Why Now Is the Best Time to Review Your Recruitment Strategy for Next Year

If you run a small or medium sized business, you will already know how much time recruitment can take and how disruptive it becomes if the process does not run smoothly.  

Many owners only start to think about their recruitment for the year when January arrives and before they know it, they are scrambling to fill roles without a clear plan. The good news is that a little preparation now can completely change how confident and organised you feel going into next year. 

This is the perfect moment to step back, reflect on what worked for you this year and tighten up your approach. When you do that, you give yourself the best chance of attracting better candidates, filling roles faster and avoiding unnecessary stress. You also gain the structure and consistency that helps you stay compliant and fair. 

Below, we have pulled together the key areas to review and the lessons many businesses have learned this year. The aim is to help you build a recruitment strategy that actually serves you rather than distracts you. 

What we learned from 2025 recruitment trends 

Most of the businesses we supported this year shared similar experiences. You may recognise some of them. 

First, roles took longer to fill because salary expectations and skill levels did not always match. This often happened where job descriptions were unclear, or several decision makers were involved without an agreed process on who is responsible for which stage of the process. 

Second, candidates expected clearer communication. Businesses that kept candidates informed at each stage had far higher acceptance rates, while those that did not, found people dropping out unexpectedly. 

Third, many owners realised they were spending far too much time screening unsuitable applications. When we looked into it, the root cause was usually a vague job advert or an interview process that had grown messy over time. 

These lessons give you a strong starting point because they highlight exactly where to focus on your improvements for next year. 

Prioritise the roles that matter most 

Instead of waiting for vacancies to appear, spend some time now thinking about the roles that will be essential for your growth next year. Ask yourself simple, practical questions such as: 

• What roles drove the most value for the business this year? 
• Where were the biggest gaps or bottlenecks? 
• Which teams will need more support as you grow? 

Once you have the answers, you can decide which roles need clearer job descriptions, where succession planning might help and whether you need to create new positions altogether. Mapping this out in advance not only saves time, it also stops you filling roles reactively, which is often when recruitment mistakes happen. 

If you have never done this kind of role prioritisation before, our job description templates and recruitment guides make it much simpler. They break everything down into manageable steps and keep the focus on what the role really needs.  

Build a clearer and more consistent recruitment process 

A strong recruitment process does not need to be complicated. What matters is clarity and consistency because this is what keeps the experience fair, professional and legally compliant. 

If you found recruiting stressful this year, it is usually because the process was not properly defined. Take the time now to outline each stage from advertising the role to onboarding the new starter. You can keep it simple but make sure you cover: 

• How and where you will advertise 
• How you will shortlist candidates 
• Who will interview and what questions they will ask  
• How decisions will be made 
• What onboarding will look like 

Even if you already have a process, it is worth reviewing it with a fresh pair of eyes. Look at where delays appeared or where communication broke down. These small issues often have the biggest impact on candidate experience. 

Why doing this now makes next year easier 

When January arrives, most business owners already feel stretched. Recruitment ends up competing with planning, budgeting and day to day operations. By reviewing your strategy now, you remove the pressure and give yourself room to think clearly. 

You also give yourself the chance to improve the quality of your recruits because a well-planned process attracts the right people and filters out the wrong ones early. It strengthens your employer image and creates a smoother experience for candidates which directly improves your chances of securing the person you want. 

A little preparation now saves a lot of stress later and it puts you in full control of your hiring rather than reacting to every vacancy. 

Ready to build a stronger recruitment strategy? 

If you want a clearer process, better job descriptions and more confidence when recruiting,  you will find everything you need inside Dakota Blue Academy. 

If you want next year’s recruitment to feel easier and more organised, join Dakota Blue Academy today and get immediate access to all our recruitment tools.