Is there any point in applying for a new job during the summer?

The summer months are traditionally more of a time for topping up your tan and speeding through the latest batch of best-selling novels than considering your next career move. But, with pent up demand for recruitment not being completely met during the first half, is it worth considering your options?

In the City, after a frenzied first half, recruitment has a more subdued feel in July and August as financiers jet off to various Caribbean islands and firms take stock of their new hires.

"Traditionally, hiring activity has been very quiet during the summer in Scotland as it is in the rest of the UK," says Fraser Campbell, senior consultant at Robert Half in Edinburgh. "Contract recruitment continues - particularly for administrative and back office roles - but permanent placements are more sporadic."

This year, however, the situation is slightly different. Many financial services firms have the thumbs up to increase permanent headcount for the first time in 18 months this year, and will want to use this while it's available.

What's more, the likes of Barclays Capital has just started recruiting for hundreds of investment operations roles in Glasgow, which need to be filled by October, so it's unlikely to take its foot off the gas during the summer.

"Roles are still being released and - from a hiring perspective - companies are unlikely to wait until after summer to expand," says Betsy Williamson, managing director at Edinburgh-based Core-Asset Consulting. "However, the timeframes for recruitment are longer, since the candidates take time out of the office for obvious reasons."

So, while in the first quarter candidates are clamouring for a new post-bonus opportunity and recruiters are desperate to fill their shiny new roles, summer recruitment is a decidedly more protracted affair.

"It's difficult to get all the concerned parties together at one point during the summer," says Richard Parks, country manager for recruiters Martin Ward Anderson. "What would have taken three weeks in February, takes six weeks in July and August."