Hiring Freezes: What are they? What can I do in the meantime?

We aren’t the only thing freezing this Winter. A term you may have heard recently in conversations regarding the job market, is something called a hiring freeze. Indeed.com defines a hiring freeze as:  

“When a company temporarily stops hiring new employees for open roles. While a company may continue hiring individuals for essential roles, it halts all efforts to fill non-essential jobs and prohibits the creation of new positions.”  

Lots of factors play into why a company may choose to enact a hiring freeze, but some common examples include economic instability, internal financial issues, or internal restructuring. This may sound intimidating at first, but just like our late Thanksgiving turkeys, company hiring will eventually thaw. 

It’s important to consider what professional growth you can obtain in the meantime as you wait for companies to end their hiring freeze. Here are some ways you can utilize your time effectively to enhance your career-readiness: 

1. Networking: Just because some employers may not be hiring, it doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t be open to conversation. Connecting with professionals/Alumni on LinkedIn, attending BSU career panels, or participating in a BSU Job Fair are all great ways to expand your professional network. 

2. Professional Development: The learning process doesn’t end after school, there are always opportunities to continue to grow and learn as a professional. Online certifications, webinars, LinkedIn Learning, or Big Interview’s tailored practice interviews, can all be beneficial to the growth of your industry specific skills and education. 

3. Internships: Internships are the bridges that connect education with work. They can be great opportunities to get hands-on-experience, and to learn more about a role or industry you are interested in. Hiring freezes may affect paid internships, but unpaid internships exist too. Handshake’s “Jobs” tab or the BSU Summer Internship Fair is a great place to start your search. There also is the option of trying out Parkey Dewey’s micro-internships or Virtual Internships. 

Please refer to the following links for more information regarding Internships, BSU Internship Funding, and Signature Internships 

The hiring process may be frozen for some companies, but that doesn’t mean you have to be frozen too! This is a great time to heat up and ignite your passion for career-readiness. The Career Services & Internships Office is available Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm and you can schedule an appointment here!