The September Surge Is Here: How Job Seekers Can Prepare to Land the Role

By Alex Frost | September 1, 2023

You’ve optimized your resume. You’ve jazzed up your LinkedIn profile. Maybe you’ve even played with AI enough to know you are still a better cover letter writer. But in spite of all this, maybe you haven’t landed that job you’ve been searching for. Some economists and career experts are predicting that September might be your month to change that.

While statistically the start of the new year brings with it the hottest months to get hired, September is looking like a potential second choice, with employers heading into the holiday season, potentially needing more help and coming off the summer lull. 

What is the September Surge?

“September Surge refers to that time of year after Labor Day where we see increased hiring in September and October. It’s short lived, not quite two full months,” says Alice Rush, a certified career counselor at the University of Phoenix with 25 years of experience. “It’s a big recruitment time for hiring because companies that were closed for summer months and vacation lulls are getting geared up for new initiatives in fall before year-end, and companies that hire seasonally are ready to hire before the holidays.” As Rush points out, the September Surge won’t last long, so it’s important to get prepared now. 

Tramelle D. Jones, a strategic success & workplace wellness coach with TDJ Consulting, agrees. “Most companies go on a hiring freeze or slow hiring near the end of October. November and December tend to be the months that most employees take vacations, meaning they don’t typically have the manpower to onboard new employees as effectively as they would starting the first week of January when everyone returns to the office.” She adds that October 31 is also the end of the fiscal year for many organizations, so some companies go into “use it or lose it” mode with leftover funds they can use in HR. “This means September becomes two things: a rush to hire and a rush to onboard.”

Corporate recruiter and career consultant Chanelle Howell recently recorded an Instagram video encouraging job hunters to get on it: “It’s the middle of Q3… be ready. Have your resume ready to go. Have your LinkedIn fully optimized so that recruiters can easily find you, and the algorithm pushes your profile to the top.” Here’s how experts recommend preparing.