As the start of the holiday season looms overhead, nearly every facet of the business world begins to slow down. Schedules lock up, weeks are short, projects end and, more relevantly, hiring comes to a standstill. Historically the holiday season has been a recruiter’s worst nightmare. Companies put all decision making on hold as onboarding becomes more difficult in a minefield of holidays and even job seekers take time off to relax and travel.
With companies waiting and candidates distracted, recruiters can quickly find themselves with a case of the holiday blues. But just because you’re working with fewer clients, candidates and openings, doesn’t mean you can’t turn productivity out of the slowest time of the year.
Here’s how to make the most out of your holiday recruiting.
Go Mobile
The number one holiday activity behind dreading that great big family gettogether around the corner is travel. Candidates often go unresponsive because of the difficulty in taking their job search on the road. Cars, airports, planes and guest rooms aren’t ideal workspaces for even the most travel-friendly setups. And, unfortunately, most applications are difficult enough to complete on a desktop.
Simplify your process so it can be done any time, anywhere with just a cellphone. Mobile-friendly websites with one click applications and the ability to save a resume, reducing the need to upload each time, will keep applicants active no matter where they are.
Open the Back Log
Not all jobs are created equal. For one reason or another, some openings begin to collect dust as you struggle to fill the role. As business slows towards the end of November it can often be beneficial to revisit these positions. Some recruiters find that in the time since they’ve collected several candidates who would be an excellent fit for the position.
Closing out the year by filling a troublesome position is not only a win for your responsibilities, it’s a positive note to ring in the new year with your clients.
Manage Your Contacts
Perhaps the least glamorous task on the list, there’s no better time of year to connect with past candidates and clients than the holiday season. Whether you’d just like to wish them well or get straight to business, turning over old stones may reveal new opportunities and discover older candidates with new talents.
