If you’re looking for a new job but summer seems to be eerily quiet, you’re not alone.
The so-called “September rush” is nothing new in the recruiting world. Corporate America has used the term for years to describe the spike in job searches and job openings between Labor Day (the first Monday in September) and Halloween (October 31).
But thanks to TikTok, the phrase is now going global and entering the vocabulary of Gen Z, with the hashtag #septembersurge racking up more than 6.6 million views.
“If you’ve been looking for a job and you’ve had no luck, take note because the September hiring surge is happening,” says Chanelle Howell, a self-proclaimed recruitment expert who has one of the most-viewed videos on the topic.
Howell believes the return of executives to work after the summer, combined with a larger-than-expected year-end budget, makes September “one of the busiest times” for hiring.
“Get ready,” she advises her followers.
Meanwhile, one job seeker who stumbled upon job openings through TikTok even admitted that he put his search for new job opportunities on hold until the “surge” began.
User @texpatpat said: “I’m putting off my job search until September because I just found out that when a lot of companies and industries start hiring a lot, there’s a so-called September surge because a lot of people are on vacation right now.”
“Now that I know September to Halloween is hiring season, I feel better,” he added, while lamenting the emotional toll the job search takes.
But will those who insist on looking for a job in the fall be sorely disappointed? Is the September surge really real?The answer isn’t so clear-cut, recruiters say wealth.
august is usually a quiet time
Experts wealth Respondents agreed that, in any case, September is generally a good month for job hunting compared to August.
Katherine Jackson, regional director of UK-based FTSE 250 recruiting firm Michael Page, said each year the firm sees a surge in job advertisements after a summer slump.
“With many people putting off the gas in the summer to enjoy family or vacation time, September is ‘back to school’ season, which also means a return to business,” she added. “And, as the final quarter of the year approaches, it is more likely that businesses will have clarity on their remaining budgets.”
New data from Gumtree— a site that searches everything from job listings to used laptops — echoes July and August, which are traditionally slower months for job listing responses. However, starting in September, the number of job advertisements, interest from potential employees, and response times all increased dramatically.
Jill Cotton, career trends expert at Gumtree, commented on the findings: “During the summer months, the number of job listings posted on Gumtree and the number of replies to ads from potential employees were down.” Both employers and job seekers will take action.”
But this can vary depending on the industry and qualifications of the job you want to work in, and whether you are already employed.
“If you’re unemployed right now, you might start to see more job offers this month,” said Lewis Maleh, chief executive of global executive recruiter Bentley Lewis. “However, if you’re working and want to move, you may have to think carefully about whether you want to move now because you might miss out on your bonus or have to find a company that’s willing to offer you a signing bonus.”
Also, you may have better luck finding a job in some industries than others in September. “The retail industry, for example, typically ramps up hiring ahead of the holiday season, so September might not be an ideal time for the industry,” he said, adding that seasonally driven jobs have different peak months for hiring.
Meanwhile, if you’re in a leadership position, you’re likely to be popular all year.
“If a senior leader or key employee resigns, the company looks for a replacement no matter what time of year it is,” Mahler added. “The dynamics at the top have more to do with the number of jobs than the time of year.”
Indeed, finding a job can be a year-round endeavor
Job seekers who haven’t updated their resumes in time to handle the September surge needn’t worry, and while the job market did pick up after the holidays, it won’t abate as the month ends.
“October is probably the best time to look for a job and give you a fresh start in the new year. The end of the fiscal year in April also brings a ton of opportunities,” Jackson said.
Meanwhile, Maleh thinks January and February are good months to look for a job.
“Companies are more likely to have a comprehensive understanding of the open positions they need to fill,” he adds. “Companies typically pay bonuses at that time as well, so you see more resignations, which creates more vacancies.”
Svlook