You’ve read it on countless blogs and you’ve been warned by your peers, friends and family that summer isn’t the optimal time to search for a new job. With management and decision-makers taking vacations, there’s truth to this in many cases. However, this certainly is not the case in our experience! In fact, summer has historically been an incredibly busy time here at Clarity ー one of our busiest seasons of the year! Here’s why you shouldn’t give up on your search over the summer or push pause until fall. We also have some tips on how to make the season of relaxation work for you!

Resignations are Unpredictable

It’s nearly impossible to forecast when someone will resign or leave a role, but our clients come to us right away when it happens, especially when it’s a critical hire or role they can’t wait 3 months to fill. With job-hopping on the rise, especially among millennial, resignations can strike at any time outside peak hiring seasons of Q1 and Fall. Hiring to backfill someone who has resigned is a wholly separate situation than growing headcount, and often it’s not widely publicized.

Strategic Summer Job Transitions

To build on the above, when people are strategically transitioning jobs and planning to make a move from their company, they often aim to leave a company during summer so they can take a few weeks off before they begin the new position they’ve secured. Why? Because: VACATION! Not everyone is able to be so strategic here, of course, but it is definitely something we see quite a bit of during warmer months, which can lead to unforeseen permanent roles opening up.

High Demand for Summer Temps

Temp work abounds during the summer! For the same reason it’s commonly thought to be the “slow season” for hiring, it is also when we see the highest demand for temporary workers. Whether covering someone’s vacation, or just filling a gap before a company is ready to hire someone permanently in the Fall, summer is action packed for us! With temp-to-perm conversions trending upward each year, more companies are sure will integrate this strategy into their long-term hiring plans. It’s also makes summer a great time to explore these options because by fall, you could be converted into a permanent position if that’s your goal. Keeping an open mind is key!

So how exactly do you take advantage of the season and use it to set the stage for a productive job search?

Activate your network!

• Warmer months are the best time to head out after work to meet new people. Hands down! Clarity recruiters have met candidates and new clients in all kinds of places, and often spontaneously. From casual chatter with neighboring diners at a restaurant, to happenstance subway conversations ー these situations and more have resulted in Clarity placements. Once in a while, remember to pull the earbuds out and keep your head up ー you never know who you’ll meet!
• Attend networking events to meet great new people in that field. It might sound cliche, and, it is easy to get turned off to networking networking in NYC has come a long way! There are so many great panel discussions and curated events going on all over the city, that don’t have the same stodgy feel of traditional networking.
  • Here are some we like:
    • LMHQ Events
    • Six Degrees Society ー you will see some Clarity faces on this upcoming panel on JUNE 27th!
    • A classic meetup is always a great idea – follow your interests!
• Curious about a new industry but don’t know how your skills fit into it? Strike up conversations with new friends you make in your summer social activities ー ask about what people’s day-to-day responsibilities are in fields of interest. Even if their company isn’t hiring, maybe they can introduce you to a new connection that is! Networking can happen anywhere!
• Remember: People love giving advice and they also love sharing their experience. That informational interview with someone from college a few years ahead of you, or a former manager that’s moved to a new company you follow on social media, is only an ask away.

You don’t have to wait for a chance encounter ー we’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with your recruiter, stat. Shoot them an email with your updated resume, try to catch up over coffee, or give them a phone call to discuss your current goals. If you’re new to working with us, submit your resume right here and we’ll be in touch! The perfect job for you might not be available today, but summer is an ideal time for you to take advantage of quieter months in your own role to get your search rolling, update your resume, and start putting feelers out. Then again, maybe the perfect role is open. How will you know if you don’t reach out?

Now go ahead and get out there!