The festive season provides a prime opportunity for companies to up their recruitment game.
Recruitment company Pnet says December is the best time for companies to consider their recruitment needs.
“December is a time when many employees contemplate their current roles in terms of ‘where they are’ versus ‘where they want to be’, so your job listing could inspire quality talent to make a proactive change. Whether gainfully employed or currently on sabbatical, highly skilled individuals may be focusing on New Year’s resolutions and preparing to
make a change.”
The company notes that with South Africa currently experiencing a shortage of scarce skills, companies need to stay ahead of the pack to attract and retain employees who will add value to their business.
The following are some of the reasons Pnet says December is a good time to recruit:
Your competitors may have dozed off
“Many businesses make the mistake of putting recruitment on the back burner in December while they are closing off on year-end deliverables and managing a multitude of HR activities, from year-end functions to performance reviews,” says Pnet.
During this time, there are plenty of candidates in job-hunting mode, which gives companies the perfect window of opportunity to snatch up the best candidates.
Jobseekers spend more time browsing online social media
According to Pnet, lighter workloads in December also provide employees with more time to update their CVs and online candidate profiles, making it easier for you to reach out to active job seekers through specialist online recruitment platforms.
You can use your business downtime productively
Pnet says, by taking care of their hiring activities in December, companies can avoid adding to the stress of entering a new business year with gaps in their headcount.
“If business dwindles slightly during the holidays, this allows you more time to carefully review CVs, shortlist candidates, conduct face-to-face or virtual interviews, and ultimately find the right person for the job,” says the company.
Employees enjoy more flexibility
Having less to do at work in December, employees are more easily able to leave the office for a couple of hours to meet you for an informal coffee catch-up or a more formal interview.
More networking opportunities
“The festive season is usually packed with social events, which provides business owners and recruiters with a great opportunity to meet potential candidates in an informal setting.
“You can use this busy time of year to grow your own network of connections, engage with new prospects, gain insight into what they are looking for in terms of their next role, and potentially offer them the opportunity to meet for a formal interview,” says Pnet.
You have time to work on your recruitment strategy
“If your business is a little slow in December, you can use the extra free time to do some planning. Don’t underestimate the potential of the festive season when it comes to finding fresh, new talent in an increasingly competitive job market. In fact, this time of year provides you with an ideal opportunity to attract and retain new employees who will contribute to the growth and success of your business in the coming year.”
