Eric Handler headshot Written by: Eric Handler

5 Tips for Hiring in Q4 2021

The hiring market has been highly abnormal this year. The ‘Great Resignation’ is very real, and so is The Great Retirement and a slew of other pandemic responses. With recent job trends heading in the right direction, everything is leading up to a very busy last quarter of the year, and hiring in Q4 is always challenging. 

Q4 is already a busy time for leaders as they wrap up the year and plan and prepare for the coming year. Add in holidays and team events and you’ve got yourself a historically busy quarter. Because of this, January and February are the most popular hiring months. Leaders like to wrap up the year and make plans for hiring in the new year. However, that said, this year is different. What else would we expect in 2021?

Many companies have plans of hiring in Q4 this year. A ManpowerGroup survey shows that 20% of employers plan to hire in Q4 to expand their workforce. If you’re among them, prepare now. You don’t want to be scrambling in October or November and find yourself still interviewing into the new year.

Woman hiring in Q4 has an interview across the table from a candidate

Here are 5 tips for hiring in Q4:

  1. Start early. The earlier the better in this case. The closer you get to the holiday season, the harder it will be. Your top candidates are as busy as you are.
  2. Get a plan in place and have a strong strategy. Q4 recruiting brings challenges regarding bonus/incentive compensation. Be ready! 
  3. Spread the word. Share your new position(s) with your network.
  4. Seek the intangible skills. These are team, leadership, service, and character. A leader worth following that’s going to make a difference in your business is someone who embodies these traits.
  5. Don’t rush it. We believe no hire is three times better than a bad hire and no hire is ten times better than an average hire.

And lastly, get help if you need it! Utilizing the help of an executive search firm that already has an extensive network of leaders can help you get ahead of the competition and find the right fit for your company heading into the new year. We would love to talk to you about what your hiring plans are for Q4 and beyond. Start here.