When is it Best For Small Businesses to Hire? (And Other Hiring FAQs)

Small business hiring can be stressful because there can be a lot of unknowns.

When is the best time to hire? When can you have the best access to a standout pool of applicants? Where do small businesses, in particular, find the candidates they’re looking for?

There’s a lot to think about, but we’ve done our best to answer the questions most small business owners have. Read on for tips and tricks to make the most of your small business hiring decisions.

Are there seasons for hiring?

While there are people on the job market year-round, there are certain times when more people are looking to start a job and times when most people aren’t.

Not too many people are interested in starting a job between Thanksgiving and the following new year. In fact, most people assume companies aren’t looking to hire around the holidays, so many people forgo applying for new positions until January. Putting hiring on hold at the end of the year isn’t a bad idea (unless you’re offering seasonal holiday employment, that is).

Additionally, the months leading up to graduation time, which is around May each year, are an excellent time to advertise openings considering that there are new classes entering the job market annually. Especially if you have entry-level positions or internships you’re looking to fill in your small business hiring strategy, you’ll want to hone in on springtime job fairs that are geared toward upcoming graduates.

Where do small businesses find candidates in the first place?

While any hiring strategy will have to be tailored to your company’s unique industry, LinkedIn found that 12% of small businesses have dedicated recruitment programs for college graduates.

Considering that younger generations like Gen Z are graduating with different demands of their job than any generation before them has — things like doing good in the world, having access to professional development and learning opportunities, and having a relationship with management and leadership — it makes sense that small businesses are likely a better fit than major corporations for many upcoming college graduates.

LinkedIn also noted that 75% of small businesses use their personal networks to find talent in addition to the 58% that sticks to the tried and true screening of resumes that come in with an application.

Are there times I should avoid small business hiring?

The thing to consider when making new hires as a small business is that they should be made when they need to be, as part of a smart business strategy backed up by data. One thing that kills small businesses (tech companies in particular) is scaling too quickly. The bottom line is that you should avoid hiring at any time when adding to your workforce isn’t necessary as dictated by your business’ growth.

How do you know when your business is growing? Well, you should be tracking that in addition to your current employees’ workloads. This way you know when your business needs are on the rise as well have a clear idea of when you’re beginning to risk employee burnout.

Finally, as the business owner, you should be paying attention to how your time is spent. As your organization grows, there are places where it makes sense for you to spend your time and places that it doesn’t. It can be hard to let go, but when the time comes to outsource some of the more menial tasks you’re responsible for in favor of dedicating time to tasks that only you can tackle, you have to do what you have to do.