Did you know that Christmas and the new year are a significant time for recruiting? Many companies assume that advertising on job boards isn’t worth it at the tail end of the year, but the fact is that the holiday season and the first days of a fresh year are a great time to get your vacancies out there.

When you combine those seasonal factors with some key recruiting trends we’ve been monitoring, this truly is the season for hiring. Here are 6 recruiting trends that we believe will change the hiring game over the festive season and into 2020.

1. Festive hiring is easier than you think.

If you’re looking to hire, there’s no reason for you to be put off by the holidays. December can be a great time to get your ad and your role out there. For one thing, the recruiting field is actually a bit less competitive in the holiday season. Many employers assume that Christmas is a tough time to recruit, which leaves the playing field open for your business, making it more likely that candidates will see your advert.

It’s also a good time to connect with candidates. Often, even candidates who aren’t actively looking will be considering a career switch to start the new year, so you can catch them early in their deliberations. You’ll also benefit from speedy hiring as candidates and employers both want to finish the process before the festivities start. Lots of people want to start working in a new role at the beginning of January, so capitalise on the holiday hiring season!

2. Social media is just as important as job boards.

Particularly around the festive season, but increasingly year-round as well, social media job adverts are on the rise. This is a key recruiting trend for 2020 as it greatly expands and changes online recruitment advertising opportunities.

With any online ads, you should always be aware of the demographics of the platform you’re using, including job boards. On social media, you can consider a broader range of attributes — including things like personal interests or experience — when crafting your strategy or launching a paid campaign.

We’ve seen tremendous growth in ads on LinkedIn, Facebook and even Instagram because those platforms enable you to truly drill down and target specific groups of people. You can even reach candidates who aren’t actively looking — and who therefore wouldn’t be on job boards.

Check out this comprehensive guide to online recruitment advertising for more details!

3. Soft skills are dominating the field.

More and more these days, particularly with shortages in specialised fields, companies are hiring based on soft skills rather than hard skills or experience. That includes everything from sociability to problem solving to communication. We’re seeing a major recruiting trend with companies who are willing to train the right candidate to set them up for long-term success rather than scrounge around for a qualified candidate in a very limited pool.

4. Diversity will continue to be a priority.

For years now, diversity has been a hot-button issue, and with good reason. It’s becoming more important for employers to be seen as inclusive. In the last six months, diversity has transitioned from a good policy to a necessity in today’s recruiting world, especially in areas like the public sector.

The good thing is, diversity isn’t just a great social cause. It’s also profitable in the long run. So to keep up with this recruiting trend, it’s essential that you strive for diversity when hiring by broadening your scope and working to reduce things like gender bias in your adverts.

5. Employer brands are crucial.

The importance of the employer brand isn’t a new recruiting trend, but it’s a big one, especially as social media becomes a bigger recruitment tool. Candidates increasingly want to see company culture reflected in your recruitment assets. Recruitment marketing has become the norm in hiring, so diversifying your openings with a strong employer brand is essential. Generic or anonymous adverts simply won’t cut it anymore, so look to boost creativity in your ads.

6. Recruiters will look to adopt true end-to-end solutions for in-house hiring.

As recruitment technology gets better and better, more employers are turning away from the expense of agencies and looking to move their hiring in-house. End-to-end hiring solutions are making that possible. Simply put, not all tools like Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are created equal. Some are merely data trackers, while others are comprehensive hiring platforms.

These robust platforms empower recruiters with more functionality. That means a system that can manage advertising, integrate with SMS, automate reminders, capture digital signatures and partner with other systems for things like skills testing or video interviewing. We’re seeing a major recruiting trend away from restrictive agencies, outdated paper and Excel systems or limited ATS tools toward comprehensive hiring solutions.

Looking to move your recruiting in-house? Check out this guide to learn how to start direct sourcing your candidates — and why the reduced cost-to-hire makes it worth it.