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Article written by Lauren Harris, Director of X4 Life Sciences.

Some may feel December is the time to slow down their hiring, however it’s actually the optimum month to hire your January starters before the mad rush in the new year. If you want headcount growth at the beginning of 2021, I would highly recommend focusing your efforts on hiring in December.

Yes, December is known to be a period slightly less productive than other months, but that’s even more reason to use this month to do something really productive like getting your new team in order for January.

1. January is go time

In January everyone wants to be full steam ahead, focusing on achieving the 2021 business objectives. Performance expectations are high, and the pressure is on for individuals to start the year on a high. Rather than having to divert efforts in January towards recruitment, hiring in December gives you the opportunity to have your 2021 team ready to go in January with the fresh and positive attitudes the New Year brings.

2. Flexibility

Due to the restrictions Covid has imposed on us, many have left over holidays to use, so December is easier for candidates to get time off to interview and easier for your team to take time out to go through the interview stages with the candidates.

3. Competition is steep

The candidate landscape in 2021 is going to be completely different post Covid, but even with a candidate driven market, January competition is always notoriously high. Companies hiring in January have to move quicker and be extra competitive with job offers.

4. Notice period

With the average notice period between 4-8 weeks, if you want to bring in talent to help drive 2021 objectives from January, then December is the time to turn focus onto recruitment.

5. Passive candidates

Passive candidates who are thinking about a 2021 career change are very likely to already be considering this in December, so reaching out to them or using your recruitment partner to head-hunt for you before the more competitive season in January, is a great way to get ahead of the curve.

6. Team bonding

Your new starter will also have the added bonus of being welcomed into the team at a time of festive cheer, whether it be virtual or in the office. This gives you the added bonus of your new recruits already feeling like part of the team by January.

If you would like any support with your December hiring needs or advice and guidance on how to plan for your 2021 hiring strategy, then please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly. Our detailed global network of candidates across the pharmaceutical, biotech, clinical research and medical device sectors mean we can quickly set up candidate introductions to meet your current needs.

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