4 Easy Ways You Can Take Your Career to the Next Level in August

It’s August, and just because it’s the Sunday of summer (ugh) doesn’t mean that you can slow down. September starts a huge surge in hiring and career opportunities, and you don’t want to miss out just because you weren’t prepared.

Want to get ready for the fall rush now? Here are 4 very easy things you can do to make sure you end your summer on a high note and start the fall months off ahead of the curve.

1. Show Gratitude to Summer Employers

Whether you worked a part-time job or internship or took on another opportunity during the past couple months, be sure to show gratitude to your boss and co-workers during your last couple weeks on the job. At the very least, this means writing heartfelt handwritten thank-you notes to people who helped you and rocking your last few days.

If writing thank-you notes feel awkward to you (sometimes there’s a fine line between coming off as sincere and coming off as robotic), here’s a quick template to writing an authentic thank-you every time:

[Name],

I can’t thank you enough for [write 2-3 things that person did]. My experience at [company] has been wonderful thanks to your hard work and dedication to making sure I felt like part of the team from day one, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.

I definitely want to stay in touch, and thanks so much again!

Best,

[Your name]

Here’s what this looks like in practice:

Julie,

I can’t thank you enough for being the best supervisor an intern could ask for; my writing has improved significantly, and I now feel confident in my ability to pitch great content that our audience will love. My experience at “Best Company” has been wonderful thanks to your hard work and dedication to making sure I felt like part of the team from day one, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.

I definitely want to stay in touch, and thanks so much again!

Best,

Lily

And this definitely needs to be stated again: Your note should be handwritten in a thoughtful card! No emails here.

2. Reach Out to Your Professional Contacts Before the Fall Rush

Fall is a busy time for many companies regardless of industry, so if there’s someone in your network you’ve been wanting to meet up with or talk to, August is the perfect time to do it before their fall workload goes through the roof.

For example, if you’ve been wanting to ask a former colleague if her company is hiring entry-level marketing roles, it’s better to grab coffee with her during a calmer time than when the September frenzy begins, or if you wanted to check in with a past boss about being your reference for fall job applications, reaching out now is the best way to go instead of feeling rushed a month from now.

Need help with crafting emails to networking contacts? Use our awesome email templates here, and if you want to be the MVP of professional networking, here are 5 common networking mistakes to avoid.

3. Add Summer Experiences to Your Online Profiles

Finishing up a great summer internship? Held a part-time job this summer? Make a note of it in your WayUp profile and your resume.

Keeping your online presence up-to-date is not only great for your own reference, but you’re also able to provide future employers with the more accurate picture of your professional experience.

Additionally, be sure to not just add that you worked somewhere over the past several months; include your responsibilities and impact, especially since your memory of your work is sharpest right after you leave a job or internship.

4. Research Opportunities and Create Goals for the Fall

Whether you’re heading back to campus in the next month or taking on the working world, you definitely want to take this last full month of summer to plan out what your career goals are over the next several months. What do you want to achieve before the new year? Anything you haven’t done yet that you’ve been meaning to?

Here are some specific things you can do now to stay grounded when September comes:

If You’re a College Student

Hop onto WayUp and start researching the job opportunities in your area if you want to work during the fall semester. Be sure to factor in your class schedule, extracurriculars and social life as you plan how much time you can dedicate to a job.

Not sure what kind of fall gig you should take on? Here’s a tip: Clothes On Inc. and Stre.am are both hiring paid fall campus reps, so you’d better apply ASAP!

If You’re a Recent Grad Who’s Currently Employed

Think about your major goals for the fall, both within your actual role and in your professional life at large.

For instance, are you hoping to get a raise during your December performance review? What steps will you need to take over the next several months to make that dream a reality? You don’t want October or November to come and feel like you didn’t actively think about your goals sooner.

If You’re a Recent Grad Who’s Job Hunting

The job hunt is a grind, but the great news is the fall brings a new wave of hiring. Stay on top of it by deciding the types of jobs you want to apply for and what your deadlines are. Need help? We wrote an entire article about how to submit the best job apps ever here.

Not sure what industry you want to go into but want a role that’ll give you valuable career skills? Hacknocraft is hiring Junior Sales Reps (starting salary of $50k), and ESM Prep is looking for Academic Mentors (who can make up to $55/hour).

By taking a little time this August to focus on your career, you’re sure to set yourself up for success going forward into the busy autumn months, and if you’re still not sure about what you want to do this fall, check out the millions of job and internship listings available on WayUp.