Ignoring the Noise Why it’s important to stay focused despite all the exterior distractions
Ignoring the Noise
Why it’s important to stay focused despite all the exterior distractions
By: Mike McDonough
Did you know it’s an election year? With the 2016 campaigns dominating the news cycle, it can be easy to get distracted this time of year and put off a big hire or a job search until things get back to normal. But taking time off right now can be a serious mistake for both job seekers and hiring companies. Below are just a few reasons why it’s important to keep your focus even when there are distractions at hand.
The holidays are coming
After the election is over, you’re going to wake up and realize that Thanksgiving is right around the corner. If you’re a hiring company, this means getting key players in the same room to discuss a potential hire is about to get a lot more challenging with holiday parties, vacation days and shorter weeks all dominating the calendar. By filling important positions now, you can focus on training new hires when things are slow around the office instead of starting the New Year shorthanded.
If you’re job hunting, this is the last big push before companies will slow their hiring for the holiday season (see above for the reasons why). It’s important to get your resume in now and start the interview process so you’re not trying to schedule the second round of meetings during the week of Thanksgiving or when holidays are eating days from the calendar.
Budgets are being examined
Still looking to fill a position you lobbied for last year? If higher-ups in the company see that you were able to make do without the added help, they may start questioning if the position is really necessary. Even if you don’t lose the budget entirely, management may want to hold off until the beginning of 2017 to make the hire if interviews drag into late November and December. By filling the job now, you’ll have a few months to show why the role was essential and make sure that line of your budget doesn’t get taken away.
For job seekers, waiting to submit your resume and start the interview process can make for a very long hiring timetable if you wait to apply until later in November and December. HR departments will likely push to bring later applicants on in early January instead of late in the calendar year so they are at full strength bringing on the new hire. A lot of departments have to work together to finalize an addition, so putting off your search until vacations and holidays roll around can make for a long and drawn-out process.
The competition is hiring
As we mentioned in our last article, 66% of insurance companies plan to add additional employees by the end of the year. With 2016 quickly winding down, your competition will be in a rush to add those extra staff members so they can hit the ground running in 2017. With others in the industry focused on finding top talent, you simply can’t afford to wait while the competition picks over the qualified applicants.
With everyone hiring, now is a great time to be a job seeker. For all the reasons outlined above, companies will be eager to find qualified professionals, interview them quickly and bring them on board before the holiday season. With so many organizations looking to hire simultaneously, you can use that urgency to negotiate a higher salary or better benefits. As with any job search, it’s important to survey the industry, know your value and make sure you’re finding the best situation for your personal goals.
Don’t let the noise of the election distract you during one of the most important hiring seasons of the year. Whether you’re an employer or a job seeker, now is the time to make sure that you’re positioned ahead of your competitors by getting aligned and focused in the final months. If you let this time pass you by, you could be facing a long winter and a slow job market as you try to meet your goals by the end of 2016.
