When October rolls around, many leadership teams quietly hit the brakes on recruiting. The logic seems harmless: candidates are distracted, managers are out on vacation, and budgets are already stretched. So why not pause until January?
But here’s the reality: a holiday hiring slowdown doesn’t just cost you time. It costs you access to top talent, competitive edge, and momentum heading into the new year.
At Hoops, we’ve seen this mistake play out too many times. The companies that “wait until January” often find themselves scrambling in Q1 — while competitors who keep hiring during the holidays walk into January with offers signed, new hires onboarded, and a head start on growth goals.
Why Slowing Down Hiring in Q4 is a Trap
A holiday hiring slowdown is a classic case of short-term convenience creating long-term pain. Consider these three truths:
1. Candidates don’t stop looking during the holidays.
The holidays spark reflection on careers, pay, and priorities, and many professionals use this season to explore new roles. According to Employ’s Quarterly Insights Report, applications per job rose from 17 in Q1 2022 to 26 in Q4 — a 23.8% jump between Q3 and Q4 (Jobvite). More recent data reinforces the point: Employ’s 2025 Job Seeker Nation Report found that 42% of U.S. workers are actively searching for a new role, and 85% are at least somewhat open to opportunities.
The message is clear: candidate activity doesn’t stop in the holiday season. If your team goes quiet instead of hiring during the holidays, you’re handing over motivated candidates who are ready to move.
2. The hiring market doesn’t reset in January.
Many leaders assume pausing in November and December means they can just “pick things up” in Q1. But recruiting pipelines aren’t like switches you flip. When you stop, momentum dries up. Job ads lose visibility, candidate engagement cools, and internal stakeholders turn their attention elsewhere.
Think of it like marketing: you wouldn’t stop running ads during the holidays — if anything, most companies increase advertising to capture end-of-year demand. Recruiting works the same way. Pause in Q4, and restarting in January puts you 60–90 days behind. Companies that keep hiring during the holidays enter January with full pipelines while others are just starting from scratch.
3. Your competitors are quietly active.
Not everyone hits pause. According to ManpowerGroup’s Q4 2025 Employment Outlook Survey, nearly one in four employers worldwide plan to increase hiring, with the U.S. outlook even higher at 28%. Company growth was the top driver for those staffing increases, cited by 39% of employers. Larger firms are especially aggressive — mid-sized and enterprise companies report Net Employment Outlooks of 25–29%.
In other words, while some leaders assume everyone slows down, the reality is that many of your competitors are pressing forward. If you stop hiring during the holidays, you’re giving them a 90-day head start.
The Hidden Advantages of Hiring During the Holidays
For companies willing to buck the trend, Q4 can actually be the best time to recruit.
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Lower competition for attention. Candidates get fewer recruiter calls and emails in November and December. Your outreach stands out.
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High-value candidates are restless. End-of-year bonuses, performance reviews, or even awkward family conversations over Thanksgiving can push strong professionals to explore new roles.
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Faster time-to-hire. With lighter pipelines, hiring managers can move quicker. And candidates often have more flexible schedules for interviews around holidays.
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Momentum into Q1. Instead of scrambling in January, your team enters the year already staffed, trained, and ready to execute on growth plans.
Think of it like fitness: the person who keeps training through the holidays doesn’t just avoid losing ground — they gain an edge on everyone else who’s “starting fresh” in January. The same applies to hiring during the holidays.
What a Smart Q4 Hiring Strategy Looks Like
The key isn’t to overload your team with endless requisitions during Q4. It’s to be intentional and strategic. Here’s what works best for our clients:
1. Prioritize critical roles.
Identify the 3–5 positions that will most impact revenue, operations, or delivery in Q1. Focus hiring resources there.
2. Adjust your messaging.
Speak to the seasonal mindset. Candidates are reflecting on career growth, stability, and balance. Frame your roles in terms of fresh starts and opportunities to hit the ground running in the new year.
3. Keep pipelines warm.
Even if you don’t plan to hire until February, keep outreach and conversations flowing. Building relationships now ensures you’re not starting from zero in January.
4. Use flexible processes.
People are traveling. Decision-makers are sometimes harder to schedule. Build in flexibility with virtual interviews, clear timelines, and proactive communication.
5. Partner with experts.
An experienced recruiting partner can keep pipelines moving while your team juggles end-of-year demands. At Hoops, we often carry the heavy lift of sourcing, screening, and engaging candidates so leaders can focus on finishing the year strong.
A Client Example
Last year, a company in the industrial waste services industry debated pausing their recruiting during Q4. Instead, they partnered with us to move forward on a critical Account Executive role. The position opened in November and was filled by December — faster than average for this type of hire.
Because they stayed active, the new hire was ready to start in January, giving the team immediate momentum while competitors were still trying to restart searches after the holidays. That early win translated into Q1 revenue impact instead of a costly delay.
The Real Cost of Waiting
Talent remains the ultimate competitive advantage, and that advantage only grows in volatile markets. When budgets tighten or uncertainty looms, delaying critical hires doesn’t just conserve cash. It slows execution and hands opportunities to competitors.
And the evidence is clear. ZipRecruiter research found that employer demand for talent has stayed strong through the holiday season, with many industries continuing to post and fill roles in Q4 2024. Other sources echo the same point: the holidays aren’t a hiring slowdown — they’re a chance to stand out, because fewer employers are competing for the same candidates.
The cost of a holiday hiring slowdown isn’t just an empty seat. It’s lost revenue, burned-out teams covering the gap, and a slower start on 2026 priorities.
How to Act Now
If you’ve already noticed a slowdown on your hiring calendar, you still have time to turn it around. Here are three practical steps:
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Audit your Q1 goals. What roles must be filled before March to hit revenue, delivery, or client targets? Start now to ensure hiring doesn’t set your company back.
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Reopen conversations. Reach back out to candidates you paused with in summer or fall. Many are more open to change now.
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Call in reinforcements. Whether it’s Hoops or another trusted partner, don’t carry the full burden in-house. External support can maintain candidate engagement and speed up time-to-fill.
Final Word
The holiday hiring slowdown is one of the costliest myths in business. While competitors are distracted, you have the chance to attract top talent, reduce competition, and enter the new year with momentum.
January shouldn’t be your starting line — it should be your launch pad. Keep hiring during the holidays and give your team the head start it deserves.
👉 Schedule a call with Hoops and start building your winning team
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