Summertime is the perfect time to dive into managing your career: Networking, polishing your personal branding, and searching for your next dream job. Make this summer a no-slack summer! While all the other professionals and executives are focused on taking time off and relaxing, kick your career into a higher gear to take advantage of the slower pace and loss of focus in your competition. Hiring influencers and recruiters still need to fill those waiting positions, and there are fewer candidates seriously searching during the summer.
Summer networking. Invite a contact to meet you over iced coffee, especially if you need a referral. Reach out via email to former bosses and colleagues to catch up. Consider hosting a networking event, as there may be fewer competing events right now, attendance could be higher. There are fewer people networking over the summer, so more of your contacts may have time to connect.
Polish your brand. If you do have some extra time this summer, consider using it to complete your LinkedIn Profile and do some work on your personal branding. Write a post on a current issue in your industry, post a link to a great article, and create buzz that can attract hiring influencers. With the summer slowdown, your online activities will attract more attention than usual.
Keep searching. Don’t abandon the job search over the summer. There is a common misconception that vacations and summer distractions mean candidates should also take a break. The opposite is true! With so many candidates waiting until September to get serious, the field is wide open for those who search through the summer. Why slack off when this is the perfect time to stand out?