Hiring plans for the coming year frequently top agendas in board meetings across the country in October and November. Budgets are decided, staffing requirements assessed and plans laid out. But then someone says, “are we better off waiting until the New Year?” and suddenly all hiring plans are put on ice.
But why lose out on potential candidates just because you think you should delay hiring until the “New Year, New Job” mentality kicks in? January is traditionally the month associated with one of the busiest hiring periods of the years and both recruiters and hiring managers know that their email inboxes are going to be bursting with new applications. However, it should be noted that the very same CVs will be landing on the desks of those very same recruiters and hiring managers up and down the country. You can be doubly sure that the ideal candidate being eagerly considered by you will also be on the shortlist of your competitor who has the same “Hire in January” mentality.
Starting the New Year off the right way
In today’s competitive candidate driven market, employers face fierce competition when seeking to secure key talent and when it comes to the strongest candidates, that task becomes even more difficult and frustrating. It takes time to advertise a position, wade through CVs to create a shortlist, schedule interviews and make an offer and when all that effort results in either a counteroffer from their existing employer or an offer from a competitor. The end results could be repeating the long drawn-out process or result in a panic hire in order to get the person in before the end of the first quarter. It means you’ve missed out on starting the New Year with a full complement of staff to hit all your key targets and growth plans for at least the first quarter. Marketing activity time is like dog years; a quarter is nearly a lifetime. Marketing professionals like having plans in place and their strategy outlined as soon as possible and if they’re joining a company who are behind the curve simply because they didn’t bother hiring until the New Year, that just makes their job harder.
Whilst missing out on key talent can happen at any period throughout of the year, the chances of its occurrence can be greatly reduced. As the saying goes, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” With many organisations waiting until after the Christmas break to implement their hiring plans, those with the initiative and drive to stay one step ahead of their competitors have already commenced the process. This means that offers can be accepted, and new hires are able to hit the ground running, all whilst avoiding a manic January.
Thought Process
People don’t just decide over Christmas that they’re going to move jobs. It’s a long and complicated thought process that starts way before the festive season. Sometimes people prefer to secure a new role and leave their current job prior to Christmas so they can relax and enjoy the holidays without having any work commitments. Marketing professionals in particular breathe a sigh of relief once the year is over as events (both online and in person) draw to a close. They’re passively looking at roles from September onwards so they can give their notice well in advance of the holiday season. So don’t miss out on key talent just because you think you can secure it easily in the flood of New Year resolutions. If you start the hiring process in November, you’re going to be well (and smugly) ahead of your competitors by January.
If you are currently considering adding to your marketing teams, or simply looking to gain an insight into today’s market, call us today on +353 1 6618889.
Eimear Walsh is the Managing Partner of Alternatives
