Yes, you can find job opportunities year-round. However, we’ve noticed that industries have certain months where they tend to post the most job, internship or co-op opportunities. We’ve analyzed several years of Handshake job posting data to summarize the top months you’d typically find the most job postings.
Knowing this information can help you figure out the best time to apply, and when jobs are actively posting. More activity from employers means more opportunities to find internships, co-ops and jobs for your target industry.
During busier periods, pay increased attention and activity on Handshake, LinkedIn, employer career sites and other job boards. Keeping an eye on these sites will help you make the most of these opportunities when they are available.
This is a list of industries and the most common times they post job openings. Look for your target industry below!
| Industry | Summer (Jun–Aug) | Fall (Sep–Dec) | Spring (Jan–May) |
| Accounting | Aug | Sep | Jan |
| Advertising, PR & Marketing | Aug | — | Feb, Mar |
| Aerospace | — | Sep | Jan, Mar |
| Biotech & Life Sciences | — | — | Jan, Feb, Mar |
| Civil Engineering | Aug | Sep | Jan |
| Commercial Banking & Credit | — | Dec | Jan, Feb |
| Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) | Aug | Sep, Oct | — |
| Defense | — | Sep, Oct | Jan |
| Electronic & Computer Hardware | — | Sep, Oct | Jan |
| Energy | — | Oct | Jan, Feb |
| Engineering & Construction | — | Sep, Oct | Apr |
| Financial Services | Aug | Sep | Mar |
| Government Consulting | Jul | — | Mar, Apr |
| Government – Local, State & Federal | — | — | Jan, Feb, Mar |
| Healthcare | — | Oct | Jan, Mar |
| Insurance | Aug | Sep | Jan |
| Internet & Software | — | Sep, Oct | Feb |
| Investment / Portfolio Management | — | Sep, Oct | Jan |
| Investment Banking | — | Oct | Feb, Mar |
| Journalism, Media & Publishing | Jul | Oct | Feb |
| K-12 Education | Aug | — | Feb, Apr |
| Legal & Law Enforcement | Jun | — | Mar, May |
| Management Consulting | Jul, Aug | — | Jan |
| Manufacturing | — | Sep, Oct | Mar |
| Medical Devices | — | Sep | Jan, Feb |
| Movies, TV, Music & Gaming | Aug | Oct | Mar |
| NGO | — | Dec | Jan, Mar |
| Non-Profit – Other | — | — | Jan, Feb, Mar |
| Pharmaceuticals | — | Sep, Oct | Jan |
| Politics | — | Dec | Feb, Mar |
| Real Estate | — | Sep | Jan, Feb |
| Research | — | Sep | Jan, Feb |
| Scientific & Technical Consulting | — | Sep, Oct | Feb |
| Social Assistance | Jun | Nov | Apr |
Even though these are the most common months, new jobs are posting on Handshake, LinkedIn, and other job boards every day. Based on this information, here are five actions to take in slower months:
1. Start getting organized.
Favorite listings on Handshake, organize your ongoing applications using a spreadsheet, and write cover letters. We recommend keeping your completed cover letters and application tracker in a dedicated and accessible folder. If you keep track of the applications you send in, you’re ready to reply if they reach out.
2. Keep applying.
You never know what you can find. It’s important to stay active on Handshake, LinkedIn, and other job boards just in case the right opportunity finds you. Things can get busy but be sure to take the time to apply for a couple of jobs a week.
3. Join talent communities.
On your favorite employer’s website and LinkedIn, there may be an option to sign up for a talent community. This will allow you to receive email updates when the companies are searching for new roles, even more so, you will already be a part of the company’s contacts before applying.
4. Build relationships.
Continue to connect with alumni, employers, and friends to keep opportunities open for references. Your network never stops growing, so it’s important to keep up your connections for when it’s time to apply.
5. Use campus resources.
Tailoring your cover letters, resumes, and interviewing skills to ensure that they’re ready when their target industry is hiring. When it’s time to send the application in, the quality of your documents outshines the competition.
The Career and Co-op Center provides services such as 15-minute resume reviews and career advising appointments for students in the lighter posting seasons. During this time, our advisors can help you edit your resume or draft a cover letter template.