hiring – Quantilus Innovation http://testdev1.quantilus.com AI Driven Innovation Wed, 14 Feb 2024 15:17:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.6 http://testdev1.quantilus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Quantilus-FavIcon-1.svg hiring – Quantilus Innovation http://testdev1.quantilus.com 32 32 The Hiring Freeze Myth: Is the End of the Year a Great Time to Hire? http://testdev1.quantilus.com/enamix/the-hiring-freeze-myth-is-the-end-of-the-year-a-great-time-to-hire/ Fri, 13 Nov 2020 16:41:04 +0000 https://enamix.com/?p=4520

The Hiring Freeze Myth: Is the End of the Year a Great Time to Hire?

The end of the year hiring freeze is a common theory among both hiring managers and candidates. It’s easy to understand why this perception exists. According to Monster, January continues to be the busiest month for job searches.

 

Between the holidays and budget planning ahead of the new fiscal year, both job seekers and companies might assume there’s a slowdown in the hiring process during the fourth quarter. However, based on his experience, John Jeltema, Head of New Business Development at eNamix declares this hypothesis is a myth: “It’s a great time to look…I’ve been doing this for 25 years and the fourth quarter is consistently the busiest and most successful every year.”

 

In a recent Innerview Podcast, both John Jeltema and Mark Bassett, Director of Executive Search, discussed why companies should maintain hiring momentum toward end of the year.

 

1. Strategically Spend End of Year Budget

The reality is that as much as the end of year may be focused on budget planning for the next year, a hiring manager’s focus remains on budget spending at the end of the year. The fourth quarter brings forward a dilemma, depending on a company’s policies, of “use them or lose them.” This policy places the hiring manager in the situation of needing to fill a vacant position by December 31, or that position simply gets dropped from the budget for the following year.

Though to be clear, this type of policy isn’t in place at every company. However, if it’s a reality at your company, it’s beneficial to fill the position to not only maintain budget for the following year but also to add human capital to further support your department or business goals.

 

2. New Year Resource Planning

Conversely, another reason why the fourth quarter is ideal is because hiring managers are also budgeting for the upcoming year’s headcount. Oftentimes, it makes sense to have a new employee start in the first quarter of the year. In this situation, companies should at minimum commence the hiring process in the fourth quarter of the previous year—posting the job, recruiting, screening, and interviewing. Finding the right candidate is a time-consuming process. Companies should plan accordingly so these positions can be filled and new employees ready to start at the beginning of January or shortly thereafter.

 

3. There Are Still Quality Applicants

An argument against end of year hiring is that the pool of qualified job seekers for a position drops at the end of year. The theory is that some job seekers may be on vacation, taking time off to be with family, or, ironically, the job seeker thinks companies just aren’t hiring in December.

This hypothesis is, once again, not always true. No matter the time of year, the right candidate can always be in the job market. Just like how the job seeker needs to be proactive when looking for their next position, the hiring manager and company need to be proactive as well. And there’s no reason to think that even if a job seeker did slow down their job search around the holidays that they would stop looking altogether. Furthermore, the candidate who is consistent and diligent about landing their next career opportunity demonstrates character, motivation, and commitment.

The recruiters at eNamix encourage job seekers to reach out and connect with their network and hiring companies toward the end of year, whether it be to share holiday greetings or actively network. It’s about maintaining momentum. So stay active as a company, even at the end of the year, and promote that you’re still hiring.

 

4. Demonstrate Efficiency and Initiative

Success doesn’t take a holiday break. That’s not to say the hiring process is easier in December, but keep in mind that, for example, your entire marketing team might not be in the office at the same time to interview a new marketing position candidate by the time December comes around.

Mark Bassett, Director of Executive Search at eNamix, believes this situation presents an opportunity for a company to demonstrate initiative to potential candidates. Companies that have the foresight to get ahead of roadblocks will attract quality candidates. Mark Bassett helps clients navigate any possible curveballs by often asking, “Do you have the bandwidth to get the deal closed… there’s three interviews, four people involved, two holidays, how do we work around that? From the company’s perspective, it’s about making a commitment to get this position filled.” Staying proactive and mindful of others’ schedules will help hiring managers avoid any year-end pitfalls as well as ensure the quality hires your company expects year-round.

 

What better way is there to be ready for the upcoming fiscal year and new start in January than to start taking action in November and December of the previous year? eNamix encourages candidates to keep looking in the fourth quarter because the hiring freeze myth creates an opportunity for less competition. And from the hiring manager’s perspective, the best way to get ahead of the next fiscal year is start preparing early.

 

eNamix is here to assist you with your end of year recruitment needs. If you have any questions or want to discuss a job requisition, contact info@enamix.com to set-up a consultation with one of our senior account managers.

