The lax summer season, when vacations are rampant and most companies take a breather from expansion, makes way for Fall, considered the busiest season for hiring.

While there’s no definite rule signaling September as the hiring season, it definitely seems like the busiest season for many industries.

If you’re aspiring to switch careers, move to a bigger company or if you’re just starting out, it’s important you’re ready for the huge hurdle ahead. You’re not the only one looking for a new job so the competition will be fierce, but at least tons of opportunities are waiting.

That said, my goal is to help you take advantage of this season, so here are two tips to make the most out this month.

Embrace the 20/20/60 Job Hunting Plan

Job hunting will definitely take a lot of time away from your current responsibilities. Between preparing your requirements, writing your resume, hitting up contacts, applying, and interviewing, you can bet that this hunt will consume anywhere from 8 to 20 hours per week.

While that may seem excessive, 20 hours might not even be enough to compete against the jobless people putting in 100% of their time into this hunt.

To stay ahead of the curve, spend 60% of your allotted time in job applications, 20% increasing your networking and the last 20% researching your target companies, or finding an ‘in’ who can make a recommendation for you.

Weave the Fairy Tale They’re Looking For

Anyone can read a list. You can line up all your achievements and capabilities on paper, but what really convinces a hiring manager is your creativity in using said list. Let’s be honest, listening to a hardship-to-happily-ever-after story is more interesting than enduring a monologue of a person’s skills and accomplishments.

Good politicians are elected into office because of their excellent speech and storytelling skills, so are job applicants. Weave a fanciful tale of you handling a difficult problem, while ‘saving’ your team using your mighty skills and heroic perseverance.

Dress the Part

What you wear largely dictates how people will see and treat you. So dressing well is important even if you’re applying for an internship or entry level job. Lose the denim jacket and trade it for a respectable coat and tie combo. Ditch the short skirt and opt for a formal-yet-fashionable dress instead. You’re going in for an interview, not a runway show!

No matter who you ask, and where you look, you’ll find that the busiest season for job hiring runs from January to September.

The first falling leaf is like a wave of a flag to start a race. In this case, it’s a race to your dream job.