​Are you looking to expand your team in 2021? With many professionals using the New Year as an opportunity to re-evaluate their career direction and fewer jobs being advertised for the first few weeks, right now is the perfect time to get in ahead of the competition and have your pick of the best talent in the market. To help you snap up these motivated job seekers, we’ve put together our top tips for hiring in 2021.

Start the Approval Process

Budget approval and signing off business cases for additional people can be one of the most frustrating delays in the hiring process. Get in early and ensure your job requisition paperwork is in order, providing solid rationales and ROI case studies for the new hires where necessary. If the role is new or part of a broader project, ensure you outline the funding source upfront to avoid any delays down the road.

Review the Existing Talent Market

Have a speculative chat with your specialist technology recruitment partner to get an understanding of the current candidate market. They will also know the candidates that are actively looking for an early new year role, meaning they can get you interviewing, before other organisations have even had the chance to advertise.

Prepare the Paperwork

Creating a job description from scratch can sometimes be challenging, especially if it is a unique role. The best place to start is by reviewing existing job adverts for inspiration, but also seek advice from other managers who may have recently hired for a similar position. Searching for comparable roles on job sites can also provide insight into your talent competition and what other companies are offering as incentives.

Line Up Your People

If you will be conducting panel interviews for the role, it can be difficult to manage diaries and find a time that suits everyone. As you review your priorities and schedules for the start of this year, why not take the opportunity to book interviews slots in all the key stakeholder diaries? It’s sure to be an easier process to manage, and you can also advise your recruitment partner early on when you plan for interviews to take place. They can, in turn, advise candidates about the interview stage, giving them an idea of the hiring timeline, helping to keep them engaged.

Solidify Your Onboarding Processes

New hires can often be left to their own devices, so to ensure that your new starters are welcomed into your organisation and supported from day one, review both your pre-boarding and onboarding processes. This can cover everything from communications between you and the candidate prior to the start date, to paperwork, introductions to other team members and induction training or meetings during their first days and weeks in the role.

If you’re looking to leverage the momentum of the market at the start of 2021 and secure new talent for your team, we are here to talk through your hiring needs and to help you secure the perfect candidate.