Optimum Talks Blog

5 Myths About Summer Job Hunting

One of the worst pieces of bad job search advice is: “You might as well take the summer off.”

Really? The misconception that the summer is a job search “dead zone” is common, but nothing could be further from the truth!

Summer job search myths have been around for a long time and are repeated like mantras. Like other myths, they’re fantasies that shatter when scrutinized.

Myth #1: Nobody hires in the summer. Myth #2: Nothing ever happens after July 1st, so you might as well leave town and stop networking. Myth #3: Even if an employer has an opening, the hiring manager won’t have time to meet you. Myth #4: You won’t find the job you really want in the summer. Myth #5: You will have a better chance of landing a job if you wait until September.

The reality is that in today’s highly-competitive business world, no company or organization can afford to go to sleep for the summer. This is because of the following:

• There is too much change;
• There is too much new technology to absorb and launch;
• The volatility of change is accelerating every day; and
• New competitors, on a global basis, are looking to seize the day, disrupt markets, steal customers, and grow.

Winners Come To Play – Get Out Front – Get An Advantage

So let’s breakdown and bust these myths and discover why you should continue your summer job hunt.

Myth #1: Nobody hires in the summer.

There are 4 reasons companies may hire in July and August:

• The summer months don’t affect much change in most businesses. There may be more employees on vacation, but few vacations are more than a week or two in length, and activities roll along just like any other time of the year.
• Many companies have fiscal years that start in late summer or fall. This means they have new budgets, new growth plans, or new process-improvement initiatives that require the right resources in place to get the next fiscal year off to a solid start.
• Contract positions to backfill an employee who experiences an immediate change in their life can open at any time. At times, these contract positions can lead to full-time employment.
• This is often a good time for organizations to make resource changes to build management or frontline strength, which in turn can create new job opportunities.

Myth #2: Nothing ever happens after July 1st, so you might as well leave town and stop networking.

• Surprise! If you continue your job search throughout the summer, you won’t have as much competition. Because so many people believe in the myths, it’s a perfect time to put yourself out there, and often a good time to meet with a recruiter.
• Active job seekers know the opportunities are there and go in with a positive attitude.
• We often hear that the summer atmosphere makes people more relaxed, so when you do get in to see someone, they tend to be more open and available.
• The summer months create social opportunities to network: neighbourhood BBQs, sporting events, and cottage parties. Don’t let those opportunities slip away.

Myth #3: Even if an employer has an opening, the hiring manager won’t have time to meet you.

• The interview process may take a bit longer with hiring managers in and out of the office, but the process does not stop. Furthermore, if there is a sense of urgency to hire and on-board new hires, it may not slow at all.
• Don’t let “time anxiety” get to you. If the process is going slower than you would like, reset your expectations, and don’t assume stopping your search will help. The old adage is true, patience is a virtue.

Myth #4: You won’t find the job you really want in the summer.

• Our decades of experience working with clients tells us otherwise. In fact, you’re just as likely to find the job you really want in the summer months as any other month.

Myth #5: You will have a better chance of landing a job if you wait until September.

• If employers have a need, they don’t care if it’s March, July, December, or January. Hiring isn’t focused on the time of year – it’s focused on the business need.
• Early summer is the perfect time to get ready, research, prepare SOAR stories, and do on-site reviews. That way, no matter what happens or when it happens, you will be prepared.
• During the summer, job candidates need to make sure they are available. The idea that someone would come in on the Friday of a long weekend if need-be will tell potential employers a lot about who you are.