Summer might be over sooner than you’d like, but there’s still over a month to take advantage of the benefits of summer job-hunting. There’s a misconception that summer is a bad time to job-search. But as tempting as it is to set yourself up in the sun with a book and your favorite session IPA, summer is one of the best times to go job-hunting. If that doesn’t light a fire beneath you, keep reading to learn why it should, as well as our favorite tips to refresh your search.

1. You have less competition

Breweries don’t let out for the summer and there are still plenty of listings to apply to from June through September. Yet due to the belief that summer is a hum-drum time for job-hunting, you’ll be competing with fewer applicants for that dream job and are more likely to find the right opportunity. While it’s still critical to put work into your application, it’s helpful to be on the right side of a numbers game.

2. Your contacts will be happy to meet

The brewing industry is tight-knit, making networking even more essential than in other industries. Summer is the ideal time to reconnect with contacts, particularly if you’re interested in seeing them in person over a beer or two. People are more likely to want to go out in warm, sunny weather rather than the middle of a cold snap or three weeks of non-stop rain. They may also be less busy than in other seasons, possibly making them more receptive to passing on your resume to people they know.

3. Breweries are taking stock

Summer is the time when most breweries are examining their inner workings: their budget, how well they’re meeting or aiming towards goals, and what they want to commit to for the rest of the year. This puts them in an excellent position for hiring, as they will have clear ideas about who they’re looking for and what the work will entail. If you find a brewery whose goals excite you, your passion is likely to excite them in return.

4. It’s easier to get time off

If you’ve outgrown your current role but are looking to secure a new position before saying goodbye, summer is the ideal time to find a job. In most cases you’ll have to take time off for interviews, particularly if you’re interested in relocating for a job. Since summer is a popular time for vacations, nobody is likely to be surprised at requests for time off. However, vacationing colleagues may also mean that you have to work around other people’s time off in order to take your own.

5. Patience is rewarded

While there is still a surfeit of job listings in the summer, the hiring process may be more drawn-out than it is during other seasons. Depending on who needs to be looped in on the hiring process, interviews and other steps in the process may need to work around multiple people who may each be taking vacations. Hiring managers may also be away, so don’t be surprised by the occasional out-of-office email. However, this leisurely pace also allows you to job hunt without stress, so embrace patience for the summer.

Tips for Your Summer Job Search

• Knowing what you’re looking for from a role is just as important in the summer as it is during other seasons. If your job search is becoming a little fuzzy at the edges and your goals are starting to blur, use the year’s halfway mark to take stock and sharpen up your purpose.
• As we mentioned earlier, summer is the perfect time to do some networking. Whether you’re meeting for drinks with contacts or attending sunny events in the hope of developing your network further, there’s plenty of reasons to get out of the house and say hello.
• Although the dress code in the brewing industry tends towards casual, some summer wear still isn’t appropriate. Tank tops are always a bad idea, and while women can sometimes find appropriate sleeveless options, men should resign themselves to a little more fabric. Avoid sandals as well, especially if you’re likely to enter the brewery during the interview.
• If you reach out and find that someone is away, make a note of when they’re returning so that you can send them a note within a few days. If they still don’t get back to you, don’t lose heart: it might be lost in post-vacation chaos. Stay professional and persistent with another short email within two weeks.
• Use our Brewing Work jobs board to keep a close eye on the available job listings. Looking outside your areas of interest can be particularly helpful as it will give you a better idea of what the hiring atmosphere looks like at different breweries.