summersearch

Although summer doesn’t actually begin until June 20th this year, Memorial Day Weekend is typically viewed as the unofficial start to summer. With summer having unofficially started this past weekend, there is a tendency to let the warm weather and excitement of summer become a distraction; however, cooling your job search during the summer months can cause you to miss out on employment opportunities. If you are feeling the sun drawing you away from your job search, here are some ways to bring the heat back into looking for a job this summer.

 

Implement a new schedule: After a record breaking wet winter in the Pacific Northwest, it’s no secret that Seattleites are ready to soak up some Vitamin D. With the urge to enjoy the long awaited sunshine threatening to cool down your job search, consider implementing a new schedule so that you can soak up some Vitamin D AND find an amazing employment opportunity. This can be accomplished by leaving your schedule fairly open during weekdays to accommodate interviews and warm weather activities, and dedicating your mornings and evenings to filling out applications, tweaking your resume and updating your online presence. These changes in your schedule can help you to avoid burnout by encouraging you to maintain balance between your professional life and your personal life.

Turn up the heat on your competition: While other job candidates may be using the summer as an excuse to take a vacation from resume writing and interviews, use the next few months to focus on researching open positions, marketing yourself, and being available for interviews. Sure, sitting by the pool with a mojito may sound like the ideal way to spend your summer, but having a successful career sounds even better.

Give back to your community: There are many ways to enjoy the sun, give back to your community and make yourself a more marketable applicant this summer. Outdoor volunteering and community service opportunities are plentiful this time of year, so find one that you can donate your time and strengths to and make a difference. Consider what skills you are learning through these experiences and take note of how you can apply them to a future career. Most interviewers will be interested to hear why you felt drawn to a specific cause and what you learned through your volunteering experience.

Utilize summer socials: Industry dependent, you may notice a decline in business during the summer months. What you won’t notice declining however are opportunities to network. Warm weather events such as barbeques, brunches, and baseball games lend themselves to having conversations with others in a variety of positions and fields. Utilize these summer socials to market yourself to potential employers or industry contacts this summer.

Keep your options open: If you are a recent grad, or if you have recently left an industry that wasn’t the right fit, chances are that you are doing a bit of soul searching and trying to pinpoint your next career move. If this sounds like you, consider taking advantage of summer internships. A summer internship is the perfect way to give your resume a boost, gain meaningful experience in a new industry, and eventually decide on which direction to take your career.

 

As you try to stay cool this summer, make sure that your job search is anything but. Apply these tips while looking for jobs, and enjoy the sunshine!