The Fall season is one of the best times to land a new job or make a career switch. As summer winds down, fall brings fresh opportunities for professional growth thanks to what’s known as the “hiring surge.” The Fall hiring surge—also referred to as the September Surge—is a seasonal uptick in job applications, open roles, and hiring activity. In September 2024 alone, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a surge of 254,000 new jobs.
According to Kimberly Brown, career expert and author of Next Move, Best Move, this wave of hiring happens for several reasons: it’s recruitment season, companies are pushing to hit quarterly goals, and many people naturally make career shifts around this time.
For those ready to take advantage of the surge, Brown recommends starting with your community. This includes friends, family, and your academic network. While networking might feel a little cringe, it can make a big difference—especially when a recruiter sees a familiar name attached to an application. If you’re a current college student or alum, don’t overlook your school’s career center. They can help you update your resume, sharpen your interview skills, and connect you with job opportunities aligned with your goals. They may even have direct ties to companies that are hiring.
“One of the things I always say is relationships are one of the only ways to expedite your success,” Brown tells GU. “If you can get a connection, that’s great, but I want you to really start to leverage your relationships and to make sure that you’re able to expedite any relationship that could be helpful.”
Switching careers in the fall is more common than you think. Brown points out that many recent graduates begin exploring opportunities that differ from their original path after earning a degree. If you’re in that position, take stock of your transferable skills. Ask yourself: What skills can carry over to other industries? Those are the ones to spotlight on your resume when making a career shift.
Along with a polished resume, Brown emphasizes the importance of strong interview prep. While interviews can be intimidating, she says it’s really just about storytelling. To help clients tell their stories with confidence, she teaches the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result. This framework helps interviewees walk through a challenge or responsibility, outline their specific role, and highlight how their actions led to results.
“When you see something unrelated, I want you to get really clear [on] what those transferable skills are,” Brown explained. “How does it apply to the job that you’re applying [for]? And then, how can you tell stories in your interview process about that?”
If you’re currently job hunting, try not to get discouraged. Use the tips above to guide your next steps—and check out the list of early career opportunities below:
Careers:
The California Post — Interest Hiring — Los Angeles, CA
The New York Post is heading West and is looking for early career and seasoned writers, editors and production staff members to be a part of the launch of The California Post.
Assistant Editor: The Atlantic — Washington D.C. or New York, NY
The Atlantic is seeking an assistant editor with 2 years of journalism experience or experience in a related field to join their newsroom.
Amazon — Quality Assurance Engineer — New York, NY
Amazon is looking for an early career professional with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field to lead the testing of large-scale systems, create test plans, test cases, and drive continuous improvements to quality assurance processes.
HubSpot — Account Executive — Remote
HubSpot is taking applications on a rolling basis for its account executive role. You will be responsible for positioning the value of HubSpot’s software to good-fit prospects and guiding prospects through the buyer’s journey.
Steve Madden — Junior Photographer — New York, NY
Steve Madden is seeking a Junior Product Photographer with 1-2 years of experience to join their in-house creative team. You will be responsible for capturing imagery of footwear, handbags, and accessories across a range of our brands, including Steve Madden, Madden Girl, Betsey Johnson, Blondo, and Anne Klein.