Amanda Clark
For families, summer is often jam-packed with vacations, camps, and activities; for businesses, it can be something of a downtime. Once autumn comes, though, most companies are ready to kick into high-gear for the remainder of the year, which means creating new positions and filling vacant ones. In fact, autumn is traditionally the season in which companies do the most hiring. In other words: Autumn is the best season to look for a new job!
So while autumn may still feel like a long way off, remember that summer won’t last forever—and once it’s over, you’ll be in a good place to seek new employment. Maybe you’re growing tired of your current role, or know that your upward mobility is limited. Maybe you just want to see what other opportunities are out there.
Plan on launching a job search this fall with full vim and vigor. Start preparing for it today, getting a leg up on all the other fall jobseekers. Here are five tips:
- Create a list of targeted careers. What are the companies you most want to work for? Where are they? What do they do? What kind of culture do they have? Start doing some research, and create an Excel file with key facts about your dream employers. Consult with this list regularly, checking in on these companies and reviewing new openings. When a position does open up, you’ll be armed with plenty of information about the company, and a zeal to make a strong first impression.
- Start marketing yourself online. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is optimized, with each field completed. Remove any potentially embarrassing or offensive photos or posts from your Twitter feed and your Facebook timeline. Start posting blogs and articles related to your industry, building some thought leadership.
- Build a support system. Get some close friends to work alongside you. Tell them that you plan on looking, and fill them in on what you’re looking for. Ask them to check over your resume and offer feedback. Talk with them regularly, just getting their encouragement and their affirmation. If these friends are also job searching, even better! Work together and provide mutual encouragement.
- Start networking. You can never start too early! Reach out to old friends, classmates, and colleagues, asking them to keep their eyes and ears open for any potential openings or opportunities.
- Get a resume review. Go into your autumn job search armed with a truly stunning resume—one that will fill you with confidence! Have a professional review and rewrite from our team!
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