We get it. The sun is shining, the temperature is warmer and the last thing anyone wants to really do is get off work and sit at their computer for another few hours searching for a new job.

For job seekers who are currently employed, balancing their home and work lives can be challenging. Add a job search into the mix, and it seems like all free time has gone out the window.

Not having “enough time” is one of the biggest reasons why job seekers have reported not changing jobs sooner to our recruiting team here at NexGoal—especially in the summer. Many of them want to use that spare time to enjoy themselves, spend time with their families or go on a much needed vacation.

By all means, please do those things this summer! You have worked hard and deserve some time to relax. But do not put off that job search completely, because you could find yourself making one of these three mistakes that are our topic for this week’s “Three for Thursday.”

Mistake 1: Thinking Companies Are Not Hiring

If you think this sounds familiar, it is because we touched on it last week in our “3 Reasons You Should Jump Start Your Job Search After a Holiday” article. Many job seekers seem to think because they take vacations in the summer, that hiring departments do the same. However, this could not be further from the truth.

According to CareerBuilder, “U.S. employers added 287,000 jobs in June, beating expectations. Unemployment rate rose to 4.9% #jobsreport #JobsFriday.” For comparison sake, the economy is averaging the addition of 171,500 jobs a month in 2016—so, June’s job additions were more than 100,000 over the monthly average.

Breaking: U.S. employers added 287,000 jobs in June, beating expectations. Unemployment rate rose to 4.9% #jobsreport #JobsFriday

— CareerBuilder (@CBforEmployers) July 8, 2016

What does this mean for you? I think that one is simple, you need to be looking for jobs in the summer! The jobs that were added in June are being filled in July by these companies (trust us, you should see the influx in job posting we received for this moth), which means the opportunity you are waiting for could literally be knocking at your door—or in your inbox if you sign up for our eNewsletter here.

Mistake 2: Not Being Prepared to Apply for Jobs

I cannot tell you how many of my friends say to me, “Man, I want a new job. I think I’m going to start searching this weekend.” However, when I ask them how that job search went—I find out it never actually started.

After digging a little deeper, the main reason is because they forgot when you apply for a job you actually need a cover letter and a resume to apply. Usually the next question is if I will help them create one real quick so they can start their job search up the following weekend.

If you are anything like my friends, it is time to stop being unprepared when you head into a job search. There are so many resources out there (like our friends at TopResume) to help you create a resume and cover letter with ease.

“Proper planning prevents poor performance,” is one of my favorite all-time quotes—and it applies to a job search now more than ever. Employers receive dozens of resumes every day for their open jobs posted online, so as a candidate you need to have a plan of attack when it comes to starting your job search to make sure you stand out from the crowd.

Mistake 3: Letting “Comfort” Keep You in a Bad Situation

This is a mistake I personally made for over two years, and it compounds tenfold in the summer.

Despite the fact you are stuck in a job or career you no longer want to be, having that steady paycheck while you are doing all of those fun things you want to do in the summer seems to create a false sense of comfort for job seekers. So take a deep breath and repeat after me, “There’s a reason I want to change jobs.”

Once you have repeated that, it is time to create a to-do list of what you need to start your job search right now. Updating your resume, getting new references, writing a compelling cover letter and updating your LinkedIn headshot (I’m guilty of this right now) are common to-dos for all job seekers.

Doing this will remove you from the comfort of your current job in the summer, and get you in the right mindset to make that change you have been vowing to start for months. Oh, and if you need any help—head on over to our Candidate Center and enter your info to get started!

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