Companies may be slowing down for the holidays, but job seekers aren’t.
It’s the holiday season, and it’s common to hear recruiters and hiring managers say, “We are going to wait until January to get serious about filling positions.” While scheduling can be challenging this time of year, is it in your best interest to defer your hire until January? Or sometimes, after everything is said and done, February?
If you are in pursuit of top talent, then waiting is not advantageous. A recent article in Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) covered a job market forecast based on a survey of hiring managers for the first half of 2024. The results showed that 90% of hiring managers reported difficulty finding skilled professionals, and 58% said it takes longer to hire for open roles compared to one year ago. In addition to those challenges, 42% reported another hiring challenge is a lack of candidates applying to open roles. While delaying until the New Year’s Eve ball drops is appealing, your competitors share the same sentiment, and there’s more competition for top talent in January.
If you currently have an open position during the holiday season, consider seizing the opportunity and making hires promptly. Many candidates start their search in October in hopes of landing that dream job before the Thanksgiving holiday. If they don’t find the right fit, they are still searching in December.
How can you take advantage of less competition for candidates during the holiday season?
In the pursuit of top talent, the speed of your hiring process can be a crucial factor in securing exceptional candidates. Be sure you have an efficient process in place to hire in days rather than weeks or months. Companies may be slowing down for the holidays, but job seekers aren’t.
If you’re looking to hire, Boulo offers a hiring process that attracts diverse candidates and enhances your recruiting efforts (even during the holidays 😊). Best wishes for health and happiness to you and yours in the new year ahead… and to finding the right candidate quickly.