Summer & Seasonal Recruitment Trends

When it comes to recruitment and hiring, it is fair to say that some seasons are certainly more active than others. Seasonal recruitment trends typically occur because employers want to take advantage of any left-over budget before years-end and hire new employees rather than losing those funds. This makes mid-August to about the end of October a very high-volume recruitment season. After October, there is a decrease in hiring and recruitment because of the holidays leading into the end of the year. Once New Year’s Day passes, recruiting begins to pick up again until the end of May.

Slow Summers & Skilled Workers

Summer is usually a slow time for hiring and recruitment – jobs take summer vacations too! From Memorial Day to Mid-August, many “decision-makers” are either away on vacation or focusing on year-end business needs. While summer may be a less ideal time for many job-seekers to start applying for jobs, it is the perfect season for those with impressive, specialized employment backgrounds to start submitting their resumes. Recruiters have more time during slow months, so they can spend more hours scanning resumes for an employee with the ideal background.

Passive Candidates & Employers

Summer is a great time for passive candidates to start looking into companies they would like to work for and preparing for the September recruitment kickoff. Applicants should consider dedicating the summer months to sprucing up their resumes, sharpening their interviewing techniques, and honing in on their soft skills. This way, job candidates will be prepared for the upcoming hiring wave, and employers will be ready and willing to hire and fill any empty slots before year’s end.

High Peak & Low Peak

The biggest trends seen in seasonal hiring are waves of “high-peak hiring” to “low-peak hiring.” January to May are high-peak, followed by June to August at a very low-peak. September to October are a high-peak again, and November to December close out the year at a low-peak. While there are many reasons why recruiting seasons have highs and lows, seasonal hiring trends tend to follow this pattern every year.