“What you do today can improve all of your tomorrows.” – Anonymous
There’s no doubt that summer is in full swing. The office is a little quieter. Traffic is a little lighter and the sun is a whole lot brighter. However, that doesn’t mean you have to work any less. In fact, the most motivated professionals actually work harder during the summer months—especially since they know so many others do the opposite.
What you work hard on is your own decision. Whether that’s doing projects around the house that you put off until the weather warmed up, being productive in your current role at your job, or even, working hard to land your next opportunity to further your career.
Contrary to what some people think, businesses still hire during the summer months—and sometimes at a rapid pace. Therefore, the summertime is a really great time to make progress on your job search.
I tend to discuss this topic every time summer rolls around because I find it so important. Plus, I came across an interesting article on strategizing your summer job search in order to be successful. Therefore, below are a few tips from my past blogs along with some pointers from the article in the 7 Tips for Heating Up Your Job Search During the Summertime below.
1. Stay organized.
Like anything you do well, you need to have a plan and follow that plan. Write an outline of what you want to accomplish. Include the names of the companies you wish to apply to along with the job titles. When you apply, indicate the date you apply for the role. Then, put a timeline around that outline so that you stay on track with your goals. This will help keep you organized throughout the process.
2. Sign up to volunteer.
Summertime brings upon many volunteer opportunities from community cleanups to fun runs. Find a few events that you’re interested in and register to attend. This will help you build some new skillsets and meet new people along the way. You never know what kind of connections you can make at many of these nonprofit events.
3. Use vacation time.
Vacation time is meant to be used. Therefore, take a couple of days off from your current role to either dedicate to your job search, or to interview with a company if you’ve gotten to that point. No need to sneak around while you’re in the middle of your job search. Taking your dedicated paid time off, as long as it gets approved by your manager, is perfectly acceptable.
4. Attend networking events.
The summertime brings many opportunities for networking, as well. Be sure to take advantage and attend any events you might get invited to. You should also seek out events yourself to attend. Whether there’s a rooftop social, a happy hour, or a lunch and learn, networking events are sure to put you in contact with someone who could potentially help your career. Of course, once you make it to the event, you have to do your part to properly network. Overall, summertime is a great time to get out there and meet new people in your industry or field.
5. Optimize social media.
While you can use social media at any time of the year, these days with the job-search enhancements on Facebook and Google, you might want to take advantage of searching for a job while you’re scrolling through your friends’ vacation photos. Many of the social platforms and search engine tools are adapting new features to make it easier for job seekers to search for jobs while they’re already online.
6. Freshen up your skills.
If you have an eye on an ideal role, but you’re lacking one or two qualifications, the summertime is a good time to sign up for a summer course or workshop that could help you attain those skillsets. Often times, summer courses are intensives and cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. This is a good way to aid your job search.
7. Go shopping.
Whether you’re landing interviews right now or not, you have to be prepared for when you do. And, the first step is looking nice. There are usually summer sales at clothing stores this time of year. Check out what deals you can find on suits or dresses so that you can update your wardrobe and look professional when it comes time to interview.
If you are currently in the middle of a job search and looking for further assistance, email your resume to info@brilliantfs.com with the subject line: “Summer Blog Resume” and one of our dedicated recruiters will follow up with you.
What are some other tips for heating up your job search during the summer months? Comment below and let us know!