A client said to us last week:
“Let’s chat after Australia Day. It’s quiet, until then, so no point worrying about hiring now.”
It’s a common belief at this time of year, and it slows teams down more than they realise.
Here’s what we have to say about that:
Job searching jumps by up to 50 per cent in January.
It’s consistently the biggest month of the year for profile updates, job applications, and candidate mobility.
And from our own Market Trends Report:
Seventy per cent of people who aren’t actively looking would still take a call if the right opportunity came their way.
So while the industry winds down, the talent pool warms up.
This is the period where proactive teams quietly get ahead of everyone else.
So here are 10 practical actions to help you walk into 2026 with clarity, momentum, and a sharper hiring strategy.
1. Review the roles that ‘almost’ happened this year
Look at the roles you paused, delayed, or deprioritised.
Markets shift quickly, and many teams end up hiring the roles they nearly created six months earlier.
These are often low-friction wins when planning for February or March.
2. Map your team’s capability gaps against 2025 trends
January hiring is no longer just backfilling.
Leaders are hiring for:
• adaptability
• AI literacy
• cross-functional collaboration
• product-led thinking
• data confidence
These traits are showing up in job movement data across Product, Tech, Marketing, and Design.
Knowing your gaps early drives smarter briefs.
3. Tighten your interview process now, not later
Every year, companies lose great talent simply because their process isn’t ready, and because in January, candidates move fast, a slow or unclear process is the fastest way to lose them.
A short audit now means you avoid scrambling in week one.
4. Set your January budget guardrails
SEEK data shows salary expectations rise sharply from mid-January to March as candidates test their value.
Go into the new year knowing your true budget ceiling and your flexibility points.
5. Look for internal flight risk signs before the break
Workloads flatten in December, and people finally have headspace.
That’s when clarity hits.
We regularly see an uptick in resignations between mid-January and mid-February.
A few genuine check-ins in December can save you a painful surprise later.
6. Build a shortlist of high-potential passive talent
January is the only month when passive talent engages more than active candidates.
LinkedIn data shows people update their profiles and re-evaluate their career goals in the first three weeks of the year.
This is where the best conversations happen.
It’s also where Brightbox does our strongest work.
7. Update your EVP with real data, not assumptions
Candidates’ priorities shift every year.
Flexibility, growth, workplace culture, career progression, AI training, and leadership quality continue to outrank job titles.
Our new Market Trends Report shows exactly what job seekers want in 2026.
Use it to refine your story.
8. Align your decision-makers early
Most project delays in January come from misalignment between hiring managers and senior stakeholders.
A 25-minute pre-holiday alignment meeting can save three weeks of drift in the new year.
9. Plan the first three weeks of 2026 with precision
Your window for quick wins is small.
Book meetings now.
Block time for interviews.
Set internal milestones before the break.
High-performing teams treat early January like a launch window, not a recovery period.
10. Partner early if you want the best talent
If you want access to the 75% of the market who aren’t actively looking but are open to a conversation, we need to begin outreach before the rush.
By the time most companies “switch back on,” the strongest candidates already have traction elsewhere.
A final note
January isn’t a dead zone.
It’s one of the most strategic hiring windows of the year.
Less noise, more intention, and far more candidate openness than most leaders expect.
Our 2026 Market Trends Report covers:
• what candidates actually want next year
• salary benchmarks across Product, Tech, Marketing, and Design
• job-seeking behaviours
• AI capability gaps
• mobility and retention trends
• how teams can position themselves for better hiring outcomes
If you’d like early access to the data and a short breakdown tailored to your team, you can book a meeting using the link below.
We’d love to help you start 2026 with clarity and momentum.