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]]> Is the Fourth Quarter the Worst Time to Job Search? http://testdev1.quantilus.com/enamix/is-the-fourth-quarter-the-worst-time-to-job-search-or-hire/ Thu, 12 Nov 2020 16:40:06 +0000 https://enamix.com/?p=4512

Is the Fourth Quarter the Worst Time to Job Search?

The fourth quarter of the calendar year is notoriously perceived as a bad time for job searching. The main arguments for this stance include companies already draining their yearly budgets by the fourth quarter, hiring managers having extended breaks from work due to the holiday season, and hiring managers being preoccupied with tasks that need to be completed before the end of the year.

 

However, is it merely a myth that the fourth quarter is a bad time to search for a job, or is it reality? The short answer is myth—and, in fact, the end of the year is an opportune time for job seekers looking to get hired or get an edge on their search. As long as jobs are being posted, companies will be hiring. Continue reading to discover why the fourth quarter is an excellent time to search for a job.

 

Less Competition

Job seekers may experience greater success during the fourth quarter because other job seekers have postponed or halted their search. This is possibly due to the end of year hiring freeze myth, and therefore job seekers decide not to look during this time. Thus, less competition equals a greater chance of landing the desired job.

 

Efficient Hiring Process

Another essential aspect to note is that if a job is posted in the fourth quarter, there is a high probability the company is committed to making a quick hire. The fourth quarter is usually busy for businesses, so if a company decides not to push back hiring until the next year, candidates may experience an efficient and responsive hiring process. Mark Bassett, Director of Executive Search at eNamix says, “In my experience, even if there are fewer job postings during the fourth quarter, the companies with open positions during this time are usually more serious about hiring…and hiring quickly.”

 

Companies Recruit for January Start Date

Many companies hire at the end of the year because they target the beginning of the new year for start dates. This results in a faster time-to-hire. If job seekers wait until January to begin their job search, it is too late to be considered for these roles. However, by starting in October and November, job seekers can find job positions looking for January or even first-quarter start dates.

 

Critical Roles for Business Continuity

When looking for jobs in the fourth quarter, some job roles might have more openings than others. These roles tend to be critical for companies, and the vacant position interrupts their daily operations. So whether they need additional help on the IT support team, a developer for a holiday-themed landing page, or a salesperson for a new product, a company will find the resources to hire a vital employee. Bassett says, “Companies can get creative. They can bring the new hire on as a consultant or contractor for the first month or two. Then convert the employee to a direct hire. That shows up as a different line item on a budget so, accountants can play with that.”

 

Opportunities for Passive Job Seekers

Lastly, as we covered in a previous post, passive job seekers consistently network, browse job openings, and research companies, because the best time for a job seeker to look for a job is when they do not need one. Therefore, passive job seekers should not stop their search because it is the fourth quarter. Professionals should continue hunting year-round because opportunities may arise when least expected and sometimes appear in obscure ways.

 

Recommendations for Targeted Job Searches

Job seekers and professionals tend to have a few companies they would be thrilled to work for one day. This could be due to the company having top-tier clients, being part of an exciting industry, offering great benefits, or a multitude of other reasons. So, what should a job seeker do if one of their dream companies does not have any job postings or a job posting in their desired department? Reach out!

 

Job seekers should feel encouraged to reach out to these companies and ask if they foresee any job vacancies appearing at the beginning of the next year. Job seekers can reach out to talent acquisition at the company, human resources, department heads, or other employees where it makes sense. By contacting these individuals when there are not any job postings, job seekers demonstrate their interest in the company because they went out of their way to connect with key individuals, even when there was no available job opening.

 

John Jeltema, Head of New Business Development at eNamix stresses the power of inquiring about future job opportunities, “Reaching out to these stakeholders is going to open doors and uncover those potential opportunities that never make it to the market. Again, those are the best ones to find. The ones that never get posted anywhere because they already thought of you for the role.” 

 

Stakeholders at these desired companies are usually excited to connect and talk with people interested in working at their company. Stakeholders may even provide employee referrals for the job seeker, or the job seeker may be able to skip the application process altogether if they connect with the right people, have fruitful conversations, and make genuine connections. If you need a topic to center your initial message around, Jeltema recommends wishing the stakeholder a successful end of the year or a happy holiday season.

 

Recap

The fourth quarter is still an opportune time to continue the job search. The end of the year might mean fewer companies are hiring, but the open jobs are usually hiring swiftly, and there may be less competition due to other job seekers hauling or delaying their search. There are also the benefits of beating all the new year’s resolution job seekers to the job search, and certain roles will always be hiring, regardless of the time of year.

  

If you have any questions on how eNamix can help your company find great candidates for your opening or you want to learn more, visit enamix.com or contact info@enamix.com to set-up a consultation with one of our senior account managers.

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