December is usually regarded as a sleepy, quiet time in the run up to Christmas and the New Year. However, this final page on the calendar presents a great opportunity for businesses to recruit top talent to hit the ground running in 2016. Here are LoveLocalJobs.com’s top reasons why you should fill those recruitment gaps in December.
Solid January Foundations
A lot of time and resources are spent on a new recruit. Existing employee involvement during the hiring process can be more difficult after workloads begin to mount and new projects are taken on after New Year. Rather than stretching your diaries to accommodate your new hires, use this quiet month to put together a considered approach that will sort the best of the best.
End of Year Reflections
Many of us at some stage have reflected on where we are in our professional roles and how we could improve our prospects. December is a prime time for this sort of self-analysis as another year passes us by. Feelings of change and renewal will inevitably result in job board hits and visits to recruitment sites. Savvy employers will pick up on this behaviour and market to candidates before January. On a similar note, as professionals enjoy holidays amongst friends and family over Christmas, feelings may begin to stir about wanting to move closer to these circles and how a career change may create that fresh start going forward.
A Step Ahead of the Competition
Finding alternative business windows can always work in your favour. Many competitors will be finishing up for the year after a hectic Q4 and therefore will miss out on earlier talent pools. By focusing your efforts in December, businesses are likely to have the pick of the crop who are eager to start a new year with a fresh role – the early bird gets the worm! This set of candidates are likely to be more responsive to phone calls from recruiters and are more likely to be in possession of a mobile phone whilst out and about. Make sure your application sites and vacancies are mobile friendly to connect with mobile users around the country.
Increased Visibility
Jobs boards often slow down during December as many projects at the end of the year are essentially suspended due to vacations and budget restrictions. Employers who advertise vacancies during this time will be much more visible to candidates.
Preparing for Change
December is often used as a time for balancing the books and business analysis. If, by the end of the year, the budget has visibly declined or bonus incentives have disappeared, top performing employees may rethink their current positions. Rather than hurriedly seeking out new talent to fill holes in the business in January, prepare for change early by creating a hiring process that will assess current job seekers in the marketplace.
Accessible Candidates
End of year downtime creates a great opportunity for recruiters and employers to connect with candidates more easily. Full-time workers often struggle to find that window of opportunity to switch roles half way through the year while workloads are in full flow. During the December break, candidates will be active online as they contact friends and family on social media, browse through their email on a regular basis and click around the web in their free time. As December marks the end of another work year, many professionals update their business profile skills and experience based on their activities over the year. Take the time to promote a great vacancy on social business sites before normal schedules resume after the New Year. Once a candidate has found the right role for them, interview arrangements can be set up more efficiently away from the restrictions of work.
LovelocalJobs.com is an award winning family of jobs boards offering an accessible and cost effective job recruitment solution. We currently operate six regional jobs boards in the south east and a further four careers advice and guidance sites which have been designed by young people for young people with the help and support of local business mentors.