Every year, plenty of businesses slow down recruitment once December hits. It feels logical. People are on leave, inboxes are quieter, and it can seem easier to wait for a clean start in January.

But the talent market does not pause over Christmas. And neither do we.

At Fetch, this is one of the strongest windows of the year to keep hiring moving, because while your team winds down, we can keep the recruiting and sourcing side running in the background. That way, you start the new year with progress already made, not roles still sitting open.

1. Great candidates are still looking

Strong candidates do not disappear in December. The people who are active at this time of year are usually high intent. They are ready to talk, interview, and lock something in for the new year.

When hiring stops completely, those candidates do not wait around. They accept other offers, or they line up roles before you are back online. Keeping recruitment moving now helps you stay in the game for top talent.

2. Your roles stand out more in a quieter market

A lot of employers pause ads and outreach over the holidays. That means fewer competing messages landing with candidates.

When your roles stay live and conversations continue, they get more attention. Candidates are not juggling as many processes, which makes it easier to engage them and move quickly when the fit is right.

3. You protect your January pipeline

January is always busy. Projects kick off, teams ramp up, and everyone starts hiring at the same time.

If you wait until then to start recruiting, you are joining the rush. If you keep things moving through December, you head into January with a shortlist ready, interviews already lined up, and offers closer to the finish line.

That turns January from a scramble into a smooth restart.

4. People use this time to rethink their next step

The end-of-year break is a natural reset point. Candidates reflect on their role, their pay, their hours, their team, and what they want next year.

Even if they are not actively applying, they are open to the right conversation. Being visible now means you catch quality people while they are already thinking about change.

5. Speed still wins in a tight talent market

In sectors like construction, civil, mining, and trades, good people move fast. Timing is everything.

Pausing hiring creates gaps. Candidates accept other roles, interest cools off, and project timelines slip. Staying active means you can secure the right person now, even if their start date is in the new year.

6. It takes pressure off your team

Unfilled roles cost more than most employers expect. It shows up in overtime, stretched crews, slower output, and fatigue across the team.

Locking in hires before the break helps you avoid starting the year understaffed. Even a couple of key roles filled early can make a real difference to workload and delivery.

7. Recruitment can progress even when your team is on leave

Hiring does not need everyone involved at once. The sourcing and screening work can be done now, so you are not starting from scratch later.

This is where Fetch steps in. While your leaders take leave, we can:

• Source and approach candidates quietly and consistently
• Screen and shortlist the right people for your roles
• Run first-stage interviews to save your team time
• Line up final interviews for early January
• Check tickets, licenses, references, and right to work
• Keep candidates engaged, so they stay warm until decisions are made

When decision makers return, they are stepping into a ready-to-go pipeline, not an empty one.

8. Strong candidates notice decisive employers

Candidates want clarity and momentum. When a business stays engaged over the holidays, it signals planning and decisiveness.

That matters. It builds trust, and it makes it easier to convert the right person when an offer goes out.

How to keep hiring moving without overloading your team

You do not need to go full throttle in December. You just need continuity.

• Keep ads live, even if volumes dip slightly
• Let Fetch handle sourcing, outreach, and screening while your team takes leave
• Pre-book interview slots for early January before calendars fill up
• Move quickly when the right candidate is found
• Use the holiday period to build a shortlist, so January is about decisions, not delays

Bottom line

The holiday season is not a dead zone for hiring. It is a window that many businesses waste.

If recruitment keeps moving through December, you gain an edge in visibility, speed, and planning. You also start the new year with a pipeline already in motion, rather than vacancies already hurting.

If you are weighing up whether to pause or push on, Fetch can carry the recruiting and sourcing side now, so you can head into the break knowing your hiring is still progressing.