Got the summertime job hunting blues? Starting to doubt the value in looking for a new job during the summer? Here's the reality. Although the summer seems like a slow time for business because everyone takes vacations, the majority of companies do hire in the summer months. And if you're looking for a job right now, you can actually take advantage of the summertime job market.

Here's why:

• You'll beat the rush. The Fall is like hunting season and there will definitely be more people on the job market come September (more competition for you – bad!). Conversely, the Summertime translates to fewer people on the market. Think about it. While you're working hard applying to jobs and interviewing for new opportunities, your competition is on vacation. This is where the "nobody hires in the Summer myth"; helps you out. With less people applying for the same jobs, your resume will get in front of more people faster (vs. getting stuck in a large resume pile or email inbox come September). Plus, this will increase the number of companies bidding for your talent!
• There are plenty of jobs to chose from! While some companies do wait until after the summer season to hire, there are plenty of companies that do still hire in the summer. In fact the summer months for our staffing organization are usually our busiest months of the year.
• Hiring managers are more urgent. What we find is that most managers got approval to hire earlier in the year and are probably having a problem filling the job (especially a hard-to-fill IT position). This means they'll be a lot more desperate and under the gun if the spot is still open in the Summer.
• Staffing Fall or Q4 projects. A lot of positions will be posted in the Summer to get applicants screened and on board before Q4 projects commence. This is common trend we see in Corporate America.
• Expected turnover. Many candidates will leave their job during the Summer thinking to themselves "if I'm going to leave my job, why not do it while the weather is nice and I can take a few weeks off with my family?";. Vacancies as a result of turnover are ideal circumstances for a job seeker since the manager will be a under pressure to fill a position (and not likely able to take their own vacation until their position gets filled… this is a great motivation for them to make a quick decision!).
• Calendars and fiscal budgets. Many companies start their fiscal budgets July 1^st. Similar to the hiring rush in January these hiring managers have been given the green light to hire and will be motivated to fill their positions quickly so they can complete their agendas on time.
• Everyone's in a good, more relaxed mood. It could be the great weather, vacation plans, baseball season, soccer's World Cup or any other number of interesting summer-driven conversation starters that help you make a stronger connection with the hiring manager. Take full advantage of these talking points to put a lasting memory in the hiring managers' mind and set yourself apart from your competition. You also can also use any sidebar discussion as a point of reference in your thank you letter which again will only deepen your connection further. Companies and Managers also tend to be a bit more casual in the summer which makes for a less tense and formal interview environment.

If you are thinking about looking for a new job, there is never a better time to look than the present. Don't let the "summertime job market myth" stand in your way of your goals. Start your job search now and beat the crowds before the fall job market hits!