The Summer Slowdown Will Halt Hiring—Here's How to Get a Job Before Then

Remember when you were 16 and getting a job for the summer was easy? All you had to do was choose between scooping ice cream and being a lifeguard, and from there, you introduced yourself, told them you were available for literally any shift they’d give you, and you were hired. (Oh, what I would give to return to simpler times!) As adults, the opposite is true. The lead-up to summer doesn’t come with a side of excitement, a leisurely reading list, and endless employment opportunities. Instead, you and countless others are panic-searching for a job before the summer slowdown sets in—AKA a time when hiring slows in most industries.

After a grueling front half of the year, decision-makers are ready for a break. So, come early June, hiring and training are replaced with days spent at the beach—meaning you’ll be lucky to find job postings or hear from anyone regarding next steps. Finding a job before summer (or during summer) isn’t impossible, but you do have to kick it into high gear to get HR’s attention—starting now. Lucky for you, we have some tips. Ahead, our best advice for applying fast, interviewing early, and landing a job before the summer slowdown.

1. Apply to newly posted jobs daily

If you’ve been treating your job search like a hobby instead of the actual job it is, it’s time to buckle down. Hiring managers will want to move fast to get a candidate hired and trained before they go OOO this summer, so you need to be ready. So set a goal to apply to a few (five to six) jobs every day, and prioritize those posted within the last week, since older job postings might already have a large pool of applicants or finalists. Before you hit “submit,” spend time carefully tailoring your resume and cover letter so they mirror each job description. (This sounds like a lot of work, but remember, you’re only doing a few per day!) We know that HR will more than likely be using AI tools to filter out applicants for faster hiring, and you can’t afford to have yours immediately overlooked.

2. Prioritize roles that move fast

Some interview and hiring processes can be excruciatingly long, and when everyone is OOO over the summer, it can take forever to actually get hired. To avoid this altogether, prioritize roles that are more likely to move fast. Jobs at smaller companies, startups, and contract or temporary roles often have faster hiring cycles than larger corporations. Fewer people to talk to and hoops to jump through? Now we’re talking! This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t apply to jobs at larger companies at all, but it’ll be in your best interest to send out more applications to smaller companies, as you’ll have a better chance of hearing back from them.

3. Do your own recruiting

Recruiters are hard at work all year round, but they can only do so much when job openings are limited. Instead of waiting for a recruiter to introduce you to the perfect role, seek it out yourself. You can do this in a few ways. First, start by asking those in your network if they know of any job opportunities and if they could connect you to them. Next, send cold emails or DMs on LinkedIn to people who work at companies you’d love to work for. Start by introducing yourself, giving them your elevator pitch, and asking if there are any opportunities at their company. Considering that a large majority of jobs are in the hidden job market, you just might find an opening that’s not posted publicly.

“If you want to get hired before the summer slowdown, you need to position yourself as a prepared, qualified candidate who doesn’t need much training.”

4. Keep track of your applications

Now is not the time to ask yourself, “Did I ever reply to that email?” To stay organized and on top of your job search game before the summer slowdown, keep track of all of your applications in a notebook or Excel spreadsheet. Start by writing down the role and where you found it. Then, create check boxes for tailoring your resume and cover letter, submitting your application, following up, researching the company, whether or not you received a reply, and more. This will keep you from getting opportunities confused, act as a running to-do list for you, and save you time sorting through your emails.

5. Follow up aggressively

Most people wait a few days to a week to hear back about a job application or interview before they follow up. However, time is not on your side, so I recommend emailing or DMing the hiring manager or recruiter immediately upon submitting your application and after an interview. After you submit your application, you can say something like, “I just applied for [Job Title] and wanted to introduce myself directly. I’d be thrilled to contribute [Skill/Experience]. I’m available for interviews at your convenience.” And after an interview, thank them and then say something like, “Our conversation confirmed my interest in the role, and I’d be thrilled to bring my experience in [key skill] to contribute to [specific project, goal, or value].” This will keep your name top of mind and consistently remind hiring managers and recruiters of your qualifications and interest.

6. Prep for interviews now

Don’t wait until you receive a calendar invite to start prepping for an interview. You never know how quickly they’ll want to move you through the process. Start by carefully reading the job description and researching the company. (Glassdoor is a great resource for the latter!) This will help you understand what an ideal candidate looks like to them from a skills, values, and culture-fit standpoint. From there, you can tailor your answers to common interview questions. For example, if they ask you about your background, and you know that this role requires proficiency in areas like payroll or coding, practice naturally using those buzzwords in explaining roles you’ve had in your career. If you want to get hired before the summer slowdown, you need to position yourself as a prepared, qualified candidate who doesn’t need much training, and this simple prep tip can help you do just that.