December can be a strange time for recruiters and jobseekers alike. As the Christmas excitement builds, the winter wind down commences. In most cases, this means that hiring activities are ignored until recruitment resolutions are put into practice in the New Year. But, why wait until January to get on top of your recruitment? With everyone else slowing down, why not get a head start ahead of your competitors? Even if you have fewer vacancies to recruit at this time of year, there are a number of things you can do to ensure you hit the ground running in 2019.

Create goals for 2019 and focus on how you can achieve them

Come up with a plan for 2019 and start thinking about how it will be implemented early. That way, when the New Year begins, no time is wasted on planning that should have been done earlier.

You might want to introduce an ATS into your hiring process. Book a demo early in December so you can line up your implementation for the New Year. Furthermore, if you anticipate a high volume of hiring requirements in 2019, consider securing advertising credits in December to last the following 12 months and get the text prepared and ready to go live.

Audit your candidate experience

With vacancies slowing down in December, use this time to evaluate your recruitment process and candidate experience. Think about what job seekers might think when looking at your careers sites. Is it easy for someone to apply? Is the application too long? Or, are the instructions clear? You should aim to keep the process as simple and as streamlined as possible. Make small changes now, or consider an ATS to ensure your application process is as seamless as possible in 2019.

Build your talent pool

Many people wrongly think that candidates aren’t active in December; this couldn’t be further from the truth. In the digital age, information is readily available and accessible to candidates 24 hours a day. Furthermore, December is a time of evaluation, and therefore a good time to target those people thinking of making a career change in the New Year. Target both the active and passive candidate by approaching them on LinkedIn and sharing your roles on Facebook, placing your company at the forefront of people’s minds if they do end up deciding to change direction in 2019.

Schedule your interviews ASAP

Scheduling your interviews before Christmas allows you to have the first pick of candidates, as many companies will wait to interview in January. This also means that the candidate can start their new job at the beginning of the New Year, rather than a few weeks later. This might also lower that dreaded counter offer scenario.

Generate some recruitment marketing content

Promote your company culture by showcasing your Christmas celebrations, decorations and staff rewards. Take and share photos, re-vamp your careers site and encourage employee-driven content to ensure you give your recruitment the best possible start in the New Year.