This article about a recruiter’s end-of-year planning originally appeared in December 2020. More information and statistics have been added as of December 2022.
While Thanksgiving isn’t so far in the rearview mirror, the newly-put-up lights, familiar refrains of carols, and impending workplace gift exchanges have all got us in the holiday spirit perhaps a bit too early. Thinking about the holidays and the sequential end of the year has us wondering, what ends do recruiters need to tie up before we are free to embrace the holidays?
If you’re like us and are wondering the same thing, you’re not alone! In an industry that never really stops, these are our tips for bringing your efforts to a (brief) close. Both external recruiters and internal hiring teams can reference this checklist before powering down those laptops. Keep reading to take a look at our Recruiter’s Holiday Checklist.
1. Get On The Same Page
Check in with your clients or internal teams regarding their internal holiday closure dates. Ensure that you communicate to external teams and all levels of leadership about your holiday end dates. Don’t leave anyone hanging with an unexpected out-of-office email response!
Tip: Include a reminder on your last client update report or internal communication boards as you approach the holiday by listing closure dates in email updates. Assume they missed your first few reminders and ensure everyone knows what to expect.
If clients or internal departments have extended closure dates that don’t line up with your time off dates, communicate this before those out-of-office notifications kick on!
Don’t have a final update scheduled before you head out for the holidays? Reiterate the previous one. Things get hectic this time of year, and a reminder of where your clients or internal team stands won’t hurt and will ensure everyone is on the same page.
2. Keep Candidates Warm
As the weather gets chilly, layer up and keep your candidate outreach warm too! Check in with current candidates ‘in play’ before you head out for the holidays. Wish them a happy new year and tell them when you’ll be out, along with when they should expect to hear back from you.
Wrap those presents, close those laptops, and follow this #recruiter checklist from @IQTalent before your holiday break for a more efficient 2023: Click to Tweet
3. Don’t Ignore Your Pipelines
Utilize holiday weeks to build talent pipelines. Evaluate your sourcing strategy and take the week leading up to your time off to source and build pipelines so you’re ready to start fresh outreach when you return. View it as a gift to yourself. A list of passive candidates ready for a new opportunity? You shouldn’t have!
Free Tool: Is your talent pipeline ready for 2023? Test out our go-to candidate pipeline projection tool to find out.
4. Don’t Leave Anyone In The Dark
Some have Christmas Day off, while some teams won’t be expected back in the office until the new year. And, candidates you’ve had correspondence with may check their phone for a new years’ update on that new opportunity.
Before you close your laptop, make sure your email signature and out-of-office response are on and ready to let them know where you are, when you can be expected back, and if there’s someone else they can reach out to in the meantime.
Prepare for a great new year by updating ‘in play’ candidates and clients before you head out for the holidays. See more in @IQTalent’s Recruiter Holiday #Checklist:Click to Tweet
5. Prepare For A Great New Year!
Finally, send off that last Happy Holidays email to your clients, internal teams, and candidates you’ve been working with. 2023 is sure to have exciting new hurdles, hiccups, and opportunities to perfect the efficiency of your recruiting process.
The IQTalent team is here to help you do just that. We can optimize your in-house recruiting team on-demand and at scale to help you with your recruiting efforts only when you need us.
See how your in-house team can leverage IQTalent’s expertise, adaptable tactics, and the newest innovations in AI and automation to find, scout, and source interested, qualified candidates in the new year. Get started here.
