Why Autumn is a Great Time to Launch a Job Search
Career Paths

Why Autumn is a Great Time to Launch a Job Search

There are good seasons for almost everything, including your job search. In August, many key decision makers are taking a well-earned break. If you’re thinking about looking for a job in August, you could have a tough time of it as the recruitment industry slows down considerably.

A great time to launch your job search is when it picks up again starting in September. Here are some reasons why autumn is one of the best months to find a job.

Jobs Take Vacations too!

In the summer, people want to make the most of the sunshine and the long days. The summer slowdown does not mean there are no jobs available, but you’re unlike to find a great opportunity, and you will have to search that much harder.

More Jobs Available

When decision makers come back from their annual leave, they often do so with renewed zeal and new plans and goals. This means more demand for candidates who can help them to achieve these. For instance, they may be looking for someone to help them with a specific project for the fourth quarter of the year.

As the days get shorter and the weather becomes cooler, people are starting to spend more time indoors and hiring picks up again. Companies and employees are transitioning from a relaxed summer to the quicker pace of autumn.

Families are back from their holidays, school begins again and hiring managers are once again available to screen applicants. At this stage, many hiring managers are pressed to fill positions for the fourth quarter. It’s a time of regrouping and refocusing for the last sprint towards year-end.

New Directions

Just as key decision makers may return from their leave with new goals, so employees often return with a new focus on what they want to achieve in their jobs. They may also have made the decision during their break to look for a new job that more closely aligns with their goals.

Autumn is a season of change in more ways than one. Just as with seasonal change that turns the leaves beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow, people also tend to take this time to make changes in their careers.

Settling in before Christmas

Most employees want to be settled in a job before Christmas, which is often a busy, stressful time. They don’t want to be trying to settle into a new role at this time of the year. Hiring managers also want to get new recruits in before the holiday season mindset starts taking hold in November.

As you start thinking about your next career move, it’s important to think about conditions that affect hiring processes. Busy seasons, academic calendars and economic slumps are all factors that may be overlooked.

When they are taken into account, you may just have a leg up on the competition. If you submit your application in September or October, companies may just be looking at making their last hiring decisions for the year.