The thought of starting the hiring process by posting a job ad in December might just leave you with a shudder. While it’s tempting to hunker down under a pile of blankets and wait until January to even consider getting started on filling that position that just opened up in the fundraising department, that is not always realistic, possible or even advantageous.
CharityVillage talked with a variety of people working in and with the nonprofit sector to find out how posting job ads in December and doing a little end-of-year hiring can actually work in your favour.
1. Don’t think good people aren’t looking.
First off, it’s a myth that people aren’t looking for work in December.
Gabriela Rappell, interim national director of the Sierra Youth Coalition, has participated in several December hirings and says, “We were not disadvantaged because we were hiring in December – we received the same numbers and quality of applicants as we did at other times of the year. We had some excellent staff come out of the process, and in fact, had difficult decisions to make.”Some of the applicants to the position were finishing contracts elsewhere, while others were willing to change jobs and others were looking to enter the field.
One important thing that is sometimes overlooked in December is that not everyone is celebrating a holiday. David Hutchinson, CEO and president of Hutchinson Group Inc., an executive search organization that works in the nonprofit sector, notes that, “Holidays don’t affect everyone – we are a diverse culture.”
December is also a time when people reflect on their work and where they would like to be in the new year. Hutchinson observes, “When you have space on your calendar, you will look for work while on holidays, especially if you are not entirely happy where you are. People may spend time over the holidays on CharityVillage, looking for new options.”
Traditionally, new visitors to CharityVillage increase slightly in December over November. Data suggests that sector-focused job seekers do, in fact, use the holiday period to bolster their knowledge base while also searching for new opportunities.
2. Enjoy the gift of time – plan ahead and post early.
If you plan to begin interviews in the first or second week of January, posting a job in December allows your organization time during the quieter pre- and post-holiday period to assess applications. Christa McMillin, partner at Foot in the Door Consulting, which works with both organizations and individuals working or wanting to work in the nonprofit sector, notes it is particularly important at this time of year to be clear about the hiring timeline in a job posting: “Good job seekers might rule themselves out if a job application is due December 15 if they know they are visiting family from December 20 to 30 – but if they know that the organization will contact applicants by January 5, they are more likely to apply.”
Sometimes the holidays can allow a useful slowing down of the hiring process. Hutchinson was part of a search process where first interviews were conducted prior to Christmas with the second stage of interviews done early in the new year. He advises, “There’s no point in rushing a hire to meet a deadline.”
Kate Hays of Small Act, a social media organization working with nonprofits agrees. “Even if you need to fill a position quickly to staff a project or fill a need, it’s better to take time to really get to know your employees before you’re paying them, not after.”
Hutchinson adds, “Always leave room for both sides to consider opportunity, negotiation, a lawyer to check your offer and to do reference checks.”
3. Use technology for flexibility.
If your organization wants or needs to engage in a hiring process over the holidays, flexibility is key. Technology allows new ways to be flexible, particularly at a time when holidays traditionally left organizations in limbo.
To address the fact that staff are not as readily available to interview in December as at other times, the Sierra Youth Coalition used a number of approaches and strategies, including setting and communicating a clear timeline and start date and making a number of alternative times (some outside of regular working hours) available for interviewing.
Perhaps the most useful approach was the actual interview process. While the coalition hires remotely on a regular basis, this was particularly helpful when hiring in December. Interviews were conducted via video conferencing. “This meant staff and board members did not have to come into the office and set aside a block of time for interviewing,” said Rappell. “It also meant we were able to hire people in various places, allowing us to have a better pool of candidates.”
Editor’s Note: Check out CharityVillage’s Video Interviewing and Pre-Screening tools to assist in your remote interview process.
Another aspect of flexibility was the use of rotating members of the hiring team, with a couple of core members who were present for each interview and other members rotating in and out, according to their availability. In order to allow for consistency, the coalition developed a “hiring grid where we assign scores to different skills we feel a candidate needs to have for the position and the organization.”
Christa McMillin says that using technology throughout the hiring process is important. “When getting the word out that you are hiring, using social media and posting on the web and by email allows for immediate response.” She adds that using your existing network, including social media updates, to spread the word can help to amplify the power of your original job posting.
4. Build relationships.
December holiday festivities are also great opportunities to make your staffing needs known. While McMillin advises keeping contacts fresh throughout the year, she says, “December offers more opportunities for mingling and networking than other times of the year. Holiday parties can be good opportunities to spread the word about what you’re looking for.”
December is also a time when professional relationships can be nurtured. Says Hutchinson, “If you have a relationship with someone you might want to hire, even if it’s in its early stages, there is no harm in communicating best wishes to them, especially if you know what holiday they celebrate.” He adds, “While you wouldn’t plan to get together with someone between Christmas and New Years, it’s not a bad time to renew or re-establish relationships.”
5. Don’t leave things until the last minute.
Like everything else in December, if you are engaged in a hiring process, start as early as possible. Acknowledge the fact that many of the people who are key to the hiring process will be unavailable in late December and plan accordingly. If you want the employee to start right away in the new year, Hutchinson says you need to get your ad posted as early as possible in November or December as an increasing number of people are giving more notice to give to their employers before they start a new job. He says, “Often people want to give their organization four weeks’ notice. If you can, plan so that your hiring process ends early in December to start in January.”
6. Use the quieter holiday period to your advantage.
You know all those human resources tasks you never get to do – updating or developing employment policies, handbooks and onboarding material? The quiet days in December when you are the only person in the office is an excellent time to get these in order.
McMillin also suggests that quiet work days during the holidays are a great time to receive job applications and to do screening and shortlisting, so that you are ready to interview candidates when the entire team returns to the office.
The holiday season is a “natural down time,” says Hutchinson. McMillin notes that a number of nonprofits shut down between Christmas and New Years with no expectation that emails will get answered or mail will be picked up. “It encourages us all to slow down, take a breather, rest and refresh before we head into a new year.” Sometimes the best preparation for bringing new staff on board is actually taking time away so that you are ready to face new challenges together with renewed energy.
Rappell would not dispute this, but she urges, “You don’t need to put off your hiring process until January. Use the time in December so that you can start fresh, training new staff in January. It’s a motivating thing to come back to.”
Susan Fish is a writer/editor at Storywell, a company that helps individuals and organization tell their story well. She has written for the nonprofit sector for almost two decades and loves a good story.
