Although it’s convenient to put your hiring needs or job searching pursuits on cruise control around the holiday season, it’s the best time of year to kick both into high gear for similar reasons.
Smart companies hire quality candidates before year-end so that the onboarding process is completed and they can hit the ground running come January 2nd. Quality job seekers want to nail down that next opportunity before the holidays roll around. So, if you’re a hiring manager who waits, you’ll miss out on quality candidates. And if you’re looking for a job and press pause on that search, you could miss out on an opportunity at a desirable company.
Hiring
Think about a marathon runner who starts the race at the back of the pack. There is ground that needs to be made up, and it doesn’t put them in the best position to succeed. The same goes for companies who sleep on filling positions just because it’s the holiday season. It’s assumed everyone slows down their work responsibilities and replaces them with personal responsibilities. When it comes to a talent pool, top candidates are going to get hired first. So if you drag your feet on filling positions, even during the holiday season, these quality hires might be gone by the time you actually prioritize your hiring needs. Imagine losing out on a quality candidate you felt could bring value to your company. Even worse, what if they go to the competition?
Hiring a quality candidate begins a snowball effect.
Think of how things play out if you hire a top prospect vs. a subpar candidate. Quality candidates will take less time to train and make a team stronger, faster, leading to overall company success in the long run. As a business, the budget, initiatives, and goals are in place to start the New Year. Universally, January symbolizes the beginning of something new, and most companies want to hit the ground running. Why not have a fully-staffed group that’s already been through the onboarding process and is ready to go after the holiday season? Top talent on the job market waits for no one.
Job Searching
Do job seekers just assume that most companies put hiring on hold during the holiday season? As you already know this far into the blog, the good ones don’t. As someone searching for a job, the holiday season can make the process challenging. This is because of how busy you might be buying gifts, managing holiday events, virtual or not, or just soaking up time with family and friends, in-person or via Zoom. But because many are balancing these responsibilities, there’s less competition for jobs, leading to more interviewing opportunities.
Starting a new job before January is a great time of year to do so. Who doesn’t like beginning the New Year with benefits in place? Also, if you get hired in the middle of November or December, there’s a good shot you’ll get the holidays off. Another plus, it never hurts to have a little extra money for the holiday season.
Some might think that hiring is still seasonal, but it’s really based on whenever there’s demand. If a company’s growth generates the need for new positions or an employee departs, good organizations won’t hold off on beginning the hiring process. So, prepare yourself as a strong candidate and be hiring ready.
Don’t put your hiring needs or job searching on hold this holiday season. Join the conversation on LinkedIn and check out How to Handle Work Anxiety (Especially During a Pandemic.)
