3 reasons why you should continue your job search this summer

Summer’s here! It’s the perfect time for vacations, cookouts, fireworks and… a job hunt?

While it may not seem optimal, summer can actually be a great time to look for a job and may have some advantages over the other months of the year.

“We don’t put a pause on hiring during the summer,” said Darren Sherrard, associate director of recruitment marketing at VA. “VA is always looking for new talent to help us deliver top-notch care to America’s Veterans.”

Here are few reasons why you should make your job search a priority during the summer months:

1. It can help you stand out from the crowd

Other candidates may put their job searches on hold due to their own summer plans or because they assume hiring managers are out of the office. That might mean less competition when you apply.

Your chances of landing the job go up when hiring managers have a shorter stack of resumes to consider.

Hiring trends rise and fall throughout the year and even throughout the summer, with July typically being the slowest hiring month and June and August being more active.

Remember that hiring happens all year round. Even though some months are slower, it doesn’t mean hiring is nonexistent. Your perfect job could show up at any moment!

2. Job openings and hirings are trending up right now.

It’s hard to predict what the job market will look like this summer. Hiring trends promise to be a little different as the economy recovers from the pandemic.

But VA hasn’t slowed its hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, we’ve picked up the pace so we can continue to meet the health care needs of Veterans during this challenging time.

In 2020, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) workforce grew by 4% over 2019 while the pandemic caused layoffs, furloughs and salary reductions in private sector health care.

“If you think about the size of our workforce, just to grow by 4%, we have to hire tens of thousands of people annually just to keep pace,” said Jessica Bonjorni, chief officer of human capital management at VHA.

We’re the country’s largest integrated health care system, with locations all across the U.S. and some of its territories. Right now, there are more than 5,000 VA jobs on the USAJobs website – including health care professionals, executives, administrators and support staff.

“Veterans are continuing to rely on VA more and more for their care, so we’re going to keep growing,” Bonjorni said.

3. It’s the perfect time to keep up your momentum.

Even if you’re not finding jobs that interest you, seize the moment and do some behind-the-scenes work.

Since summers are less busy for many people, it’s a great time to expand and enrich your career network. Connect with a new contact on LinkedIn or schedule a virtual meet-up with someone you already know.

Or spend some time polishing your resume and cover letter so they’re really ready to shine when the next fantastic opportunity comes along.

Work at VA

It’s always a great time to find a rewarding career caring for our heroes at VA. Put your summer to good use and apply for your perfect VA job today.

• SEARCH for openings at VA.
• LEARN more about the application
• WATCH our “Talk About It Tuesday” career advice broadcast.
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