When is hiring season?

The right time for your company to hire likely depends on various factors, including budget and the number of open roles. Knowing when to recruit new hires starts by evaluating your organization’s unique needs. If you have an adequate budget, networking opportunities and positions waiting to be filled, the time to hire might be now.

With that said, there are peak hiring periods to keep in mind. The beginning of the year—January and February in particular—is often a good time for recruiting because job seekers may be motivated to make career moves that align with their New Year’s goals. Having a new yearly recruiting budget to work with means teams have the resources to strengthen their search for new hires.

Early fall, around September and October, is also a peak recruiting period as recruiting teams tend to evaluate their annual budget and work to use allocated funds before the year ends.

When current employees leave or get promoted

When an employee separates from the company, whether through resignation, retirement or promotion, it’s crucial to fill that gap quickly to avoid workflow disruptions.

Candidate pipelines can be helpful in these situations since they include a small number of candidates who can easily shift into an open position.

Before busy seasons

For highly seasonal companies, hiring before peak periods ensures you have the staff needed for busy times.

For example, retail stores may hire more employees in mid-November to prepare for the upcoming holidays and influx of customers. Hospitality companies may recruit more workers for the summer months, as the academic break often leads to more family vacations.

When a role or skill set becomes critical

If your organization needs specialized skills for a key project or new business direction, hiring when those needs arise can help ensure your team has the expertise to succeed.

How to prepare for hiring season

Making the most of the hiring season starts with good preparation. Here are a few tips to help recruiting teams boost success during peak periods.

1. Update job descriptions

Posting accurate job descriptions is an important part of finding professionals whose skills are compatible with your company’s open positions. Encourage your recruiting team to review and improve job descriptions before posting a role. This can mean adding salary and benefit information, incorporating compelling company details or adjusting language to be more inclusive.

They may prepare this information during off-season periods so you can post it on job boards when help is needed.

2. Encourage employee referrals

An employee referral program can connect your business with professionals already vetted by trusted employees. This can shorten lengthy hiring processes and may reduce turnover in the long run. Plus, referral bonuses can be an effective morale booster.

For example, employee referral programs can be beneficial for clothing stores. With the demand for workers increasing around the time many students are home for winter break, your employees may refer other students who are looking for short-term work before returning back to school.

3. Create upward mobility opportunities

Before searching for external candidates, try evaluating your own workforce for employees who are ready to take on new professional challenges. Promoting from within can improve retention rates, team flexibility and employee loyalty. Upward mobility also prevents stagnation, helping team members stay engaged with their work and ultimately enhancing productivity.

Upward mobility can also address the need for specialized skills. Rather than hiring a new employee with specific expertise, you can help refine the skills of your existing staff for future openings.

Strengthening recruitment strategies outside of the hiring season

There are always ways to enhance company hiring strategies, even outside of hiring season. Here are a few steps recruiting teams can take to improve their candidate search when the time comes:

• Strengthen your employer brand: Having a strong employer brand can make your company more desirable to professionals. Spend time building a positive brand to attract a wider pool of applicants.
• Keep networking: Prioritizing networking year-round can give your company connections to pursue during hiring season. Send recruiters to networking events and consider joining professional associations to expand reach.
• Engage with job boards: Keeping company job board profiles up to date can help you stay engaged with job seekers, which can benefit your company if you have an unexpected role to fill.

FAQs about hiring season

When do companies hire the most temporary employees?

This answer depends on the type of temporary position a company needs to fill. For example, retail companies that see a surge in business during the holiday season might hire most of their temporary staff in the last few months of the year. Similarly, for businesses that regularly launch new projects at the beginning of the year or in summer, it makes more sense to fill temporary positions during these periods.

Can my company recruit outside of hiring season?

Looking for new hires outside of peak recruiting times doesn’t mean you can’t find quality professionals. If budget restrictions or a surplus of open roles require your team to recruit in the off-season, they can still work to improve recruitment strategies outside of hiring season can help your company attract job seekers any time of year.

How can my company stand out to job seekers during hiring season?

Even with a strong recruiting strategy, hiring in a competitive market means your company will have to set itself apart from other organizations in need of new employees. Here are ways to help your open roles stand out:

• Offer a competitive salary, complete with benefits such as health insurance and PTO
• Allow employees to adopt a flexible work schedule
• Simplify the interview process by offering efficient, flexible interview options, such as phone screens and virtual meet-ups
• Take a culture add approach to hiring
• Prepare to make hiring decisions quickly to prevent losing candidates who receive multiple job offers