Are you looking for a job? Or looking for ways to get ahead? Here’s how you can take advantage of the summer months to boost your job search or your career!
Yes, it’s a widely believed myth that summer is a bad time to look for a job. People are on vacation, productivity slows down—some industries seem to practically shut down in July and August. But the truth is, summer is great time to advance your plans, especially since a large number of jobseekers believe the myth and temporarily stop looking.
Use the summer slow-down to your advantage by:
- Finding unique places to network. Barbeques, happy hours and other warm weather outings can be great places to meet people and get the word out about your job search.
- Offering to fill in for vacationing employees. You can do this at your current job or take on temporary work through an agency. You’ll make extra money and possibly new connections, and you may also end up impressing your manager and earning a full-time position.
- Using the time off to attend a conference, take a class or participating in a webinar. You can pick up new skills, exercise existing ones and better qualify yourself for future positions.
- Taking over some minor projects. With many managers using vacation time, show off your leadership skills by volunteering to take responsibility for some things that just haven’t gotten done.
- Updating your resume, cover letter and online profiles. If you’ve got the time off, use it to refresh or revamp your professional presence.
- Requesting informational interviews with professionals on a different career track you’re considering or a company you’re targeting. They’ll be more likely to be able to find the time in the summer, and if you hold it outdoors at a favorite restaurant or coffee shop, they’ll probably be thrilled to get out of the office for awhile and enjoy some sunlight.
- Catching up on professional reading. Do you have a pile of magazine articles, a long white paper or a list of bookmarked blog posts you’ve been meaning to read? Bring them to the beach or the park, where they’ll seem like less of a chore.
By the end of the summer, you may have just the skills, connections and experiences you need to take your job search or career to the next level. If not, consider calling Synerfac. Any time of year, we’re here to help you find your next great opportunity. Contact us today to learn more!