Beware of the holiday hiccups when it comes to recruiting during the months of November and December. There always tends to be an influx of new job openings around the end of October leading into the end of the year. Retail and warehouse positions flood the job posting websites, all looking for seasonal help to get them through the holiday season and beyond. Finding legitimate postings for long-term career opportunities can be challenging enough without all of the additional holiday help-wanted ads.
Serious job seekers tend to stray from their search come the holidays for several reasons. Time is one of the biggest factors. There are never enough hours in the day to cross off the items on your holiday to-do list – whether it’s shopping for those last minute gifts, attending the endless holiday parties or the typical year-end seasonal madness. Candidates that are serious about their job search don’t have the time to pour through job posting sites looking for their next big career opportunity. They would rather spend the precious little time they have spreading cheer with friends and family than sort through temporary opportunities.
Another big detraction for job seekers during the holiday season is the potential loss of benefits. Great employees do not want to start a new job asking for time off for the holidays. They would prefer to stay in their secure position with their accrued paid time off (PTO), benefits and holiday schedules secured. Then after the holidays they can get back to their serious job hunt and not be afraid of losing holiday perks and the great company culture.
For retail and warehouse positions, employee recruiting can boil down to the pay that is being offered. Seasonal and temporary employers promote that they will pay top dollar for help because they have the immediate need and can do so. Seasonal job candidates
don’t always think of the long-term, and see the large wage as the biggest perk. If you can’t afford to match the pay the seasonal positions are offering, you may have to highlight other perks of your position or wait until the holiday hiring frenzy wears off.
The good news for employers is that the holiday season only lasts about two months of the year. Come January 2nd, the flow of candidates will increase and you’ll have more quality candidates to pursue. Tip for recruiting during the holiday season – when it comes to full-time employee recruiting it’s worth waiting until January.
For help with your permanent employee recruiting needs, please email or call us today – 913.940.5391.