Sital Ruparelia

The phrase “Nothing happens in the summer months” is all a bit of a myth.

Yes, key decision makers may be on holiday and things may slow down – but it doesn’t mean that you have to as well.

Here are 5 ways for you to get more proactive this summer:

1. Get working on the new career or business idea

You know that great idea you have for changing careers or starting / expanding the home based business? Well now is a good time to work on it.

Instead of taking the summer off, invest time in researching, meeting or speaking to relevant contacts and actually test driving the new career or business idea (i.e. go and spend a day or two doing the thing you are thinking about starting). The “busy people” who usually haven’t the time, may well have some spare time this summer to help you get the idea off the ground.

2.  Keep sowing the seeds

For job searchers, there is a time lag between marketing activity (calls, networking meetings, job applications, sending CVs/resumes) and results (interviews and job offers). You have to sow the seeds before you can reap the results of your efforts.

So if you’re currently looking for a job (either internally or in the open market place), taking your foot off the gas in the summer months is not a good idea. Doing very little for the next few weeks because “no one recruits in the summer” (another myth) will simply result in an interview-less September and October for you. Whereas being consistently active and visible over the summer months maximises the chances of securing interviews in September and job offers in quarter 4.

3. Strengthen your relationships

The quality and depth of your relationships with people has a direct correlation to your career success. Your boss, your line manager’s boss, ex-boss, stakeholders, clients, suppliers, recruiters, peers and friends all play a big part – and this is a good time to reconnect.

Yes, some will be on holidays, but not everyone is away all summer. In fact, many people will have more time than usual to catch up over a beer, coffee, lunch, dinner – or even a ‘virtual coffee’ if you’re speaking to someone in another city or country.

4. Reflect and refocus

Give yourself 60 minutes at some point this summer to reflect on your professional life and ask yourself a few questions:

What’s gone well so far this year? What hasn’t gone so well?  What lessons have I learned?  How do I want my professional life to look by December 31st this year? What do I need to do differently from September onwards to ensure I get there?

Don’t over complicate this into a big task or project. Just put aside an hour and get scribbling – you may get some great insights.

5. Do some experimenting

What could you experiment with this summer?

A new schedule or new way of managing your workload? A new way of managing your professional relationships? A new way to manage your career? A new way of finding your next job?

If it doesn’t work, you can change back in September. No big deal.

It’s easy to see the summer months as a time when “nothing happens.”

But as you can see from the points above, that doesn’t mean you don’t do anything. In fact, if you use the time wisely you’ll find yourself living out that awful cliche by “hitting the ground running” come September!