Holiday Hiring Myths

By Catherine Rayner

Every December, companies say the same thing: “We’ll pick things back up after the holidays.” 

Also, every December, sharp companies are thinking: “Cool, more talent for us.” 

Yes, the holidays are a time for rest. But taking a short break doesn’t mean your hiring strategy should stop. In fact, this can be the perfect time to get ahead of the competition and set your team up for success in the new year. 

There are many holiday hiring myths out there that some companies lean into too much, and we are ready to bust through them to help our clients get ahead of the upcoming new year hiring competition and use the time for strategic hiring. 

Myth 1: “Nobody’s hiring during the holidays” 

Numbers tell a different story. Even during the holiday season, employers are still hiring and competing for talent. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. economy added 256,000 jobs last December (led by healthcare, government, and social assistance). The job openings rate stayed steady at 4.5%, showing companies were still active late in the year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024). 

Similarly, Indeed’s Job Posting Index found that while postings dipped slightly from the previous year, they were still more than 10% above pre-pandemic levels — a sign that hiring remained strong and stable through late 2024 (Indeed Hiring Lab, 2024). 

Myth 2: “Candidates aren’t job hunting right now” 

It can feel like everyone disappears during the holidays, but that’s not really what happens. Sure, some people take a breather — totally fair. But a surprising number of job seekers use this time to get ahead. With fewer candidates applying, the ones who do stay active end up standing out faster and moving through the process more easily. 

And don’t forget about passive candidates. When workloads slow down and year-end projects wrap up, people finally have the brain space to think about what’s next. At TalentRemedy, we see some of the strongest candidates pop up this time of year — especially right after bonuses hit or when people start thinking, “New year, new job?” 

Myth 3: “Budgets are frozen until January” 

This is one of the biggest misconceptions about holiday hiring. While some companies certainly tighten spending, many have “use it or lose it” budgets or pre-approved headcounts. 

We often see our clients want to move quickly this time of year to secure talent and start the new year strong. They’ve got approval, they know their needs, and they don't want to lose momentum heading into the new year. 

Myth 4: “It’s too hard to schedule interviews with everyone out” 

That used to be true… but not anymore. With virtual tools and flexible scheduling, it’s incredibly easy to keep interviews moving, even when the calendar gets busy. 

In fact, we’ve noticed that hiring teams often have more availability in December. Fewer meetings, quieter inboxes, less chaos — which means they can actually focus on interviewing and making decisions. 

We had a client last December who needed to fill a key operations role. Instead of slowing down, they pushed ahead. Within two weeks, we lined up three virtual interviews, gathered feedback, and had an offer out the door before their holiday party. The new hire walked into January already onboarded and ready to roll. 

Myth 5: “Recruiting agencies slow down too” 

We never hit pause at TalentRemedy — especially when our clients are counting on us to keep the momentum going. 

We use this time to engage with top candidates, close active searches, and get ahead of our clients’ Q1 hiring goals. It’s actually one of our most productive windows of the year! 

Bottom Line 

The holiday slowdown is a myth. November and December aren’t a hiring pause — they’re a hiring advantage. While your competitors are “circling back in January,” you could be interviewing, extending offers, and starting the year ahead instead of playing catch-up. 

 References  

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024). The Employment Situation — December 2023. https://www.bls.gov Indeed Hiring Lab. (2024). Job posting trends and labor market insights. https://hiringlab.org LinkedIn Talent Solutions. (2023). Holiday hiring trends and recruiter insights. https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). (2023). Use-it-or-lose-it budgets and year-end hiring strategies. https://www.shrm.org