this September could change your entire career

How's it going,

Forget the Gregorian calendar, September is the real New Year.

Momentum? In January? Please.

No, January is for trading in all of that joyful triumphance for the abject horror of realizing that winter has only just begun. It was built to be slow, reflective, and kinda moody.

But the second a leaf turns or the air even hints at pumpkin-spicy-crispy-morning-breeze? I’m in a cardigan, locking the hell in.

Me AF right now

Old habits die hard. September’s back-to-school energy makes me want to buy a new agenda and a fresh set of creamy gel pens to plan a new, more motivated (and colour coded) version of myself.

It’s not just me—everyone’s hitting the reset button.

Morning commutes get busier as decision-makers trickle back from the cottage and reunite with their laptops to reset Q4 budgets, and start hiring again.

They call it the September Surge. Like clockwork, job postings spike, career pivots happen, and growth suddenly feels more possible. In fact, more moves happen now than in January. And even if you’re not job hunting, this is when we all reflect on our careers and wonder: am I where I want to be?

September sits right at the intersection of market timing (budgets, hiring, promotions) and human psychology (fresh-start vibes).

It’s also when a lot of people realize they haven’t touched their professional development budget. Which, hello, is part of your compensation package. If you don’t use it, you lose it. Unlike a corporate pizza party, this perk actually benefits you. And bosses? They love to see you take initiative.

Even if you’re not changing jobs, upskilling now means pulling into your December performance review with receipts—and leverage for a shiny new raise.

And if PD budgets weren’t listed in your comp package, don’t assume the door is closed. Many employers will cover training with the right pitch.

For example, here are three angles you can use if you want your September 16th Growclass cohort covered:

1. Align it to team goals. “I know we want to find strategies to improve acquisition. This course covers conversion copywriting and A/B testing—two areas we could use right away.”
   
   
2. Focus on timing and ROI. “It runs for 6 weeks and encourages real-time, hands-on learning, so I can apply what I learn right away, creating an impact before the end of year.”
   
   
3. Show team benefit. “When I level up, I can mentor others so everyone wins.”

Look, I know—we still have a few more official weeks of summer, but you have to admit, there's momentum in the air. The budgets are there, the opportunities are there, and the energy is buzzing.

All that’s left is deciding what you’ll do with it.

So why not turn the chaos of the September Surge into a September Soft Landing—one that sets you up for long-term growth.

Up to you.

In gel pens we trust,

Ines

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