Christmas!!!? I hear you say….Starbucks festive favourites are out today and so the countdown begins…

I don’t mind admitting that Christmas is the one time in the recruitment calendar year that I put my feet up. Christmas parties, Christmas shopping, travelling home for Christmas, time off with the family – it commonly becomes the focus in the markets that we serve (and quite rightly so).  I look forward to a slower pace for a couple of weeks – it gives me time to re charge, be festive and focus on family, safe in the knowledge that most people are doing just the same.

Where am I going with this? Well, for me what marks the run up to this time is a couple of things – bonfire night behind us, and as a coffee lover – the launch of Starbucks festive favourites!! Still not clear? Well, today is that day.  There are only 50 sleeps until Christmas but I write to remind you that 6 weeks is plenty of time to ensure that you are well organised ahead of the New Year! There is still time to hire, and for many, this is a great time to get things done or think about what next year could bring. Here’s why you shouldn’t leave hiring to the New Year:
 

1) Your new starter can get their learning done in December

 
It’s a little quieter; most people are in the business ahead of closing down for Xmas; things are generally a little less pressured.  A great time to make introductions, and embed new employees so that come January, you will have a new starter who is familiar, inducted and on their way to being productive already.
 

2)Right now, applications are coming in thick and fast so why wait?

 
We have just had half term and inevitably this allows time to reflect.  The result for us is that we are in the middle of a peak of registrations and applications – 12% higher than the two weeks running up to half term – is that person you are looking for speaking to us right now?
 

3)The process can run a little smoother

 
With most people in the office, it is actually often easier to bring stakeholders together for interviews at this time of year.  Conversely, January is notoriously busy for most.  The saying ‘Don’t put off until tomorrow, what you can do today’ feels very apt here.
 

4)All workplaces are at their best in the run up to Christmas

 
Decorations, dress down, the festive spirit and the Christmas Party! What a great time to show case the culture of your business and a great opportunity to build engagement.

So are you sitting on that vacancy? Putting it off to the new year in the belief that you need to? Think again, get in touch, lets share a gingerbread latte and get the role moving forward for you – its actually a great time to do so.