Insight
Summer Holidays: The Peak Season for Job Changes
Data from STAR shows that August is the month when most Danes change jobs.
While many are soon to enjoy a well-deserved vacation, the summer holiday presents a unique opportunity for companies to boost their recruitment efforts.
During the summer break, we step out of our daily routines and find time to reflect on our lives and work situations.
Are we satisfied with our current job? Or are we feeling stuck?
- Maybe we miss challenges?
- Perhaps we dream of a better boss or colleagues who can inspire and teach us new things?
- Maybe a different company culture?
- Possibly shorter commute times and higher pay?
- Perhaps we’re the last of the “old guard” in our department?
The reasons are many and varied, but the common factor is the time for reflection.
Many companies do not take advantage of this peak season or “transfer window” for job changes. They wait to start recruiting in August or September when they themselves are back at work.
The risk of waiting is that the sought-after candidates, who are mentally open to a new job, are already in talks with another company.
Companies often argue that there are no managers or HR personnel available to conduct interviews in July.
But neither managers nor HR need to worry about being available for interviews in July.
↳ Candidates are not keen on leaving their summer houses for interviews.
However, they are willing to read a job posting if it resonates with what they are looking for—especially if it is delivered personally to their LinkedIn inbox, where many have notifications enabled.
Therefore, companies can benefit from:
- Having a job posting online from July through early August.
- Sending job postings directly to relevant candidates via LinkedIn in PDF format with a personalized, motivating message.
Both can be prepared just before the vacation with a note saying that you look forward to resuming the dialogue in August.
Normally, I do not recommend such long processes. But the summer holiday is an exception.
Alternatively, one could use a headhunter who ensures that there is staff available in July. They can contact candidates personally through various channels and have time to handle initial questions.
And no, even though not as many people respond during the holidays, our experience shows that candidates do read the messages. The candidates we already know often respond during the holiday period.
Contact us if you’d like to make the most of the ‘quiet’ season for recruitment.