First Quarter Hiring Strategies
Employer Blog, hiring, hiring process, hiring tips, job opportunities, network, Q1, recruiting services
Are you planning to hire in the first quarter? Now is the time to start planning so you can start the new year out strong. Companies face fierce competition to fill gaps, and if you are strategizing for Q1, here are a few tips:
● Why Start Now?
In a survey conducted by ManPower Group of 11,500 U.S. employers, it was found that 21% of companies plan to increase staff in the first quarter. It is important to start looking for talent now because onboarding and training can take some time, and you don’t want to be scrambling when starting out the new year. However, don’t just hire any individual; Starting to plan now for Q1 now gives you the opportunity to assess gaps so you’re only hiring who you really need. In a normal hiring market it can take 3-6 months to fill some high demand roles. We are not in a normal hiring market right now.
● Start Spreading the News
Let anyone in your network know that you’re hiring. Make sure you update your LinkedIn and any other social media platforms your organization may use, and make sure your contact information is up to date. Cast as wide of a net as possible and include some non-traditional avenues to increase the diversity of your talent pool. The more people you reach out to via social media and emails/calls the more likely you are to have a faster time to fill.
● Get a Leg Up
There is fierce competition for talent and Time to Fill is increasing for most organizations. If you plan on someone starting in January, you should be starting your process now. Starting your Q1 strategy now could give you a leg up on finding the perfect candidate, and you can dedicate more time and energy to the process. Making a mis-hire is an expensive and time consuming mistake, so taking the time to find the right person is critical.
● Diversity and Inclusion
As we said above, don’t forget when you’re casting your wide net to include some non traditional avenues to increase diversity; If everyone at your company looks and thinks alike, chances are you probably need a more diverse workforce to generate new ideas. Diversifying your workplace is becoming one of the most important aspects of hiring, and is essential to workplace culture success. You can read more about this topic in our Diversity in the Workplace blog! Peak Demand has also recently joined up with Renewables Forward, an open and collaborative resource to help organizations establish and grow a more diverse talent pipeline. More information can be found here: https://www.renewablesforward.com/.
● Final Thoughts
There is a lot to consider when planning for Q1 hiring this early, but there is a lot to make it worth your while. You can also reach out to recruitment firms like here at Peak Demand to help you find the ideal candidate for your project.