Advantages to job searching in the summer
Dear Sam:
I graduated college in the middle of May, but still haven’t found a job. I’m starting to get concerned because some of my close friends from my program have already accepted positions. Have I missed my chance to get into a good company, or do companies continue hiring throughout the summer?
Dear Eric:
Congratulations on your graduation. While summer isn’t the peak hiring season for most companies (January and February are the most popular for hiring), there are benefits to job hunting during summer.
Less Candidates Competing Jobs Since there tend to be less people applying for jobs in the summer, you have a better chance of standing out as a strong candidate. Make sure you differentiate yourself from other recent graduates by highlighting your key achievements from your academic career, internships or jobs you had in college and extracurricular activities, and by targeting your documents to the jobs that you are applying for. If you haven’t already, set up a LinkedIn profile so your accomplishments are also presented digitally.
additionaL networking opportunities
Treat every summer gathering you attend as a chance to network. The vast majority of jobs — upward of 85 percent according to recent surveys — are secured through networking, so take advantage of social events and share your elevator pitch as often as possible. Many organizations and associations (such as the Columbus Young Professionals Club) offer summer sports leagues and community events for fun/casual networking.
Research shows that around 80 percent of jobs are never even posted online, so you never know who will know somebody who is hiring. Join alumni groups as well (through LinkedIn or in person) to establish connections with other graduates.
shorter more reLaxed interview proCesses With many hiring managers and staff members leaving for summer vacations, scheduling interviews (especially multiple rounds of interviews) can be challenging for companies. Instead, many hiring managers will try to expedite the process to avoid having to coordinate multiple meetings. This can be a positive situation for candidates, because it could lead to less extensive vetting processes and quicker job offers. With lighter workloads for staff members, there is a chance that the environment will be more relaxed, possibly leading to more casual interviews.
avaiLabiLity entry-LeveL roLes Many companies take the end of the school year/graduation into consideration when hiring for entry-level positions, so there can be many openings for beginner roles during summer.
Customer service and sales roles are great ways to get your foot in the door of large companies, and many offer career tracks with the possibility of rapid promotions. Even if this isn’t your dream position, it could be a great resume builder and can lead to long-term career possibilities.
Peak hiring season or not, present yourself in the best possible light (on paper and online), network as often as possible and attack your job search head on. With your college degree completed, it is time to move on to the next chapter in your professional life. Congratulations again on your accomplishment, and best of luck in your search. Samantha Nolan is a certified professional resume writer and owner of Nolan Branding. Reach her at dearsam@nolanbranding. com, visit nolanbranding.com or call 614-570-3442 or 1-888-9523928. Meet her on Facebook, live on Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. EDT, for an extended discussion of this week’s Dear Sam topic.