It’s the holiday season – that time of the year when hiring screeches to a halt and recruiting activities become a waste, unless you like eggnog and lots of holiday networking events. If this is your typical view of December/January, you’re missing out on one of the best times to keep your talent pipeline warm. The holiday season can be a great time to reach out – but you have to do it right if you want your efforts to be rewarded. Don’t just let your talent pipeline sit stagnant over the holidays. Take advantage of one of the best times to connect with candidates in your network with these five tips.
1. Offer an invite.
As an employer, you get invited to a painful number of networking events. It’s easy to assume that everyone is in the same situation, but that’s not the case. Hundreds of candidates are out there with extra time over the holidays, and not a single invite in their inboxes. Whether it’s an event you plan to skip but recommend, or it’s an event you’ll be at and would love to meet new talent at, sharing your calendar can be a great way to reach out to your pipeline over the holidays. Want to make a major impact? Offer a personal invite to an industry event to a coveted passive candidate. At a minimum, simply posting about the events you’ll be attending on your employer profile is a great way to start conversations. One man’s boring networking event is another’s answer to the question of how to stay engaged during a stressful holiday season.
2. Open up.
You understand the value of posting a status message to your employer profiles, but you may struggle to share anything beyond work-related events or current hiring needs. Keep in mind it’s the holiday season, so it’s a great time to lighten the conversation. Talk about where you’ll be spending your vacation or mention the movie you’re looking forward to seeing. Turn it around and visit the profiles of your most coveted passive candidates, and ask them how they’ll be spending their holidays. Sometimes asking a question that has nothing to do with work can be the best way to get a candidate interested in your positions. A shared experience of attending yet another elementary school cookie exchange may be conversation that leads to that contract opportunity you’ve been looking to fill for months.
3. Ask about New Year’s Resolutions.
As a passive-candidate hunter, you’re on the look-out for problems to solve. One of the best ways to gather that intel? Reach out to your entire talent pipeline and ask them what their New Year’s Resolutions are. (Don’t forget to share your own, while you’re at it!) For the candidate who wants to spend more time with his kids in 2016, your job opportunity with the possibility of telework may be just the ticket. For the candidate looking to take a European vacation in 2016, maybe your position offering a 10 percent salary bump would be ideal. Either way, by understanding your talent pipeline’s goals for 2016, you’ll have a reason to reach out months down the road. They may forget you asked them what they were planning in the year ahead, but they’ll certainly remember you if you reach out in February to ask how planning that family vacation to Disneyworld is going.
4. Grab a coffee.
In-demand candidates often can’t drop everything to grab a cup of coffee and chat. And while the holidays may seem like a crazy time to reach out, the reality is that while personal life can be frantic over the holidays, office life often pleasantly slows – this is particularly true of government offices. From ’59-minute rule’ early outs to long shopping break lunches, there’s probably no better socially-acceptable time to get a happily employed candidate out of their office and interacting with you. Be cognizant of the person’s time – see if they have time for 30 minutes to chat, and stick to it. Go into the meeting the a few ideal positions in mind, but without an agenda. The holidays aren’t a time to push, and when it comes to keeping talent warm, just being there to discuss industry trends is great.
5. Assess professional goals.
In addition to asking about New Year’s Resolutions, asking about goals can be a great way to connect with candidates over the holidays. December/January is often bonus season, so candidates have likely already been thinking about these topics. And while it’s rude (and a really bad idea) to ask a candidate if they received a bonus this year, asking them if they attained their career goals this year, or what their goals are for the next year, can be a great way to assess their attitude toward their current employer. If asking a candidate about professional goals doesn’t sound natural, you can also reach out to ask what they have going on in the first quarter, or if they have any training or certifications planned for the next year. All of these topics will combine to give you a good idea of how a candidate is thinking about their current work or employer. If they’re not thinking about it at all, that may mean they’ll be more receptive to your latest opportunity.
Don’t write off the holidays when it comes to hiring. They can be one of the best times to make contact with candidates. Take the pressure off of them – and yourself- by keeping your goals simple. Reach out, make a connection, and you’re more likely to make that person a hire in the year to come.
