“It is often thought that the labor market stops in the summer, but in reality it just changes pace. Candidate activity does decrease, but the need for employees remains, as companies do not always have the opportunity to switch to an easier seasonal mode and postpone team expansion to a later time,” says Eglė Butkienė, talent acquisition partner at the personnel solutions company Manpower.
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Long-term observations by Manpower confirm the seasonality of career changes – there have been years when the average number of specialists applying in summer was almost half that in winter. There is also a trend that people who have been considering changing jobs for some time usually leave their jobs just before or at the beginning of summer. Because of this, companies have a need to find a new team member as quickly as possible, since work does not stop and autumn projects must also be planned.
When chaos prevails in recruitment
E. Butkienė admits that recruitment processes run slower in summer: candidates are harder to reach, and sometimes hiring managers leave for vacation without making final decisions. Then the whole process gets stuck: interviews take longer to schedule, decisions are delayed, and waiting becomes a challenge for both sides.
“Outside the summer season, it is often possible to invite a candidate to an interview the next day or the day after the initial contact. In summer, sometimes the first meeting has to be waited for a week or even longer,” says talent acquisition partner E. Butkienė.
Such delays have consequences for both sides. Candidates actively looking for work often participate in several recruitment processes at the same time. If one drags on, they have to decide whether to accept an already received offer or wait for a more desirable opportunity, possibly risking ending up with neither.
“Sometimes one prolonged recruitment process affects others as well. Candidates wait for decisions from different companies, so a delay in one process can change decisions in others. A kind of chain reaction occurs,” notes E. Butkienė.
The situation is also unfavorable for employers. While decisions are postponed – for example, waiting for managers on vacation, delayed feedback, or trying to complete interviews with other candidates – the strongest candidates may accept other offers. Longer waiting often creates the impression that decisions are made slowly in the organization, so candidates may choose employers who operate more confidently. Moreover, a strategically important position left unfilled for longer can affect the existing team’s work – increasing employee workload and negatively impacting business results.
The most important thing is planning and communication
Still, summer can be a more favorable time for active candidates than commonly thought. When there are fewer candidates and the position needs to be filled urgently, the chance of receiving an offer from the employer often increases.
“When there are fewer candidates, competition decreases as well. If a person’s competencies match the employer’s needs, the chance of being noticed and receiving an offer can be higher than in autumn, when many more candidates apply for the same positions,” says Manpower’s talent acquisition partner.
According to the specialist, the success of summer recruitment is usually determined not by seasonality but by preparation. E. Butkienė recommends that employers plan the main recruitment stages in advance, assess which positions are critically important, and if necessary, delegate initial interviews to other team members.
Equally important is to establish first contact with the candidate as soon as possible, because it is usually the long wait at the beginning that reduces the potential employee’s motivation.
“Communication becomes even more important in summer. If the candidate knows why the process is taking time and when to expect the next stage, they are much more likely to stay in the process. Meanwhile, uncertainty often prompts accepting another offer,” says E. Butkienė.
Waiting for autumn is not always the best strategy
Although many people plan to start job searching only in autumn, E. Butkienė suggests carefully considering this decision. “Candidate activity traditionally increases in autumn, so competition for the same positions becomes much greater. Especially since it is very likely that summer vacations will not be shortened due to job searching – recruitment processes that start at that time often take longer, so the start of a new job can naturally be postponed to autumn,” she says.
According to E. Butkienė, summer can be a favorable time for both candidates and employers if both sides take into account the specifics of this period. Candidates can take advantage of less competition, and employers can avoid losing strong specialists if recruitment processes are planned in advance and decisions are not delayed. “Although the labor market operates at a different pace in summer, careers do not take a vacation. Those who understand the specifics of this period and adapt to it usually win,” she concludes.
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