The September Surge is Coming

In this week’s newsletter:

• 🌊 The September Surge is Coming - Get your resume and Zoom backgrounds ready!

• ❓ Why September?

• 📈 Some Surge Support - Follow the Yellow Line

• 👩‍💼 What Do Hiring Managers Have to Say?

• ☑️ How Should I Prepare?

• 🧢 Offboard Merch is Comin’ in Hot!

🌊 The September Surge is Coming!

The September Surge is a phenomenon where hiring and recruiting activity increases from Labor Day through around Halloween. While this sounds a bit woo woo, this pattern has been observed for decades! The first question that comes to mind is, “but why September?!” Let’s find out!

❓ Why September?

1. End of Vacation Season: During the summer months, many employees and hiring managers are on vacation, leading to a slowdown in recruitment processes. When people return in September, they re-focus on filling vacant positions and adding staff for new projects.

2. Renewed Budgets and Q4 Planning: In many companies, September marks the beginning of the last quarter of the fiscal year. This can coincide with renewed budgets, allowing for more hiring. Businesses also begin planning for Q4 and may require additional staff to meet their year-end goals, resulting in increased job openings.

3. Back-to-School Mentality: There's often a "back-to-business" mindset that comes after summer, analogous to the "back-to-school" feeling. This renewed focus on professional goals can lead both job seekers and employers to become more active in the job market.

4. Seasonal Industries: Some industries might have a specific need for more staff as they approach the holiday season. Retail, for example, often hires more workers in the lead-up to the busy holiday shopping period.

5. Strategic Planning for the Following Year: Some organizations use September to plan for the upcoming year. This can include assessing staffing needs and creating new positions, leading to a surge in job openings.

6. Catching Up on Pending Decisions: If hiring decisions were postponed due to summer vacations and a slower business pace, September becomes a catch-up month, leading to an uptick in job offers and acceptances.

7. Economic Factors: Economic trends and industry-specific cycles may also contribute to a September surge. For instance, tech companies launching new products in the fall might require more staff, leading to increased hiring.

8. Conference and Networking Events: September is a common month for professional conferences and networking events. These gatherings can stimulate hiring by connecting job seekers with potential employers.

📈 Some Surge Support - Follow the Yellow Line!

In 2022, the September Surge was evident in the job market, with the Labor Department reporting 10.7 million job openings in September, a 600K increase from the previous month's 10.1 million. This unexpected surge in job openings occurred despite the Federal Reserve's efforts to cool the labor market and curb inflation

From the chart below, you can see the huge spike in first-round interviews.

👩‍💼 What Do Hiring Managers Have to Say About This?

Well, here’s one perspective:

@ohheyitsliora

Get ready for the BUSIEST hiring season! September Surge is coming up and I’m hosting a Back 2 Basics Job Seeker Masterclass on 9/7 at 1pm... See more

☑️ How Should I Prepare?

While the strategies don’t need to change during a hiring spree, some actions are worth re-emphasizing (with some tools 🛠️ to make you more efficient):

Update your resume and online profiles: Ensure that your resume and LinkedIn profile are up to date, highlighting your most relevant skills and experiences.

• Rezi - The smartest GPT-powered resume builder.

• Careerflow LinkedIn Optimizer - AI-assisted tools and resources to land your dream job

Network: Reach out to your professional contacts, attend industry events, and engage with online communities to expand your network. Networking can lead to valuable connections and potential job opportunities.

• Blind - Where verified professionals connect to discuss what matters most.

• Twitter (X)

Research companies: Identify companies that align with your career goals and values. Research their job openings and company culture to determine if they are a good fit for you.

• Key Values - Find teams that share your values

• Glassdoor - “Your work people are here”

Tailor your applications: Customize your cover letter and resume for each position you apply for. Highlight how your skills and experiences align with the specific job requirements.

• Jobscan - Optimize your resume to land more interviews

• TealHQ - One-stop shop for job seekers

• Simplify - Discover relevant jobs. Apply 10x faster.

Prepare for interviews: Practice common interview questions and be ready to showcase your skills and qualifications. Research the company beforehand to demonstrate your interest and knowledge.

• Interviews by AI - Realistic interview questions and feedback with ChatGPT

• Metaview - ChatGPT for interviews

• Interview Warmup by Google - A quick way to prepare for your next interview

• Yoodli - Ace your next job interview with an AI communication coach

Check out the full Job Seeker Tool Directory

🧢 Offboard Merch is Comin’ in Hot!

🚀 At Offboard, we've cooked up something that marries code, comedy, and couture. Introducing our new merch store, where pop culture meets punch lines and tech jargon turns trendy! There’s only a handful of items to gauge the temperature in the room, but we’ll be adding more items every week.

If you have an idea you’d like to see in the shop, comment on this post and let us know! 🎉👕🧢

WARN Tracker

www.warntracker.com

A WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) notice is a notice required by the federal WARN Act in the United States, which mandates that employers with 100 or more employees provide at least 60 days advance written notice of a plant closing or mass layoff affecting 50 or more employees.

WARNtracker tracks these and conveniently displays them in a database. They have also recently launched a new job board with 16,000+ jobs from over 300 companies!