After this summer’s weak job market performance, some career experts are hoping that fall will bring more opportunities for job seekers.

There’s a popular belief that the job market kicks into high gear in early autumn, commonly known as the “September surge.”

According to Katie Martocchio, senior talent acquisition manager at software company Prompt, the month of September brings a spike in productivity for employers and job seekers alike.

Coasting off of fall’s “back-to-school energy,” companies start “getting back into the groove” after Labor Day, she says, and year-end goals become top of mind.

“Now is the time that we can onboard someone, and they can help support and drive those goals to that finish line,” Martocchio says.

Here’s what Martocchio and other career experts say about this year’s “September surge,” and how job seekers can prepare to take advantage of the fall boost.

Why the ‘September surge’ happens

According to Maribel Valencia, a corporate and technical recruiter based in Las Vegas, Nevada, timing is a major factor in the September surge.

By September, most vacationers have returned to the office, kids are back in school “and everyone just seems to get back into the rhythm of things,” Valencia says.

Hiring is typically slow during the summer, she says, but it peaks in fall between Labor Day and the end of October.

Additionally, she points out that September lands toward the end of Q3, right when many companies are beginning to plan for the next year. Hiring teams are often trying to spend the rest of their budgets before the end of the fiscal year, too.

Posting open positions in September gives companies plenty of time to “hire, train, acclimate and get everybody ready” ahead of the new year, Valencia says.

According to career coach Colleen Paulson, the beginning of fall is “just naturally an easier time to start thinking about goals and objectives.”

“They’re starting to hire folks to get ready to solve next year’s problems,” she says.

Will the surge happen this year?

After this summer’s hiring slowdown, Valencia is uncertain that the labor market will bounce back this fall.

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