/holiday parties, sporting events, association meetings, fundraisers, and/or volunteer programs.
2. Schedule informational interviews with companies you are interested in.
3. Send holiday cards with your business card in it (holidays such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, or St. Patrick’s Day work best because employers don’t expect to get a card for these occasions).
4. Participate in discussions with associations from your industry either online or face to face.
5. Use social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook to connect with people from companies/industries you are interested in.
6. Last and most important, get organized, schedule time for your job search activities, and stay positive!

Don’t fall into the mindset that you have to put your job search on hold because of the season. Instead, maintain a proactive search during the holidays and summer months. You will benefit from less competition and more networking opportunities and be successful in your job search.

Sources:

Lisa Rangel— Job Searching during the Summer- Don’t buy High and Sell Low Posted

Vicki Salemi— 4 Ways to Keep Your Job Search Fresh During the Summer

Susan M. Heathfield— Holiday Job Searching for HR Jobs

David Schepp— Is Job Searching During The Holidays Pointless?