It’s no secret that October is hiring season. As the year winds down, companies leverage the final quarter to budget and plan ahead for the next year. It’s during this time that employers look more closely at their growth strategy and at the talent needed to execute it.

According to LinkedIn’s blog, there are more available job postings on LinkedIn in October than any other month. Currently, the networking platform says that there are more than 20 million open jobs. Job seekers, take note.

Here are some pro tips for making the most out of this year’s busy hiring season.

1. Apply On Monday
LinkedIn cities Monday as the most promising day to explore new opportunities as hiring managers often post new roles at the beginning of the week. And what’s more? Professionals who are among the first 25 to apply to a role are three times more likely to get the job. In short, early applicants are rewarded.

2. Know Your Skills
One of the platform’s newest features, LinkedIn Skill Assessments, allows you to test, verify, and highlight your unique skill set. After completing the assessment, LinkedIn rewards users with a badge that makes profiles more discoverable by employers. Early results from using this feature and completing the assessment reveal a 30 percent improvement in the likelihood of being hired.

3. Forge Connections and Network
This step may seem obvious as LinkedIn is the top platform for professionals to connect, engage, and network. Once you’ve secured a connection, active job seekers should reach out and set up an introductory call to explore possible opportunities with their connection’s employer, learn more about their professional background, or simply ask for career advice. Candidates should also be mindful of the power of one connection; browse the connections of those you know well and make a list of the companies and roles that interest you in their networks. Ask for them to make an introduction and see where that one connection might take you.

Interested in making a career change? Speak with one of our Executive Recruiters or explore our job board.