This week, I had two clients ask if it is still possible to hire this year. They were deciding whether they wanted to interivew now or put the whole thing off until January.
Of course you can hire now!!
Think of the consequences of holding off until January. That likely means you not have the problem solved by late February and the new person will not be up to speed until the end of March. That’s the end of the first quarter. That is a long time to wait for a solution.
We have six weeks until the end of the year and unless you have a 15 step interview process, that’s plenty of time to line up conversations with decision makers.
If you make an offer next week and the candidate gives two weeks notice, they could start on December 10. They could meet everyone at the holiday cookie exchanges and spend time learning what to do and where to go. They would take the Christmas break and be back in the new year ready to work.
There’s nothing wrong with a December 28th job offer either. That would really brighten up someone’s New Year’s Eve festivities (and possibly your own!). They could resign on the 31st and get started on the 14th of January when everyone is in full swing.
How much does it cost to have a seat unfilled? Think about lost revenue, lost productivity for the team members who are providing stop-gap coverage and the time you are spending worrrying about the fact it is not filled.
Don’t just throw up your hands and put hiring off until January. Make an informed and defensible choice. Your holidays will be better for it.
Recruiter's Couch 