Recruitment efforts during the holidays can be a necessary evil; you may feel like you’re not making any progress or feel inclined to check out yourself, but this is actually the best time of the year to lay a foundation for hiring.
Before you switch into holiday mode, take these steps to keep the momentum going throughout the end of the year, and then beyond.
Keep recruiting: First and foremost, whatever you do, don’t stop recruiting! There will likely be an expected lull as people switch gears to focus on the holidays, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t thinking about their next career move. Those who are truly committed to their job search are still out there searching, which means you may get a smaller volume of submissions, but more qualified candidates.
Stay active: If you’re experiencing a bit of a slowdown in incoming resumes, that doesn’t mean that potential employees are signing off. They are still spending a lot of time online, and that means you should stay in front of them. This is a prime time to showcase your company’s culture and all of the reasons they should work for you. Focus on establishing and strengthening relationships now, so they know where to go when it’s time to search for a new job.
Use your time wisely: If you decide to postpone hiring until the new year, there is important work that can still be done in your “off” season. Take this time to review job descriptions and see if there are any opportunities to improve them to meet the current market’s demands. In this employee-driven market, the small details that set your company apart are what matter most.
Polish your presence: Now is a great time to take inventory of all of the channels you are connecting with applicants on. Review each one you already utilize to assess the quality of candidates coming in. If there is room for improvement to how you are presenting yourself, make those enhancements now. If there is a new channel that you haven’t yet explored, research and innovate. You will be glad you did.
New year brings new hires: Many organizations evolved their hiring practices this past year, and the holiday season is a good opportunity to reflect on your hiring experience from the candidates’ perspective. Are there areas where you’re still working out the kinks? Work on this, and get ready to welcome those hitting the ground running on their job search in 2022. Let’s move forward together this upcoming year. If Avanti can help you source, engage and interview top talent, we would love to talk.