The Busiest Time of Year for Hiring: Insights and Strategies for HR Professionals
Understanding hiring trends is crucial for resource allocation, strategy, and overall success in attracting and retaining top talent. Knowing when hiring peaks, what times of the year to expect slowdowns, and how external factors like the economy and politics influence hiring volumes can be the difference between a well-prepared team and one caught off guard.
To best prepare for the year ahead, we analyzed data from over 100,000 candidates who completed Cangrade’s hiring assessments to pinpoint when companies were most active in their hiring processes. Hiring assessment completions serve as an excellent proxy for hiring activity as they are often the first step in the hiring process after a candidate expresses interest in a job. For a complete picture of 2024, our data spanned diverse industries, roles, and titles.
Our findings reveal a more balanced hiring landscape than in previous years, with notable shifts in monthly and daily hiring patterns. Here, we’ll provide a detailed analysis of the data, compare it to 2023 trends, offer actionable insights to help HR professionals better prepare for the year ahead, and share 5 predictions in hiring volume trends for 2025.
5 Monthly Hiring Trends from 2024 to Prepare for in 2025
Hiring activity in 2024 showed distinct differences from 2023, with several trends emerging that underscore the need for strategic planning in the coming year.
1. Smoother Distribution Across the Year
Hiring volumes were more evenly spread throughout 2024 when compared to the significant peaks and valleys seen in 2023 (ex. 1.4% of assessments were completed in October 2023 vs. 25% in July 2023). While most months accounted for 7–9% of annual completions in 2024, April stood out with 14.6%.
To prepare for 2025: Move on from a hiring surge mentality
Hiring volumes will have peak times in the coming year but they will not be like the surges we’ve experienced the last few years. Ensure your recruiting pipeline is set up to consistently bring in and evaluate new candidates throughout the year and able to accommodate any surge times.
2. Q4 and Q1 Remain Slow
While many assume January is a time for ramped-up hiring, the data shows otherwise. January accounted for just 7% of annual completions, with February even lower at 6.2%. Interestingly, October improved significantly, recovering to 7.3% of assessment completions in 2024 from being the worst hiring month (1.4%) in 2023.
To prepare for 2025: Leverage Q4 for reflection and R&R and January for strategic planning
While Q4 remains one of the slowest hiring periods, it offers an opportunity to evaluate team performance, analyze hiring metrics, and plan for the upcoming year. With January continuing to be slow, it is ideal for optimizing talent processes, aligning with business goals and partners, and preparing for busier hiring seasons.
3. Q2: The Hiring Hotspot
Hiring surged during Q2 in 2024, seeing 32.5% of all assessment completions. April was the busiest month, followed by May at 9.4%. In comparison, Q2 2023 accounted for only 24.4% of assessment completions.
To prepare for 2025: Prepare early for Q2 and Q3
The busiest hiring periods fall in Q2 and Q3. HR teams should ensure their processes, technology, and talent pipelines are ready well before spring.
4. Summer Stability
Hiring during the summer months (June–September) was remarkably stable, with each month contributing 8–8.5% of total volumes. This contrasts with 2023, where July alone dominated with 25.3% of annual completions.
To prepare for 2025: Monitor economic trends
In 2024, hiring volumes mirrored unemployment. The decline in Q3 hiring year-over-year coincided with a rise in unemployment in July. As employees are laid off, roles are not rehired or added at their previous rate. HR professionals should monitor economic indicators closely to anticipate hiring slowdowns and adjust strategies accordingly.
5. Political and Economic Impacts on Q3
One of the most dramatic changes was a decline in Q3 hiring, which dropped from 54% in 2023 to 25% in 2024. Political factors including economic uncertainty tied to an election year likely contributed to this downturn.
To prepare for 2025: Anticipate more instability as policies change
After grappling with pandemic-era challenges, 2024 brought fewer earth-shattering changes to upend HR. The return to office (RTO) movement, implementation of artificial intelligence (AI), employee disengagement, and labor shortages continued to challenge HR from 2023 through 2024 while public health issues waned. This may shift in 2025 as policy changes from the 2024 election shake up HR and business. Stay tuned into proposed policy changes and begin preparing for more certain changes not to ensure smoother operations in 2025.
