It’s no secret that fall is “hiring season.” The kids are back in school, summer vacations are all wrapped up, and job seekers are ready to hit the ground running. That means more competition, so you might have to work a little harder to get noticed. If you’re headed for a career transition in the last part of the year, our fall job search checklist outlines the 5 most critical steps to ensure you’re well prepared.

Fall Job Search Checklist

1. Reignite Your Network.

Fall means that schedules are getting back on track and routines are falling back into place. For a lot of people, life gets easier to manage in this time between the chaos of summer and the chaos of the holiday season. Many folks are likely to be more available for coffee dates and phone calls—so take advantage! Let your contacts know that you’re launching a job search and ask for their support. Pack your schedule full of meetings in September and you’ll reap the rewards in October.

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Also read: How to Compress Your Job Search Timeline (the right way)

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2. Update Your Resume & LinkedIn Profile.

The beginning of each season is a good time to re-evaluate your resume and LinkedIn profile, and make sure you’ve got the most up-to-date information. Add any exciting projects you’ve completed over the summer and professional training you’ve acquired, and just do a general check to ensure your resume and profile still reflect the best of your personal brand. Remember that it may take some time to really experience and capture the results of the work you do. So, review the numbers cited and make sure they are still accurate given what you know now. This is a good habit to get into on a quarterly basis.

3. Dust Off the Fall Business Wardrobe.

The summer months tend to be more casual in the business world. You can easily get away with comfortable, less formal attire. But come Autumn, it’s definitely back to business as usual, and that includes wardrobe. If you’re launching a fall job search, make sure you have your business suits dry cleaned and ready to go, as well as a nice, professional-looking coat and scarf for cooler weather.

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Also read: 3 Ways You’re Making Job Search Stress SO Much Worse

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4. Save for the Holidays

A job change of any sort can create some financial uncertainty. Pay periods never seem to line up perfectly and, with a fall job search, it’s definitely possible that you’ll end up feeling a little tight around holidays. Be proactive and make sure you’re saving for gifts and activities now, so any financial concerns later won’t impact your enjoyment of the season. 

5. Get Out There.

Lastly, grab your favorite fall sweater and head out to some local networking events. A lot of professional associations and other groups take time off for the summer, so fall events tend to be full of people who are eager to reconnect. When you find a group that really works well for you, be sure to mark time on your calendar for regularly attending their events for the rest of the year, even after your fall job search is over. The more consistent your participation, the more these activities will pay off for your career, whether you’re actively looking for a job or not.

While this fall job search checklist highlights the most essential points to keep in mind as you get started, there are certainly other things to remember as well. The experts at Ivy Exec have you covered in your job search this fall…and all year round!

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Check out our Collection of Job Search-focused Articles

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