"Companies don't hire in summer" (the mindset that's costing you your dream role)

Hey reader,

Here's what I keep hearing around this time of the year: "companies stop hiring in summer." "everyone's on vacation." "I'll start looking in September when things pick up again."

But while you think hiring stops, companies are still hiring and growing. They still have problems to solve. They still need talented women.

There is just way less competition in the summer.

Your peers are mentally checked out, scrolling Instagram from their beach chairs instead of LinkedIn. The women who would normally be your biggest competition for Senior roles are waiting until ‘hiring season’ starts again. Meanwhile, the Hiring Managers who need to fill that Senior Manager position are still at work. Still interviewing. Still making offers.

Throwback to last year

Last year in June, Emma* came to me to help her land an Enterprise Account Manager role in Tech. She told me she was thinking about starting her job search after summer. Because “there’s no point looking for roles now when everyone's on vacation, right?"

Fast forward 10 weeks: she signed her contract for a Strategic Account Manager role at a fast-growing Tech scale-up. Her start date was 1 September.

While her friends and peers assumed "nothing happens in summer," Emma was putting in the work, having the conversations that led to her dream role.

What Emma did differently

When Emma came to me last June, she was in the exact same mindset as everyone else. "Maybe I should wait until fall." But once we started talking, she realised she was letting other people's excuses and doubts decide her timeline.

Instead of waiting, Emma used the summer strategically:

Week 1: We got crystal clear on what she actually wanted. Not just ‘a better role’ but specifically what type of company, what size team, what kind of challenges excited her.

Weeks 2-3: We revamped her CV and LinkedIn profile to attract the RIGHT kind of opportunities (not just any opportunities).

Weeks 3-4: While her network was posting holiday photos, she was having coffee chats with Hiring Managers and Directors at her target companies

Weeks 5-8: 3 of her target companies invited her for interviews, so we made sure she prepared the right stories to position herself as the ‘no-brainer’ candidate. We practised until she felt super confident to ace those interviews.

Week 9: Her offer came in! I helped her negotiate the best salary and benefits package.

Week 10: Emma signed her contract.

The funny thing is that the role she accepted wasn’t even posted online yet. The Senior Manager of her department she connected with in July, mentioned she was the perfect person for this upcoming role!

Your summer advantage

Summer hiring often means:

• More focused interview processes.

• More time for meaningful conversations with decision-makers.

• Hiring managers who can actually focus on finding the RIGHT person.

Plus, if you land an offer in July or August, you can negotiate a September start date. Perfect timing for a fresh beginning without the chaos of everyone else starting their job search at the exact same time.

Your dream role might open up next week. The Hiring Manager might be looking right now. The company might be ready to make an offer in August.

Making intentional and strategic moves NOW, while others take a break, means that you could be fully onboarded and enjoying your new role by the end of this year!

I’m looking for 3 women who are looking to land a fulfilling role in Tech in the next 3 months. Reply to this email with “Summer” and I’ll share the next steps with you!

Here’s to your next incredible role!

Talk soon, Jennifer