Gobble Up Talent- Why the Best Hiring Happens in Q4!

We’re not sure where the myth of a Q4 hiring freeze started, but we can tell you it’s time to thaw it out! In fact, we’ve helped many of our clients gobble up the best talent just as the holidays kick off!

Why are the year’s final months the best time to add new talent to your table?

Candidates are hungry

Employees are ready for a fresh start NOW, not January 1st. They have made it through another year in a job they have outgrown. With flexible holiday schedules, they are investing time and resources into their job search. They have time for interviews, unofficial lunch meetings, and networking events. During the holiday social season, your organization’s leaders and hiring managers attend more events, giving them access to active and passive candidates they might have missed otherwise. Lastly, what kind of employees choose to put in the effort to find the perfect job over finding the perfect gift? Candidates with “the focus, commitment, and character that you would want as an applicant,” says Heather Gonzales, Sales Manager at iHire. “This is the professional that is willing to do what it takes to get the job done.”

The early bird catches the… wishbone

Your organization is wise enough to see the potential of Q4 hiring, but others aren’t quite so savvy. Investing time and resources into filling roles gives you early access to the candidates everyone else will be chasing down come January 1st. While they are kicking off the new year trolling LinkedIn for potential hires, you’ll be wrapping up your onboarding for the star talent you hired three months ago.

The snowball effect

A high-quality onboarding process is more than showing your new hires the location of the nearest Starbucks. It’s a detailed process that takes time and significantly impacts their contributions to the organization. If you want your new hire to make an impact in Q1, you must hire in Q4 so they can build momentum and gain speed before year’s end. If you spend Q1 posting jobs, sourcing candidates, and executing your hiring process, your new hire won’t contribute anything until the end of Q2.

Sticking to a budget

Whether you’re buying the latest gadget or building your sales team, everyone must work within a budget. Smart shoppers (and hiring managers) look for the best items for the best price – leaving money for more purchases… or, in this case, more hiring. According to Nicola Alexander of Ignite Digital, “no company wants to be left with money from the budget leftover in case it is removed next year. Therefore, if you have money left over then now is the perfect time to use it.”

You’ve got a direct line to Santa

A high-touch, global Executive Search firm like TurningPoint gives you a direct line to the best professionals across industries and locale. We partner with our clients to develop and communicate a compelling story to attract top-tier talent who fits your culture and create a unique and attractive job description. Our time-tested and market-proven process allows you to close out your year with your high-impact positions filled and usher in the new year ahead of the competition.