Hiring Manager Exposes Hiring In October Thru December (And HR Hates It!)

Key Concepts

Hidden Job Market: Job openings that are not publicly advertised.
Employee Referrals: Candidates recommended by current employees of a company.
Hiring Headcount: The number of approved positions a company plans to fill.
Candidate Pecking Order: The prioritization of different types of job candidates in the hiring process.
HR Red Tape: Bureaucratic rules and procedures within Human Resources that can slow down processes.
Networking: Building professional relationships to facilitate career opportunities.
Sourced Candidates: Candidates actively sought out by recruiters based on specific criteria.

The Hidden Job Market and the Power of Referrals

The video transcript delves into the concept of the "hidden job market," defining it as the most effective way to get hired, even though it's often misunderstood. This market primarily operates through referrals, allowing companies to hire candidates even when a formal headcount isn't published or budgeted.

Real-World Example: Expedited Sales Hire A hiring manager shared a perfect illustration:

Situation: He had plans to fill a sales position after the new year, with no active job advertisement or approved headcount.
Referral: A referral for a sales candidate came in.
Rapid Process:
- Monday: Learned about the candidate.
- Tuesday: Phone chat with the candidate.
- Thursday: Formal interview.
- Friday: Job offer extended.
Outcome: The company was willing to accelerate its hiring plans and secure headcount earlier because the "right person" came along, demonstrating that companies are still hiring behind the scenes, especially in October, November, and December, outside of advertised roles. The manager felt that missing this candidate would lead to regret.

The Expedited Hiring Process and Its Advantages

The speed of hiring through referrals is a key advantage. In the example, the entire process from initial contact to offer took less than a week. This circumvents the typical lengthy application and screening processes. The hiring manager's strong interest in the candidate necessitated moving up hiring plans, likely involving discussions with HR to approve headcount for the current fiscal year, rather than waiting until the planned start of the new year. This proactive approach ensures top talent isn't lost to competitors.

Candidate Priority: The "Pecking Order"

The speaker outlines a clear hierarchy of candidate priority in the hiring process:

Internal Applicants: These are the first priority, often considered the most straightforward fit.
Employee Referrals: Second in line. Companies highly value referrals because they typically yield higher quality candidates who are often pre-vetted by the referring employee and may have a basic understanding of the job. This reduces risk for the employer. Furthermore, companies want to encourage referrals, so they prioritize interviewing referred candidates to avoid alienating good employees who make recommendations.
Sourced Candidates: Third priority. These are candidates actively sought out by recruiters based on specific "must-have" criteria provided by hiring managers. This targeted approach makes them more relevant than general applicants.
Job Applicants (via postings): The lowest priority. While it's the most common way people apply, it's described as the "hardest way" to get hired due to the overwhelming volume of applications.

Year-End Hiring Trends and Strategic Job Search

September to Early November: This period often sees a "rush" to fill final budgeted headcount, leading to increased hiring activity.
Mid-December to Mid-January: A significant "dead period" occurs. Hiring activity "comes to a screeching halt" due to holidays, vacations, manager travel, and difficulties in securing approvals. Companies are also typically determining the next year's headcount during this time.
Late January/Early February: Job requisition activity and postings begin to "ramp up" again.

Actionable Insight: Job seekers are advised to focus on building networks and seeking referrals during the year-end slowdown to position themselves for opportunities when activity resumes.

The HR vs. Hiring Manager Disconnect: An Ethical Debate

The video highlights a significant philosophical clash between a hiring manager's pragmatic approach to hiring top talent and a rigid HR perspective.

HR Perspective (Commenter): An HR professional commented on the video, labeling the expedited referral hiring as "unethical practices." They argued that "hiring managers need HR one-on-one training," that "at least two or more candidates should have been interviewed," and that the candidate likely got the job due to the referral "more than the skill set." The HR person claimed that in their "12 years of HR, referrals almost never work out." This perspective emphasizes strict adherence to process, even if it means interviewing candidates who have no real chance, simply to "check a box."
Speaker's Counter-Argument:
- Ethical and Effective: The speaker vehemently disagreed, stating the practice is "not unethical at all." The referral secured the interview, but the candidate "won the job" through a strong interview performance.
- Quality of Referrals: Contrary to the HR comment, the speaker's experience is that referrals "tend to be the very best ones" because they are "prevetted" by the referring employee, who has a vested interest in recommending a competent individual.
- HR Red Tape as a Barrier: The speaker views the HR commenter's stance as "HR red tape" that creates "needless processes," slows down hiring, and wastes the time of other applicants who are interviewed without a genuine chance.
- Hiring Manager Expertise: Hiring managers and technical experts "live and breathe" their roles and are highly capable of assessing a candidate's true skills, making it difficult for someone to "flub their way through" an interview based solely on coaching.
- Business-Focused Approach: The speaker criticizes the HR perspective as "not business focused," arguing that it prioritizes process over securing the best talent efficiently. This "rigid human resource thing" contributes to why the HR profession is sometimes "looked at as a relative joke."
- Networking as a Core Strategy: The candidate's success is attributed to effective networking, which is presented as a legitimate and highly effective way for candidates to land jobs.

Conclusion and Actionable Insights for Job Seekers

The core takeaway is that the "hidden job market" and employee referrals are the most effective ways to get hired, significantly outperforming traditional job applications.

Key Recommendations:

Prioritize Networking: Actively build and nurture your professional network, especially with individuals at target companies.
Seek Referrals: Proactively reach out to contacts within desired companies to get your name submitted for consideration. This helps "circumvent the recruiter altogether" and move directly into the interview process.
Avoid Mass Applications: Applying to advertised job posts is the "hardest way to get hired" due to the overwhelming competition.
Build a Personal Brand: Develop a strong professional presence that encourages others to reach out to you with opportunities.

The speaker offers resources through "a life after layoff" (website, free articles, webinars) and specialized courses like "Resume Rocket Fuel" (resume writing from a recruiter's perspective), "Ultimate Jobseeker Bootcamp" (comprehensive job search, interview, and negotiation strategies), and "Unlocking LinkedIn" (leveraging networks for referrals). These resources aim to provide actionable methodologies for navigating the modern job market effectively.