Summer vacation is over and companies are ready for the last quarter of the year. For many, this is the busiest time of the year. Retail companies are getting ready for the Christmas season, while others are making business plans for the next year. If you have identified the hiring needs of a team, but you have doubts as to whether it is too late to hire now, here are 4 reasons why the last quarter is a great time to welcome new employees!
Preparations for the next year
Companies that plan to scale up next year are already preparing for it. In order to meet targets, new colleagues are a requirement, especially in the areas of Business Development, Finance, and Customer Service. However, finding perfect candidates takes time. And even if you find the right person for your team, he or she may not be immediately available. At some companies, the notice period can be up to 3 months.
Moreover, a new employee needs time to get to know the team, the company culture and what is expected of them. This is a time-consuming process and before you know it, Christmas is here. Good hiring managers are aware that most onboarding should be done before the Christmas season. The holiday atmosphere, no matter how exciting, affects productivity and things tend to slow down.
Post-vacation resolutions
The summer holidays are over and people are back at their desks. Some of them are ready for a career change. Monsterboard reports that an astonishing 70% of job searches start right after vacation.[1] An overwhelming feeling of going back to a routine can be too much for some people. In some cases, time spent on vacation is used to reflect on personal values and goals. Questions like “Could I do more for my career?” or “Do I truly find satisfaction in my job?” pop up, and new opportunities start to look tempting. After a summer holiday, people are more open to change and if you are looking for new employees this is the perfect time to start hiring.
Competition for talent
Of course, many hiring managers are also back from vacation and are actively looking for new colleagues. This means that if you step into the game too late, there is a great chance that the best candidates may already have been taken. The current labour market in the Netherlands is already candidate-driven and is predicted to become even tighter. In-demand job seekers have plenty of job opportunities and competing for the best available talent can be challenging. Companies that invest heavily in employer branding and talent acquisition will attract the best candidates.
Remaining budget
The end of the year is approaching and preparations for finishing the fiscal year are just around the corner. This indicates that using the remaining recruitment budget is necessary. For HR managers, the last quarter is especially busy as they need to focus on administrative tasks and yearly bonuses. However, in today’s market, job seekers have high expectations regarding their future employer. A job offer has to not only satisfy financial requirements but also provide opportunities for self-development. The candidate experience during the recruiting process has to be at the highest level. Candidates expect a fast and smooth process without delays. A poor experience of the hiring process can lead to the withdrawal of an otherwise great candidate.
With little time left of the year, hiring managers may feel it is too late to hire new team members, and there are other more pressing priorities. However, the last quarter is a great time to hire. Candidates are more open to a change after the summer holiday and they are looking for opportunities – this is the time to capitalize on the ‘autumn movement’ in order to get the most talented people on board.
This is when recruitment agencies can be especially helpful. Finding and qualifying candidates is time-consuming, especially for the more challenging roles such as those requiring specific language skills. There is a high demand in international companies for native or fluent speakers in German, French, and Dutch. Consultants in recruiting agencies usually have a vast network that is constantly developing which means that they can call on or find a perfect match in a much shorter time.
Moreover, recruitment agencies can also help you find great candidates located abroad. Most companies prefer to hire people who already live in the Netherlands but the current labour market is leading to more flexibility regarding this issue. You can find talent anywhere and rejecting the opportunity to hire someone willing to relocate can narrow your talent pool significantly.
If you are seeking German, French, Dutch, Italian or Spanish native speakers or candidates with any other language skills, we have an enormous network of highly qualified multilingual candidates looking for new opportunities. Contact one of our Business Development colleagues for an informal chat about how we may be able to assist you with your language recruitment needs
[1] https://www.monster.ca/career-advice/article/quitting-your-job-after-a-vacation
