With the school summer holidays upon us I am looking back on the last 6 or so months with mixed feelings. It is fair to say that 2023 has not been particularly kind to me – in fact it is fair to say that it has been the worst 6 month stretch in my 101st run of 6 month stretches in my lifetime. Now it’s not all doom and gloom – there have been some truly joyous experiences within those 6 months but in the main I would rather draw a line under H1 2023 and move on.
From a work perspective we have had an ‘ok’ first half to 2023. It’s not set the world alight and it’s not panic station. This was largely down to the market slowing down (more scrutiny on new hires caused by a need to control costs) and periods of distraction for me personally.
We Are Family
As Paul mentioned in his blog post the summer is a sacred time where you can usually get the chance to re-charge and spend quality time with your families. For those of you with young kids my only advice is savour that time as they grow up far too quickly and at some point will not want to come on holiday with you.
From a work perspective it is often when the pace drops (apologies if you are in a role where there seems to be no let-up in the pressure – if so perhaps we need to have a careers chat?!) and it allows you to reflect personally and professionally. Paul covers this in his blog so I won’t draw on it too much.
In our coaching practice the eureka moments tend to come out of deep questioning and thinking sessions. The summer can be used to allow you to take time to think about things. To do this you also need to make time to think. Thinking is best done in a room that is moderately heated (not too hot or too cold, with natural light and somewhere where you can’t get disturbed. It can just as easily be a moment by yourself on the balcony with a cool beer!
This could be from a personal perspective:
- Am I happy?
- What/Who is holding me back?
- What one thing could I change to make my life easier?
- What achievements would I like to complete before the end of the year?
- What medium-term objectives would I like to achieve?
Or from a professional perspective:
- How can I reignite my passion for work?
- How can I step up to another gear in the workplace?
- How can I work smarter, not harder?
- How can I better manage my team?
- How can I improve my value to the organisation?
- How can I secure my promotion?
The main thing here is to make time to think and when you do – make sure you note down what the outcomes were.
For the times you are in work during the holidays embrace the fact that it is a little quieter and try to use the time to do those things that you tend to put off when you are busy. For me it is completely clearing my inbox! For others it may be having a ruthless clear out of your locker or desk.
The Students
If you are a student waiting on exam results or in between your GCSEs and A Levels (or A levels and degree) then think about how you use your time. These long summer holidays will go in an instant and it is useful to set some objectives if you can.
Examples may be:
- Earn some money
- Get a fierce tan
- Get fit
- Learn a new skill
- Research potential careers
- Seek an experience that stretches you or takes you out of your comfort zone
These things (and others) will give you a sense of satisfaction when achieved but more importantly, will help develop your personal or professional skills/knowledge. It will give you something to talk about when you meet up with friends or make new friends after the summer break. Surely the number one question will be “what did you do over the summer?”. Longer term it could help you stand out from the crowd when you seek to progress in your career.
From a recruiter perspective it is getting even harder to secure interviews for graduates who have typically done traditional holiday roles like waiting on, bar work or working in a supermarket. Someone with relevant work experience or skills relevant to their chosen profession will stand out from the crowd.
The Graduate
I am thinking back to the time when I started at University when my parents dropped me off my halls of residence and the excitement, anticipation and trepidation of continuing my journey towards adulthood and independence. It was over 30 years ago and it doesn’t seem like 2 minutes ago.
In my first year at Uni I was sharing a room with a lad from Stockport and he was sat on the desk, bottle of Bacardi in one hand, cigarette in another and listening to the horse racing as he had placed a bet. My mum didn’t want to leave me – she feared for her son spiralling into a life of gambling, smoking and drinking!
Three years later I completed my degree and had an extended summer off. I didn’t achieve anything in that summer that helped me progress towards my chosen profession. Alright, so I worked through the summer and earnt some money to part fund my masters so it did help to a certain extent. Remember, these were the days before LinkedIn and summer placements.
The only skill I learnt was as a result of me reluctantly going on a family caravanning holiday to France (lack of funds meant it was the only option for a free holiday) and it certainly wasn’t a deliberately planned skill. I learnt how to (badly) windsurf on a lake in France which was a successful pathway to a holiday romance!
As a recent graduate you probably have 3 choices:
- Continue your studies in the form of a masters or PhD
- Go travelling
- Secure your first full-time permanent role
This is where a couple of our How To Guides may help – “How to Identify (and Land) Your Ideal Role” and “How to Unlock the Hidden Job Market” for support if option 3 is your preferred role.
In Summary
For students – The start of the summer, usually coinciding with a festival of sport (if that is your thing!), seems like a vast expanse of time if you are studying. The reality is that this 6-8 weeks off goes way too quickly so use the time wisely.
For Graduates – take time out to recharge after your 3/4 years of study. But use your time wisely – potential employers will expect you to describe what you have achieved in the summer. ‘I’ve done nothing’ is not an option!
For family folk – Try to be disciplined enough to completely shut off from work/phones and spend quality time with your loved ones. If you have kids give them permission to leave their phones behind and try to engage in old fashioned face to face conversation. For you personally try to take time out to personally reflect in order to hit September with a renewed energy and vigour.
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