4 Daily Hiring Trends to Prepare for in 2025
Daily hiring activity in 2024 also reflected more even patterns than in 2023:
1. Weekdays Stabilized
Hiring activity during weekdays in 2024 was more evenly distributed than in 2023. In 2023, weekday completions ranged from 15% to 25%—a 10-point swing. In 2024, this range narrowed to 13.8–17.5%, a 4-point spread, indicating steadier hiring activity throughout the week.
To prepare for 2025: Create flexible daily routines
Set up processes for yourself and your team that enable daily review of candidates to keep your pipeline moving throughout the week to ensure you don’t get backlogged while still making time for other priorities.
2. Monday and Wednesday Take the Lead
Monday and Wednesday tied for the busiest hiring days in 2024, each accounting for 17% of total completions. This represents a shift from 2023 when Tuesday dominated with 25%, a 56% decrease year-over-year.
To prepare for 2025: Allow for increased application reviews early in the week
Help your hiring team manage higher applicant activity early in the week by developing systems and processes to streamline, supporting time blocking, and allowing them to address other tasks and responsibilities on slower days.
3. Sundays Gain Momentum
While weekends remain the quietest time for hiring, Sunday completions increased significantly—from 7% in 2023 to 10.9% in 2024, a 36% rise.
To prepare for 2025: Adapt to shifting weekend patterns
The rise in Sunday completions suggests candidates are increasingly taking advantage of weekend downtime to engage in job applications. HR teams should ensure systems are optimized for weekend activity and prepare to move these candidates through their pipeline on Monday.
4. Weekends Still Lag Behind
As expected, Saturdays (9.5%) were the slowest days for hiring activity, followed by Sundays, reinforcing the need for HR teams to focus efforts earlier in the week.
To prepare for 2025: Adapt to higher Sunday volumes, but don’t overcompensate
Since recruiters don’t work weekends, applicants know new jobs aren’t posted and their applications and results will not be reviewed until Monday, eliminating the pressure to complete an application over the weekend. This trend is reinforced by long-standing research telling candidates to look for and apply for jobs early in the week. So while Sundays are seeing a rise in assessment completions, do not expect this to overtake weekday volumes.
5 Predictions for 2025 that Will Effect Hiring Volumes
As we approach 2025, several potential changes could impact hiring trends:
1. Q1 Hiring Will Slow
The upcoming year may bring even slower hiring in Q1 than usual as businesses brace for potential policy changes under the new administration. Anticipation of changes to key policies–like tariffs, deportation, increased minimum wage, and foreign policy–along with personnel change, including at the NLRB, could influence hiring volumes.
2. Economic Pressures
Factors such as rising wages, inflation, and labor shortages may strain margins and hiring budgets, forcing businesses to make strategic choices about workforce expansion. Further, if immigration slows while deportation rises, businesses employing these populations will need to rehire labor at higher costs, slowing hiring volume as organizations are forced to hire fewer but higher-paid employees.
3. Policy Will Impact Labor
Anticipated shifts in labor regulations could introduce uncertainty and temporarily slow hiring as businesses adapt. Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) programs may need to evolve in response to new Equal Employment Opportunity Coalition (EEOC) guidelines. As organizations adapt, they may need to pause or decrease hiring as they rework their talent processes and build their talent pools to comply.
4. Continued Dominance of Q2 and Q3
Mid-year hiring will likely remain strong, with Q2 and Q3 continuing to dominate. This is a strong trend we’ve seen since 2020 that would take significant change to upend, and certainty will come after the Trump administration takes office in January and policies start to take shape. As businesses and HR are clearer on upcoming changes, they will adapt and resume normal hiring volumes. With tariffs and changes to global relations, organizations may also be forced to expand within the US, leading to a hiring surge.
5. Continued Growth in Skills-Based Hiring and Hiring Assessments
Skills-based hiring will likely gain further traction. With 54% of organizations already using pre-employment assessments and 21% planning to expand their use, according to SHRM, this approach is becoming a cornerstone of modern HR strategies. Candidates are also growing familiar with assessments, leading to an increase in completions.
Conclusion
2024’s hiring trends reflect a year of recovery and adjustment, marked by steadier patterns and fewer disruptions. HR professionals are encouraged to remain adaptable and proactive, leveraging slower periods to prepare for peak hiring seasons. As we enter 2025, staying attuned to economic and political developments will be critical to navigating the year ahead.
By planning strategically and embracing emerging trends like skills-based hiring, HR teams can position themselves for success in an evolving hiring landscape.