Business Q & A
Launching a Summer Job Search

Interview by Robbie Miller Kaplan

author of How to Say It in Your Job Search

 

 

 
Web AuditNet

If it’s summertime and the living is easy, how does that impact looking for a job? Is it realistic to find employment while the workforce seems headed for vacation? Wade Robinson, Managing Director of Glen Associates, LLC and an expert in managing corporate and professional transitions, shares strategies to manage a successful job search during the hottest months.

 

 

Q; How is looking for a job during the summer months different than other times in the year?


A: The conventional wisdom is that it is harder to get the attention of employers during the summer due to planned vacations and other good weather distractions. This may be true to some extent, but the better positions, and the positions critical to the employer, will be on the forefront of the minds of the hiring manager and HR. Making a job change may require relocation and this might impact schooling; summer is the best time to move.

 

Q; Should I just wait until the fall to look for a new job?


A: Absolutely not. Many employers will be looking to have their entire complement of employees aboard during the second half of the year. If you wait until September, you will be competing with a much larger pool of candidates.

 

Q; Are there specific strategies that will facilitate a summer search?


A: Take into consideration the fact that people tend to leave the office earlier in the afternoon during good weather for soccer, tennis, cutting the lawn, preparing for a barbeque, etc. It would be wise to contact people early in the day and allow them time to return your call. If you have made initial contact with an employer you value and expect the conversation will continue, it would be best to determine their vacation or travel plans for the future. If a prospective employer is leaving on vacation - ask if you may contact them while they are out of town if you feel it would be mutually advantageous to do so. People can be expected to take vacations this year that are closer to home and they may be more accessible than in past years.

 

Q; Is it possible to expedite a summer search? And if so, how?

 
A: The best way to expedite a job search is to dedicate yourself to a very proactive strategy. Think of the specific job you would like to find. Look at the more respected organizations that would offer such a position. Narrow the organization list by geography, culture, career development and other factors of interest to you. Use networking and the Internet to identify the specific industry leaders you can contact directly in those firms to identify opportunities. Arrange "informational interviews" early in the morning and late in the afternoon/early evening to investigate opportunities. Approach the right people with a short "elevator pitch" of who you are and what you could bring to their organization. Leverage your contacts toward an offer.