Your mid-year career check-in, and your permission to plant the seed now.

Let's do a quick exercise. No homework, I promise. 🌱

Imagine yourself five months from now. It's mid-December. The year is wrapping up, the lights are twinkling, and you're looking back on everything that happened.

Your Future Self glances back at this exact week in July and says, "Thank you for starting when you did."

Now... what did you start?

Don't overthink it. The first thing that popped into your head is most likely THE thing.

Fresh starts don't only happen in January

We act like a fresh start can only happen at the beginning of the year. January 1st, with resolutions, confetti, and a brand-new planner.

That's not how it actually works.

Truth is, the people who actually get the fresh start are the ones who plant the seed in the hot, boring middle of summer, when nobody's watching and they just decide.

You're allowed to start something good on a random Sunday in July.

Why Fall jobs are filled in July (the part most people miss)

Here's what turns that gentle nudge into real strategy: July is my busiest coaching month, and that's no accident.

Most people assume no one is hiring during the summer. Everyone's on vacation, the office is quiet, so they put their job search on pause until things "pick back up" in September.

They're wrong, by the way.

The roles that start in August and September are being filled right now. Companies approve those positions in early summer, post them in July, and interview through August. So by the time someone gets serious after Labor Day, the person who started in July already has the offer.

My clients are getting hired. Even in the summer.

Start with a mid-year career check-in

Before we talk tactics, sit with three honest questions. I ask these questions for myself and it's nothing fancy. Just putting pen to paper. Taking 7 minutes to think about these questions.Think of it as your mid-year check-in:

• What's working?

• What's draining you?

• Where are you actually headed for the rest of this year?

You don't need a five-year plan or a dramatic reinvention. You just need to be honest about where you are, so you can point yourself toward where you want to go.

4 ways to get ahead this month

The people I'm collaborating with right now all share one advantage: They're enjoying their summer and spending just a few hours each week preparing for the Fall they actually want. Here's where that time goes.

1. Revamp your resume now. Don't wait for August. Your resume is usually the most outdated thing in your job search, still describing the role you had three years ago instead of the one you want next. Refresh the top third so it points where you're going, and update your accomplishments while they're still fresh in your memory.

2. Update your LinkedIn headline, About section, and photo. Recruiters are searching LinkedIn all summer long. Make sure your headline signals a direction (not just a job title), your About section tells a cohesive story, and your photo actually looks like you. These small updates quietly work for you around the clock, even while you're at the pool.

3. Reach out to your network before you need something. The best time to open a conversation is before you're asking for a favor. Send the "just thinking of you" message. Congratulate someone on a new role. Grab a virtual coffee. When Fall opportunities open up, you'll already be top of mind.

4. Keep your momentum going with accountability. This is the one most people skip, and it's usually the difference between a plan and actual progress. It's easy to let a job search stall out when life gets busy. Having someone in your corner, checking in, cheering you on, and keeping you moving, is what turns good intentions into a new job.

You don't have to do it alone

That last one, accountability, is also the part I love most about this work. Collaboration. Connection. Co-creating.

If you've been telling yourself you'll get serious "after Labor Day," consider this your invitation to start a little sooner. You don't need to overhaul your entire career this week. You just need to gather momentum.

I have a few July coaching spots left, and they tend to go fast. If you're ready to stop waiting until Fall and start now, book your free consultation call and let's put the pieces back together, together.

No need to break out the Pumpkin Spice just yet. But it IS time to get moving on your career path. ☕🎃

Like a seed in the sun, your idea will grow. Plant it now. 🌱 🌻

Your Future Self, the one wrapping up December and grinning ear-to-ear, is counting on what you do this week.

Love & Light & Lazer Laser Beams 💖

Jennifer Anne Garcia is a Career Strategy Coach and the author of Best Resume Recipe, helping seasoned professionals turn transition into transformation. Learn more at bestresumecoach.com.

♻️ Share with someone who's been waiting for "the right time" all year.

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