Recruiting in January – Start Now to Secure Top Talent

Why It’s Time to Start Recruiting for January Now

As we approach the end of the year, many businesses shift into planning mode for 2025. If you know you’ll need additional resource in January—now’s the time to act. The recruitment landscape has shifted notably: processes are taking longer, candidate expectations have evolved, and securing the right person is more challenging than ever.

1. Recruitment takes longer than you might expect

Notice periods are creeping up across the board. While the statutory minimum in the UK is one week after one month’s service, and one week per year of service thereafter, many employers have contractual notice periods far longer—one to three months is typical, and for more senior roles, three to six months or even longer.

That means if you post a role in January, you may not see someone onboard until later in the quarter—putting your plans at risk.

2. Skills shortages are tightening the market

The talent pool is narrower than it looks. According to the ManpowerGroup Talent Shortage Survey 2025, 76% of UK employers reported difficulty filling roles due to skills gaps. Sectors across technology, engineering, finance and specialist support remain heavily affected.

What this means for you: a competitive candidate market, smaller margins for error and a greater need to move quickly and smartly.

3. Candidates are staying put and negotiating harder

In an uncertain economy, many candidates are choosing to stay in their current roles, a trend known as ‘job hugging’, rather than move—even if they’re not entirely happy where they are. On top of that:

• More counter-offers: The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that 40% of UK employers had made a counter-offer in the past 12 months, with over half reporting an increase in the value of those offers.
• Last-minute deal changes: Salary flexibility, hybrid working demands and changes to role design can all derail a hire at the final hour.
  These behaviours require recruiters and hiring managers to stay vigilant and proactive throughout the process.

4. Candidate experience really matters in touch hiring markets

With fewer candidates meeting exact fit, the quality of your process is critical. Poor candidate experience—slow responses, vague communications, lack of clarity—can lose you the right person entirely. Research shows that even when demand is high, firms struggle because they underestimate the importance of the candidate journey.

If you're planning a key hire in January, your process should reflect the full experience from job spec through to onboarding.

5. What you can do now to get ahead

Here are practical steps to put in place before the festive break:

• Define your role and required skills now, including flexibility, working patterns and career progression.
• Map routes to market: consider part-time, job share, fractional or hybrid models to access a wider candidate pool.
• Use Experts: It’s often quicker and cheaper in the long-run to use a recruitment agency for your hire – they know the market and the pitfalls.
• Prioritise candidate experience: speed of response, clarity of role, transparency on notice periods and counter-offers all help solidify your offer.
• Set realistic timelines: factor in longer notice periods and increased negotiation time so your start date aligns with your business need.

Final word

If you’re planning a key hire for January, the earlier you start the better your chances of securing the right person under the right terms. Don’t let timing, market dynamics or candidate behaviour put your plans at risk.