Recruiting over the summer presents a unique set of challenges, but it’s also a time brimming with opportunities. As the sun shines bright and people embrace the warmer months (at least that’s what we expect in the UK), the job market also heats up with increased activity. Wave’s Luis Cajao looks into the data and the summer recruitment trends to watch.
Understanding the ebb and flow of recruitment trends during this period is crucial and can give recruiters a significant advantage, ensuring you attract the best talent when it matters most. We’ve collected and analysed Wave data over the past 3 years to reveal a picture of the key recruitment trends from July to September, focusing on job postings and application patterns across various industries.
What are the overall trends over the summer?
The summer recruitment season kicks off in July with a noticeable decrease in job postings, particularly for contract and permanent positions. Contract jobs decrease slightly by 7.5%, and permanent by 6%, compared with the monthly average. Only placement jobs see positive numbers, with 5% above the average (but still a reduction of 21% from the previous month). As businesses gear up for the busy months ahead, recruitment activity still shows an uptick in certain areas.
August is the standout month for summer recruitment, with job postings seeing various changes. Contract job postings decrease by 40% against the monthly average, while permanent positions see a notable decline of 25%. This indicates a potential reduction in recruitment activity during this month.
As summer winds down, the momentum in job postings doesn’t fade in September. This month, we see continued decreased activity. Contract job postings decrease by 35% below the monthly average, and permanent positions by 26%. Despite these decreases, there are still opportunities to secure the remaining summer talent, which often includes students and seasonal workers, and to prepare for the year’s final quarter.
This data suggests that some industries slow down over the summer, leading to reduced demand for temporary or contract workers. Additionally, some projects may be put on hold during the summer, with employers waiting to start new initiatives in the busier months that follow.
What are the industries to watch over the summer months?
Specific industries experience heightened recruitment and application activity over the summer months, making them key sectors to watch for trends and opportunities. Let’s take a look at the top-performing industries throughout July, August, and September in more detail.
Social Services sees a significant spike in job postings, increasing by 125% in July and maintaining strong performance with a 15% increase in August. This indicates a high demand for professionals in this field, particularly in roles that support community well-being and social care. Applications rise by 71% in July and 25% in August, reflecting the large pool of candidates available during these months.
Media, New Media & Creative shows robust demand at the beginning of the summer months. Job postings grow by 38% in July and 27% in August, suggesting that companies actively seek creative talent to drive their summer campaigns and projects. Applications increase by 26% in July, 11% in August, and 58% in September, highlighting a consistent interest from job seekers looking to break into or advance in the creative industries, which include roles in digital media, content creation, and design.
Marketing, Advertising, and PR leads the way in August with a 35% increase in job postings. As companies gear up for end-of-year campaigns, the demand for skilled professionals in these fields grows. Applications rise by 6% in August and 21% in September, reinforcing the increased recruitment activity. This sector’s performance underscores the importance of strategic communication and marketing efforts during the peak summer months, making August an excellent time for recruitment.
Retail & Wholesale dominates in September with a 63% increase in job postings, making it the most active industry this month. This surge reflects preparations for the holiday season, with retailers seeking additional staff to manage increased customer demand. Applications soar by 65% the following October, indicating high interest from job seekers looking for sales, inventory management, and customer service opportunities.
Legal job postings rise significantly by 42% in July, making it a critical time for recruitment in this sector. The increase suggests a busy period for law firms and legal departments, possibly due to a rise in summer-related legal issues and preparations for the year’s second half. Jobs then decrease drastically by 13% in August and 35% in September. Applications follow suit with a 35% increase in August and a decrease of 16% in September.
Finance sees a notable increase in job postings of 12 in July, a depression of -21% in August, and a 21% increase in September, reflecting heightened recruitment activity as companies prepare for the year’s final quarter. Applications rise by 25% in September, indicating strong interest from job seekers in roles such as financial analysts, accountants, and financial planners. And follow the same pattern from jobs, decreasing 33% in August and increasing again in September by 16%. This uptick suggests that financial institutions and departments are ramping up their efforts to close out the fiscal year successfully.
Engineering & Utilities experiences an 18% increase in job postings in July, indicating a busy period for recruitment in this sector. This growth may be driven by summer projects and infrastructure improvements that require skilled engineers and utility workers, which are quickly followed by a reduction in jobs in August and September, with -16% and -17%, respectively. Applications remain low across the 3 summer months, registering under the monthly average.
Transport & Logistics sees job postings increase by 14% in July, highlighting a surge in demand for professionals in this field. This is quickly followed by a decrease of 17% in August. This sector’s growth is likely tied to increased goods movement during the summer months. Applications remain low across the summer with -5%, -27% and -28%, but pick back up in October.
Accountancy job postings grow by 9% in July and 8% in August, indicating steady demand in this sector. This increase may be due to businesses preparing for the end of the fiscal year and needing additional accounting support. Applications increase by 14% in July, but decrease drastically by 44% in August and 16% September, not matching the increasing recruiting activity.
What are the recommendations for recruiters?
To maximise recruitment success, it’s crucial to time your job postings strategically. While early to mid-August has traditionally been the sweet spot, current data indicates that specific sectors like Social Services, Media, New Media and Creative, and Legal may benefit more from focusing on July and September.
During the summer months, recruiters working in high-demand sectors such as IT & Internet and Marketing, Advertising & PR can achieve significant results. Despite mixed data, these industries remain fertile ground for finding top talent due to their ongoing demand.
Lastly, planning for increased recruitment in September, particularly in the Retail, Wholesale, and Finance sectors, is essential. As these industries ramp up post-summer, having a recruitment strategy ready for the end of the summer will help you stay ahead of the curve.
Wave aims to create a world where talent is never missed by providing an all-in-one candidate attraction solution through a combination of technology, data, and human expertise via WaveTrackR (data-powered candidate sourcing tool, multi-poster, and analytics platform), WaveSites (high-performance recruitment websites), and WaveMedia (strategic recruitment media buying).
