When you're not hiring. Not a vacancy in sight.
It might sound strange. And it's definitely not what most recruiters or perhaps previous experience will tell you.
It may well even be that the last thing you want to be doing is speaking to a recruiter when you haven't got a role - you spend enough time doing that whilst you are hiring.
But the single best time to make the changes your hiring process needs to put you ahead of your competition is when that can be your focus.
When you're not hiring. Not a vacancy in sight.
That way, you can focus 100% on:
- Candidate experience
- Positioning your EVP
- Reducing bias in your assessment process
- Cutting your time to hire with a streamlined interview process
- Planning how you will onboard your next hire effectively
Once you've done that, the next time you hire things will be miles easier.
Saving you time and money whilst putting you ahead of all the other companies you're competing with.
Read next
Counter-offers in finance hiring: how to plan for them before you make the offer
A counter-offer rarely comes out of nowhere. Most of the warning signs are visible at first interview, if you know what to ask.
How long should a finance hiring process take? A shortlist-to-offer plan for a two-stage process
Most finance hiring processes don't lose candidates at interview. They lose them in the gaps between interviews.
Why good finance candidates drop out of your hiring process (and how to fix it)
Candidates rarely tell you why they withdrew. These are the reasons we hear when they tell us.
The South West Finance Hiring Guide 2026/27
Salary bands for eight finance roles, a two-week shortlist-to-offer plan and counter-offer advice, written by Eliot Acton.