Five reasons to hire in December

December may be the silly season but it’s a smart time to hire. The final month of the year offers valuable opportunities to recruit high-quality professionals, and hit the New Year running.

Statistics compiled by the Hong Kong government revealed the total employment in the private sector surveyed increased by 1.0% or 28,100 persons in December 2017 compared with 2016. In fact, many companies across Hong Kong are proactively assessing their staffing needs throughout December so new talent can be onboarded in time to hit the ground running in early 2019.

Here are five compelling reasons why hiring in December can give you a competitive edge in 2019.

1 Stay ahead of competitors

Candidates don’t necessarily stop their job search in December even though your competitors may. Companies often use year-end to wrap up outstanding projects. Use this lull in your competitors’ hiring activity to ramp up your own. Less competition makes it easier to attract skilled professionals, who may not be available in the New Year.

2 Increased visibility of your job ads

Many companies slow down their hiring activities during December, resulting in fewer job ads on jobs. Hiring managers who advertise vacancies during this time will therefore be much more visible to candidates.

3 Scheduling interviews can be easier

December is traditionally packed with networking events, and this can make it easier for candidates to attend interviews without raising the suspicions of their current employer and dealing with the restrictions of work. Use your company’s own end-of-year celebrations to introduce new employees to your team culture.

4 Take advantage of the social media peak

With numerous work events and celebrations, candidates are more active on social media in December. Therefore, promote your vacancies on social business sites before normal work schedules restart after the New Year.

5 Tap into New Year’s resolutions

The flip of the calendar is a prime time for professionals to re-evaluate their career plans, and make New Year’s resolutions focused on change. Take advantage of this by marketing your company to candidates in December. Having a new role lined up for 2019 means top talent have one less item to clear from their to-do list.

Hiring in December is a chance to jump start the New Year ahead of the competition. There may even be time to complete some onboarding and training ahead of the holidays, letting you launch into 2019 with a skilled and energised team.

Adam Johnston

Adam Johnston is managing director of Robert Half Hong Kong.

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