It's often thought that hiring during the holidays slows down and becomes virtually non-existent. And it seems to makes sense - employees and candidates take breaks to celebrate and spend time with family and friends. But that thought process is a bit of an urban legend. In fact, according to a recent report, the annual hiring outlook for the 2018 holiday season is the strongest it's been in a decade, with 43% of companies planning to hire full-time workers, compared to 34% last year.
So what can you do to ensure you're competitive during a busy holiday hiring season? Below, we've outlined a few tips and tricks on how to continue hiring throughout the holidays.
Become an expert planner
While we're sure you're already a stellar planner, it's good to be EXTRA prepared when hiring during the holiday season. Coordinating schedules with interviewers and interviewees may be a bit more of a dance during the holidays, so it's best to get everything sorted out as early as possible. Not only are your coworkers buzzing like crazy to get their end-of-year goals, projects, and budgets finalized, but they're also taking time off to be with their families. So be mindful and respectful of everyone's time by organizing early and often.
Be as accommodating as possible
Patience is a virtue...especially when hiring during the holidays. For those of you coordinating and planning interviews and sending emails during this time, the normal flow and cadence seems to disappear and things can get a bit frustrating. Remember that it's the season of joy, and most importantly, it's not permanent! Things will go back to normal after the holidays, but during this time it's good to be as accommodating as possible so that you can have a better shot at landing the perfect person for the job.
Stay determined
While we advocate for you being as accommodating as possible, you're also going to need to be persistent. Since it's a busy time, it may take longer for candidates or your team to get back to you on timing, scheduling, and feedback, so ensure you have a plan in place to get everything you need before people take off. A little pleasant nudging may be needed. Stay determined and it will all go according to plan.
Are you thinking of hiring during the holidays? If so, what tips and tricks can you add to our list? Share with us now on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.
