Hiring quality employees during the winter months is challenging for several reasons. First, many professionals mistakenly assume that opportunities are limited until after the new year, causing them to delay their job searches. Second, the winter holidays make lives hectic, so many people don’t prioritize their job searches.
Fortunately, there are steps companies can take to increase their odds of hiring success.
If you’re trying to figure out how to hire quality employees during the winter months, here’s what you need to know.
Interview Continuously for Future Openings
For many companies, hiring is initially reactive. Organizations don’t typically start pursuing candidates until there’s a vacancy, leaving them shorthanded until a suitable job seeker is located, vetted, and secured.
By using a proactive approach instead, companies can connect with top talent in advance. Interviewing continuously for future openings that typically occur allows hiring managers to identify high-quality candidates before the need arises, giving them a chance to extend offers immediately when there’s an opening.
With this strategy, communication and engagement are musts. By remaining in touch with these candidates, you can keep them apprised of potential opportunities and maintain their interest. As a result, they’re more likely to take a hiring manager’s call when a position opens up.
Offer Temp Jobs to College Students
For companies with short-term needs, offering temp jobs to college students is another excellent way to boost hiring in the winter. Many college students want to gather relevant experience before graduation. Plus, they have valuable skills.
Ideally, the role should allow enough flexibility to work with a typical class schedule and offer space to make navigating midterms or finals possible, as those schedules may differ from the traditional ones. Whether this means alternative shifts or flexible hours can vary, though both are viable in many cases.
Provide Part-Time Opportunities to High School Seniors
For entry-level jobs that don’t require much training and work with part-time schedules, recruiting high school seniors for after-school roles is a great way to access young talent. Many high school seniors are exploring career options and saving for their post-graduation needs. As a result, they can be excellent candidates for part-time roles that don’t require prior experience.
Another benefit of this option is it’s a chance to connect with newly-minted adults that are venturing into the workforce. This can boost the company’s reputation among the younger set and may make the organization more appealing to Gen Z job seekers as a result.
Partner with The Advance Group
When you need to find high-quality candidates during the winter months – or all year round – partnering with The Advance Group makes a difference. Our recruiters are connected to the local labor market and maintain deep talent pools filled with vetted active and passive job seekers. As a result, we can provide powerful insights to help your company remain competitive while connecting you with skilled professionals in a range of fields.
If you’d like to learn more about how our recruiters can boost your recruitment efforts quickly and affordably, The Advance Group wants to hear from you. Contact us today.
