Summer Is The Perfect Time To Apply For A New Job

As is true of many industries, the jobs market tends to slow down during summer. With many staff away on holiday, most non-business as usual tasks tend to get put aside. Therefore, companies often slow down recruitment activity. For a number of reasons, this makes summer the perfect time to apply for a new job.

The recruitment industry has peaks and troughs like any other, and many consider Autumn to be the perfect time to apply for a new job. But have you ever considered applying for a job during June and August to beat the autumn rush? There are a surprising number of benefits to applying for a job during the quieter months of summer. Rather than being deterred by the tendency for recruitment to slow down, you could capitalise on the state of inertia.

Why do we say Summer is the Perfect Time to Apply for a New Job?

There’s Less Competition in Summer

Most job hunters assume the summer is a bad time to look for and apply for jobs. Therefore, you’ll have less competition from other candidates when applying for new positions during this time of year.

Make the most of summertime by updating your CV. Once ready to go, you can make applications to suitable roles the moment they hit the job boards. With a fewer number of applicants to choose from, yours will be more likely to stand out. This increases your chances of invitation to interview and landing your dream job.

Hiring Managers Have More Time

Many clients, colleagues and customers go away on holiday during the summer months. This means that hiring managers often have more time on their hands.

This makes them available to prioritise recruiting tasks, such as advertising positions and going through applications. Candidates, therefore, stand a better chance of having their application picked up by a hiring manager and reviewed more quickly. It’s less likely you’ll be left waiting to hear about the outcome of your application.

Recruitment Consultants Have More Time to Spend with Candidates

There is often a lower volume of applicants compared to busier periods. So you may find that recruitment consultants have more time to spend discussing your application in the summer.

This means they are able to make more time available for each candidate. Thus recruitment consultants may be able to better advise candidates on how to achieve their long-term ambitions.

More Time to Focus on Perfecting Your Application

Maybe you’re already employed but have ambitions to climb the career ladder? The quieter summer period can work to your benefit. Having fewer distractions going on around you presents more time to hone up your CV and practise your interview skills.

Get off to a More Gentle Start

Starting at a busier, more hectic time of year can result in your employer rushing your training sessions. Not only that, but at busier times of the year, you may find that your new job welcomes you with a mountainous workload.

Conversely, starting during the quieter summer months can mean that you receive more thorough training and your workload increases more gradually. This can lead to your new job getting off to a much better start and you feeling more fulfilled in your new role as a result.

It’s OK to take Time Out in Summer

Another reason why summer is the perfect time to apply for a new job is that it makes it easier to book time off. Booking odd days off at any other time of year can raise eyebrows. It’s much easier when it’s sunny outside to book a random day off without having to come up with a weird excuse. Everyone loves spending time in the sunshine! So while your request for an odd day off might make HR staff jealous, it’s likely to raise too much suspicion.

You may not find that this is not so easy in autumn. When outside is miserable and the entire department is absent with a cold, you may find yourself under more scrutiny.

The Counter Argument

Some might argue the total opposite. Given the staff shortages companies experience in summer, that this might be the worst possible time to apply for a new job. Although, if your CV is prepped and you’ve practiced your interviewing skills, would you consider it a waste?

With CV in hand, the savviest job seekers might get ahead of the game and research companies to submit applications to. Better still, asking a recruitment consultant for advice could amplify your efforts.

Recruitment consultants have an established network of contacts. If your CV is ready to go and you know what you are looking for, a recruitment consultant can help you find it. No matter what time of year you happen to be job hunting, recruiters can help match your ambitions with their client’s needs.

It’s important to remember is that organisations are looking for top talent all year round. Therefore, candidates should not be put off applying for roles during specific times of the year.