As we begin 2023, many companies are experiencing hiring freezes. Some hiring managers have a sense of how long the freeze will be, some don’t, but all know that it’s temporary. So, what can hiring managers do during the freeze to stay competitive in the war for talent?

Hiring is a competition, since companies are trying to attract and hire out of the same pool of talent. When you’re in a hiring freeze, some managers feel that they are out of the game and missing on highly talented people. I suggest that even if positions are frozen, your activity should never freeze. So, here are three steps hiring managers can do during a hiring freeze to stay relevant to the candidate pool.

1.   Continue to Network:

You know the headcount you are going to likely have when the freeze is over, so begin connecting with those individuals now, whether that is introductions through a recruiter or connecting with them on LinkedIn. By doing so, you are setting yourself up to easily communicate with when the downturn corrects. If you do this, you're positioning yourself to win the war for talent when conditions return to normal.

2.   Informal Conversations:

What the savvy hiring managers are doing right now is having conversations with top talent. So, not only network, but have s ome informal conversations now.

Why is this a good use of time?

Well, imagine that the thaw happens for you and all your competitors on the exact same day. And now the war for talent is back on. They are starting from square one, whereas you’ve connected with the candidates and even spoken to some. You are way ahead of the competition and have shrunk the timeline to make a hire. The managers who win the war for talent never stop recruiting, even when hiring freezes happen.

3.   Evaluate Recruiters:

During a downturn, when positions go on hold for a protracted period of time, it creates a great opportunity to evaluate the search partners your company uses. When you think about the roles you’ll need to fill when the market returns, make sure your search partner is an expert in that particular vertical. So far this year, I’ve interviewed with a few organizations that are looking to top grade their search partners. And if we have never worked together, I would love the opportunity to interview for your business.

If you follow those three steps: Continue to Network, Have Informal Conversations, and Evaluate Recruiters, you’ll have given yourself a significant competitive advantage when the freeze is over.

Michael Pietrack

TMAC Direct

About the Author:  Michael Pietrack is a leading executive recruiter in a the Pharmaceutical Industry and arguably the top recruiter in the Medical Affairs space. His specific expertise is recruiting in Field Medical Affairs placing Medical Science Liaisons, and therefore, he has been dubbed “The MSL Recruiter” (www.TheMSLRecruiter.com).

What is TMAC Direct?:  TMAC Direct is an executive search agency that serves the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Industries. This boutique firm fills critical staffing needs on a retained, partially retained, or contingency basis. TMAC Direct is the direct-hire recruiting division of The Medical Affairs Company, commonly known as TMAC. Together TMAC and TMAC Direct, provide an unmatched staffing service in the Medical Technology arena, whether the hiring needs are on a permanent placement or outsourcing basis.