The dawn of a new year could mean the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one for some people. A common way change manifests is in their careers. Employees would resign from their jobs ahead of the new year, thus leading to a surge in applicants afterward.
To prove that, an unprecedented 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs in December 2021. The resulting hiring crunch will eventually reach the shores of countries that have a large pool of talent like the Philippines, as recruiters scramble to fill-in the gaps of recently vacated posts. Considering this seasonal hiring trend, HR personnel should know how to handle this surge effectively.
6 Tips to Better Handle the New Year Hiring Rush
If you’re looking to prepare your team for the impending hiring rush, this article will provide insightful tips regarding how your HR staff can handle the influx of new applicants once a new year starts.
1. Maintain a talent pipeline—no matter the season
A talent or candidate pipeline is a pool of qualified prospective candidates ready to fill a specific position when the situation calls for it. A nurtured and well-maintained candidate pipeline Is an indispensable tool when the hiring crunch starts, as it provides instant access to talent and helps you expedite the hiring process.
Preferably, maintaining a candidate pool for mid to high-level positions, regardless of the time of year, is ideal since these are typically more difficult and labor-intensive to fill than entry-level jobs. You may also consider establishing an internal and external talent pipeline to give you more options.
2. Start early
Since you already expect an influx of resignations and new hires around the new year, it’s never too early to start creating strategies. Starting your new year hiring efforts as early as October will give you a head start that will allow you to plan when you should advertise the openings, conduct interviews, and begin making job offers, among others.
There is also less competition if you start early, enabling you to pick the candidate that best fits the role. If you time your hiring process right, the chosen candidate may even get to start working immediately after the new year.
3. Expedite the hiring timeline wherever you can
The hiring process is often arduous and time-consuming. It typically involves multiple screenings, interviews, and onboarding. While some may view a longer hiring process as necessary to secure the best talent available, there are ways to achieve the same results with an expedited hiring timeline, namely, a uniform approach.
You can start by intensively weeding out applicants who are less likely to succeed in the interview using HR software. Be consistent with the interviews by preparing specific questions and developing criteria to evaluate prospective candidates. Also, involve key decision-makers throughout the hiring process to eliminate follow-up meetings.
4. Know when the interviewers are getting back from the holidays
As previously established, timing is vital to the new year hiring rush. However, some recruiters may still overlook aspects, namely, the interviewers’ timelines. While it’s ideal to get recruitment done immediately, it’s also crucial to consider when the interviewers will return from their holiday vacations.
Prior to scheduling anything with prospective candidates, consult with your interviewers before the holidays and plot all screenings and interviews around their timelines. Coordinating with the interviewers mitigates instances of interviews being postponed due to the holidays, which can stall and even alter your hiring cycle.
5. Use HR software that can handle the volume of applicants
With the new year hiring rush causing a more hectic and condensed timeline, leveraging useful HR software for candidate management and calendar scheduling can help you navigate, manage and monitor the large volume of applicants effectively.
Candidate management software helps you contact, attract, and manage candidates throughout the hiring cycle. This application tracking software also automates otherwise time-consuming processes like screening applications and reviewing resumes.
Meanwhile, a calendar scheduling tool allows you effectively manage multiple meetings with prospective candidates. Using such software can save you time and effort without sacrificing the effectiveness of your hiring process.
6. Elevate your efforts by consulting with professional recruiters
The hiring rush involves managing and monitoring multiple candidates simultaneously, which is difficult, especially if you have a small team. If you’ve determined the workload is too much to handle, consider enlisting the help of professional recruiters.
Professional recruiters provide the necessary expertise to help you tackle different aspects of the hiring process. Staffing agencies are flexible and cost-effective, eliminating the need to hire new full-time recruiters. These agents only stay with your team until the project is complete and only charge fees for successful hires.
New Year, New Strategies
The new year is a fresh start for many people. However, it may come at the expense of certain companies’ workforce. Fortunately, there are ways to prepare for the incoming hiring rush, like utilizing technology, nurturing a talent pipeline, and securing the services of professional recruiters.
Consider the tips stated in this article as you prepare to tackle the often-daunting task of securing new and qualified employees during the new year hiring rush.
If you need help finding and managing offshore and remote workers, consider enlisting the services of Manila Recruitment. A top recruitment agency in the Philippines, Manila Recruitment is the go-to headhunting search firm for finding high-quality talent for roles in the country.
To know more about the excellent staffing services we provide, contact us today.
