Yes, Employers are STILL Hiring This Late in December – Here’s Why

If you are a candidate in the job market and have all but given up your job search until January, please re-evaluate your strategy.

It is true that things begin to slow down during the holidays. People are taking vacations and there are skeleton crews working at some organizations. I want to say something loud and clear though, SOME organizations are slowing down. A majority of organizations are madly preparing for 2016.

Every organization is different. Every company has different fiscal years. Some organizations have their fiscal year end on December 31^st. Some organizations have already had their year-end. Companies that are preparing for Quarter 1 are desperately trying to get their teams in place.

Empty Positions and On-boarding Cost Money.

Let’s take sales people for example. Every organization needs a sales team to sell their product. There are always under-performing sales people in companies. The market is hot and companies are expanding into new markets. The longer a company waits to hire a sales person, the longer it takes the individual to get trained and in the field selling their product. This affects the bottom line of an organization. If a company isn’t selling, they aren’t making money!

In some situations, spending and budgets may come to a halt until the first of the year. If you are wanting to work at a publically traded company, the companies spending can be scrutinized. The shareholders are concerned about how the company will do on Wall Street and the revenue being brought in directly affects that. This doesn’t mean managers are halting their search for candidates. If companies are smart, they are interviewing heavily in December.

A Shift in the Market.

Candidates, you are in control! If you have the skills, you will be pursued by companies. Organizations are beginning to realize that it is a candidate’s market and not an employer’s market and will be seeking you out to get ahead of the competition.

If you are an active candidate and one that is out of work, make sure you get out there and network. Simply put, get your LinkedIn profile in tip- top shape, your resume looking great and reach out to everyone you know letting them know you are looking for a new opportunity. Word will spread fast!

If you are a passive candidate, the minute word gets out that you possibly may be looking for a new opportunity, hold on tight, because you are in for a wild ride. It is a win-win for everyone when someone starts a new job in January. As a candidate, you have a full year to be part of a new organization and as a company, they have their team in place and can get to business as usual quickly.

Holidays Create Down Time.

Recruiting can be exhausting for organizations. It takes time away from the managerial day-to-day activities. If there is down time and things aren’t quite as busy in certain departments, it is a fantastic time to interview. When things get busy, it can be very difficult to coordinate all the interviews.

Do me a favor. Don’t rest on your laurels during this holiday season. Get ahead of the game. Be in control of your career! Get out there and get the conversations going NOW. Once January hits, it is a completely different ball game.

December is a great month for hiring!