Autumn is the best time to look for a new job and for new employees, human resource experts say, as activity picks up after a seasonal summer slowdown. Companies also frequently kick off new projects in the autumn.

So don’t get depressed about the sweet sunny days fading away. It might just be the chance to land the job – and salary - you have been dreaming about.

“Autumn is a time when companies tend to start new projects,” said Taras Goryn, project coordinator of JobMarket, an online employment website that also guides students on educational opportunities.

One of the other reasons job opportunities are highest in fall is that many students head back to universities, leaving behind temporary full-time positions or internships. Their departures leave positions open and ample opportunities for students and other job hunters who took the summer off.

As during past autumns, Goryn is convinced there will be no shortage of job seekers or job proposals once again this autumn. Every niche will offer a variety of openings to choose from.

Viktoriya Braychenko, a marketing specialist at ANCOR agency in Kyiv, said that fall is also a popular time for job fairs.

But don’t expect salaries to keep increasing annually by double-digit figures as in recent years.

Pavlo Logay, general director of World Staff, an international human resources company, said the salary surge is tapering off.

“There will be no rapid growth by the end of 2008 like last year,” he added.

Figures published last month by Ukraine’s State Statistics Committee show that salaries increased, on average, by 9 percent in the first seven months of the year to $411 per month. The increase is smaller than wage increases in previous years. But one should also be cautioned that salaries differ significantly, depending on the job and qualifications.

Moreover, salaries can be significantly higher than the government’s ballpark figure, since much of population's official income is not declared. Employers and employees still often hide their real salaries to avoid paying a significant share of taxes.

Nevertheless, Goryn said job seekers and vacant positions will be plentiful, in part because more students are opting to work their way through school. “The number of students that prefer to earn money establishing themselves as independent from their families is growing,” Goryn said.

“If some three to five years ago only senior-year students managed to balance work and study, today it is getting common for students to start working after completing their first year of university studies. The salary typically offered to such [part-time] applicants is quite modest – usually ranging from $300 to $500 per month. So it is no surprise that demand is high for such a relatively inexpensive segment of the labor force,” he added.

Advice ahead of the interview:

As a general rule, job applicants who are in high demand by eager employers can count on a salary that is a bit higher than the amount offered during the interview. In general, the salary stated in the job announcement can be adjusted 20 percent upwards or downwards, depending on experience and other factors. So if you get the feeling the employer is really excited by your candidacy for the job at hand, do not hesitate to ask for 10 to 20 percent more than the salary being offered.