Don’t Let the Summer Slump Get to You: Why Hiring in the Summer is a Good Idea

The summer slump is real. Every day at the office (or at home for some of us) we look out the window, distracted by the lovely sunshine and chirping of birds as if they’re telling us to change into our beachwear and get out. But such is life, we all have to work.

The decline in productivity during summer makes absolute sense, but at times it may become an excuse for people to procrastinate and put off work that could’ve been done without delay. Job seekers in this case, ponder whether they should put their resumes on hold, assuming most people are away on vacation or otherwise busy with their summer activities. Recruiters similarly get stuck in this false belief that everyone’s less accessible and available, hence, reducing their budget and efforts they would generally contribute to hiring. Drink all the margaritas you want, but don’t shut down any opportunities that may lead you to your best-hire. Here’s what you can do.

Advertise Your Work Culture

If anything from free ice cream to fun team-building events can solve your employees’ summer slumps, do it and make sure you endorse it. With nearly half of the entire world’s population being on an online platform nowadays, promoting your brand or work culture through social media is proven invaluable when it comes to attracting young talents. Take advantage of the nice weather and plan exciting activities that will improve the “happy factor” in both your existing employees and potential hires. It’s a win-win!

Good Mood Brings Good Hires

Hiring goes two ways. Just because people aren’t actively seeking jobs, it doesn’t mean you, as a hiring manager, should sit there and do nothing until someone slides into your mailbox with a copy of their resumé. Keep an eye out for passive candidates who may be up for new challenges, or fresh college grads who are eager to enter the job market and make a good first impression. As everyone is seemingly in a better mood, it may be wise to reach talents casually through social media or networking apps instead. The sunshine and blue skies also make summer an appropriate season for more informal interviews or networking approaches, for instance, over coffee or at a patio.

Take Post-Hire Initiatives

Overall candidate experience doesn’t end the moment a hire is made. Taking the onboarding process into account, summer makes transitioning easier for new hires as companies are likely less busy and can devote more time to training. Managers should also utilize this period to learn your employees’ motivations and interests, and modify job positions accordingly until you get the perfect fit.

Whether it’s the summer slump or the winter slump, we tend to give ourselves excuses to behave or act a certain way. No more lazy, hazy days though. Keep your hiring patterns consistent and get ahead of others while they’re still sipping their first margaritas.

This post was most recently updated on April 20, 2021.