Wednesday, December 16, 2015

December Hiring Myth




December is often mistaken as a month of “nothing happening” on the hiring front. An idea exists that hiring managers push off the selection process until January either to save money on the old year’s budget or to avoid the time associated with starting a new employee during the busy schedule that accompanies end-of-year deadlines and holiday vacations.

But the December myth is just that, a myth. In fact, many hiring managers actually feel increased pressure to fill open slots before the end of the year.

People who wait or think that those December jobs might be available after the first of the year might miss a golden opportunity. The end of the year often brings “use them or lose them” deadlines at many companies. If hiring managers don't fill open positions before the New Year, they risk losing the open slots.

So what should your company do to be certain the hiring process doesn’t slow down during December?  Here are some things to consider.

1.    1.  Is your website mobile responsive? With the smart phone, many people do not even use a laptop anymore.

2.     2. Once the candidates can find the jobs, how easy is it for them to apply? Too many pages and forms to fill out and candidates will move on to a more user-friendly job opening.

3.    3.  Do you have an employee referral program? Do your employees know what it is? Share this information with your employees on a regular basis.

4.     4. Avoid scheduling challenges for interviews when hiring managers are traveling. Thanks to the accessibility of video conferencing capabilities, many resources are available to conduct the interviews via video conference. Utilize this tool to your advantage during this time of year.

5.    5.  Don’t let a lot of time go by from the first time you interview the candidate to the second interview. If you like the candidate, move quickly in the interview process. Chances are that you are not the only company who is interested in hiring this person.

6.     6. Make certain your hiring managers are educated on the state of the current job market. It should be a priority to interview candidates as soon as possible or risk losing the great candidates to proactive hiring managers.

7.     7. Flexible contract workers help to fill in the gaps during the hiring process. 



Scot Dickerson, CPC 
Capstone Search


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