With the festive season in full swing and Christmas only a few weeks away, most of us are looking forward to some well-deserved time off to celebrate with friends and family.
But even though business quietens down at this time of year, there’s no reason why your recruitment practices should too. In fact, in our experience, smart companies hire over the Christmas period. And here’s why.
According to market demand and supply statistics from SEEK, admin and office support recruitment ads drop sharply over Christmas Day and Boxing Day which is to be expected. But interestingly, the number of job views far outpaces the number of job ads over the new year and into January and February.
In short, candidate demand for admin roles of all levels far outstrips supply at this time of year.
Not surprisingly, this reflects our experience at EST10. We always have far more enquiries from candidates at the beginning of the year than there are roles available. Whether it’s because employers wrongly assume no one is looking for work at this time, or whether a new year brings with it new career resolutions, the bottom line is this is a golden time for employers in terms of candidate flow.
The good news is, EST10 is open over the holiday season to assist with any of your recruitment requirements. And the same business as usual strategies apply:
- Move with speed when presented with superstar talent
- Interview in quick succession
- Plan your interviews around the availability of the relevant executive or final decision maker
- Be mindful of global office shutdown periods if relevant which may be different locally
Even though we’re heading into the festive period, don’t be afraid to interview great candidates before the holidays. Hire now and negotiate a start date in the new year.
Or take on a temp over the Christmas period. Not only do temps alleviate work pressure while existing employees are on leave, but it’s often a good way to assess a potential candidate for transition into a permanent role.
Superstar Executive Assistants and talented office support staff are hard to find and there’s no need for smart employers to miss out over the festive period. If you would like to discuss your recruitment requirements during this time, please contact us today.
