The holiday season is here. The next couple weeks are usually full of cheer and anticipation for the new year. With the new year, people are looking to make changes, including a potential new job.
While there has been a stigma that companies don’t hire during the holiday season, this might actually be the perfect time for recruiters and employers alike to ramp up their job search. According to Fortune Magazine, 69 percent of recruiters report no significant drop off in placements in December compared to other months.
That’s not to say there aren’t struggles involved in hiring around the holidays. Many candidates might prefer to push off their job search until the new year, hiring managers are on vacation, people are taking the rest of their PTO before the year ends, etc. There is pressure to hire new employees before the start of the new year, but this can be alleviated thanks to these tips to keep candidates engaged during the holidays.
Take Advantage Of The Lack Of Competition
Given the stigma that hiring during the holidays is slow, many companies won’t try to hire any employees. If you ramp up your hiring efforts you can get ahead of your competitors and attract quality candidates while other companies wait until the new year.
Profit From PTO Days
Candidates might be working for a company with a “use it or lose it” PTO policy, so they’re taking time off before the end of the year. If this is the case, they likely have more flexibility in terms of being available to interview.
Seek Out Highly Motivated Candidates
As things slow down during the holidays, as too may the motivation for many job seekers. However, there will be a group of individuals who use the down time to send out applications and find their next opportunity. When hiring during the holidays, this is the group that you want to seek out.
If candidates are not currently working, they likely are ramping their job search up so they can have some good news before the holidays and start the new year with a renewed sense of accomplishment. For candidates looking to make a career change, the end of the year is when they are typically doing a self-reflection and taking stock of their present career in order to set new goals. This is the perfect time to target them.
Reconnect With Your Candidates
The holidays are a time when people connect to spread cheer for the season. In case you needed an excuse to “touch base” with all the candidates you haven’t spoken to in a while, this is the perfect time. The conversation can go one of two ways: either they found a new job and aren’t interested in discussing opportunities, or they’re searching for a new job to begin the new year and you reached out at the perfect time.
So what have you got to lose? The worst thing they can say is “no.”
Don’t Forget The Human Touch
The job application process has changed over the years and become more automated. Sure, this can alleviate the stresses and workload for hiring managers, but when it comes to working with human capital, human interaction is a must.
When looking to hire this time of year, it is important to remember that it is still the holiday season. This means that candidates are spending time with their loved ones and enjoying some hard-earned time off. Additionally, you don’t want to push candidates too hard. Be respectful of their space and make sure you have a clear understanding of their expectations and current situation.
Need help with your hiring needs during the holidays? Give our VP of Recruiting and Sales, Chris Bancsi, a call at 216-503-7163 or schedule a meeting on his calendar here!
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