When summer is on the horizon, thoughts don’t necessarily turn to recruitment. In fact, many organisations pause their efforts until the autumn, when everyone is back from holidays and focused on hiring. That’s obviously not an option if you need somebody right now! Spotlight Recruitment supports clients all year round to find talented marketing and digital candidates that can support business growth and achieve commercial objectives.
One of the biggest challenges for companies looking to recruit in the summer is a lack of applicants. Changing jobs over the holiday season isn’t ideal, especially if you’ll be starting your new job when others are off and unable to support you with onboarding and training. With staff taking annual leave in this period, companies may struggle to carry out interviews or to support start dates that work for everyone.
The summer is a booming time for temporary work, particularly in the retail and hospitality sectors where short-term and contract positions are appealing to those who can start immediately. Bearing this in mind, many employers looking for permanent employees will cancel their recruitment efforts through July and August. If you decide to persevere, you’ll be rewarded with far less competition and will be able to attract the keenest applicants who don’t want to wait. The current labour market is extremely skill short particularly across digital marketing, therefore talented candidates have more choices than ever. Summer can be a good time to get ahead of the competition and snap up the current marketing and digital talent. Here are some tips to get the most out of your seasonal recruitment:
- Be flexible
People are busy and might not respond in a timely manner. Try to be patient with candidates, inform them of deadlines and try not to hound them. They may also be considering multiple roles so while your role may be fantastic, there may be competition.
- Show off your company at its best
Company culture is a key priority in the decision to change jobs. Companies tend to get together and have fun in the summer – show future employees how enjoyable working with you can be and why this is the right company for them.
- Take advantage of downtime
If your business is a bit quieter, you’ll have more time to dedicate to recruiting. This can allow you to prepare carefully for interviews, assess candidates at length and make decisions more quickly which will lead to a more streamlined and efficient process.
- Respect bank holidays
Even if you’ll be chained to your laptop, don’t assume that everyone else will be. Resist calling and emailing on bank holidays and wait for candidates to return your calls.
- It’s one thing off your list for September
If you’re currently thinking about your hiring strategy for summer 2023, now is the time to get the wheels in motion. Spotlight Recruitment can connect you with innovative marketing, digital and communications talent from all sectors who can support your business in achieving key objectives. Feel free to reach out to us today!
