What to do with your down time?

The Month of December can be a rough one in recruiting.  A lot of people are not going to move into a new position this time of year.  They want to be with their family enjoy their PTO time and hold out for that bonus they may get at the end of the year.  Hiring managers are also hard to get in touch with and it makes it challenging to move your candidates thought the process when so many people are unavailable and enjoying time with their families or on vacation.  Here are some of the things I ask my staff to do in their down time to keep them busy and to make sure we start off the New Year in a great place.

Check your systems.  At People Science we use so many different ATS’s that it’s easy to forgot to update in our internal system.  Take the time to look at your candidates and make sure they are up to date.  If it’s a candidate you didn’t place make notes about why so you can try to find them a better opportunity in the New Year.  Your notes may be the only tool you need to coach your candidates when the next opportunity comes around. You also want to make sure you go into the New Year knowing what candidates you have in your pipeline that are ready and willing to make a move fast.   [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][optinlocker]

Build your pipelines: The holiday season may not be the best time to schedule interviews and hire candidates buts it’s a great time to phone interview candidates and get the first interview out of the way. When people are home and in good spirits they are more likely to answer the phone and give you a few minutes of their time. And as an active candidate that is looking for a new opportunity, hearing from you around the holidays lets the candidates know you are thinking of them, and helps them feel valued.

Network as much as you can: There are some really great local groups you can join that are free and so are their events.  Take the time to look at your local networks, talk to their leaders and pick a few that you want to be a part of in the New Year.  A lot of the groups out there can be found on social media and don’t require you attending events.  However, they are a great way to get your voice heard and talk to other leaders in HR and TA.  Everything is about networking nowadays.  When was the last time you networked outside of connecting with people on LinkedIn?

I know the Month of December can be a long one in recruiting but there are always things to do and the busier we are, the faster times goes by.   Take the down time you may have now to prep so you can hit the ground running in the New Year.

By Lindsey Roundtree | People Science Client Service Manager

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