Why Winter Engagement Matters for Early-Career Talent

Winter is coming, and while hiring teams may be taking a breather, that doesn’t mean you should put your talent pipeline on ice. With students wrapping up finals and employers planning for 2025, the next few months are a critical time to keep your brand top of mind with early-career candidates.

In fact, a recent report from NACE underscores how much students value continuous engagement. Early-career candidates are looking for a clear path forward—and if they’ve interacted with your company this fall, they don’t want that connection to disappear when recruiting slows. Whether it’s a brief Micro-Internship or a virtual year-end event, here’s how you can keep these relationships strong, helping students feel valued while setting your organization up for success in the new year.

A Warm Pipeline is a Stronger Pipeline

Most hiring professionals know that engaged candidates are more likely to consider and accept future job offers. According to data from LinkedIn, early-career candidates who have ongoing touchpoints with potential employers show significantly higher offer acceptance rates than those with sporadic or seasonal contact. By maintaining even light engagement over the winter, you’re doing more than just keeping your brand visible—you’re giving candidates reasons to stay interested and invest time in your hiring process when it opens back up.

For companies serious about building a robust early-career talent pipeline, here are some tried-and-true ways to stay connected.

1. Offer Winter Break Micro-Internships

Even as internships wind down, students are eager to keep learning and add skills to their resumes—especially over winter break, when they have time to take on meaningful projects. That’s where Micro-Internships and short-term assignments come in. Whether it’s a data analysis task, research project, or social media campaign, these brief assignments are a win-win: companies get useful project contributions with minimal oversight, and students gain relevant experience with your brand.

Why It Works: Winter break projects are truly low-lift for employers. You can assign the project now and simply check back in with students in the new year to review their work and insights. Our resource on the benefits of Micro-Internships provides insights into how these short projects create valuable connections and lasting impressions that benefit both students and companies. And when students return to campus in January with new skills and a connection to your brand, they’re far more likely to keep you top of mind.

2. Host Virtual Networking Events or End-of-Year Webinars

Not every student will have a short-term project opportunity, but virtual engagement is another powerful way to stay connected. Hosting a casual, end-of-year networking event or “holiday career mixer” can help students feel involved, even if they’re not actively working for you. It’s a low-pressure way for students to meet with industry professionals, learn about potential roles, and get advice.

Why It Works: According to a recent Talent Board report, candidates who attend virtual networking events during the “off-season” are 40% more likely to apply to the organization in the future. For inspiration, check out our tips on engaging early-career talent, which outline effective approaches to creating value-filled connections and keeping your brand front and center.

3. Share Career Advice and Industry Insights through Email or Social Media

This time of year, students are looking to prepare for the future. Sharing valuable career insights and industry trends can help keep students engaged with your brand without a heavy lift. Whether it’s an email with career tips, a LinkedIn post about what’s ahead in your industry for 2024, or a short article on your blog, students will appreciate the effort—and see your company as a resource.

Why It Works: Research by Glassdoor highlights that companies seen as “career guides” build stronger loyalty among early-career candidates. By becoming an industry thought leader or career resource, you’re encouraging students to see your organization as a trusted partner in their career journey. For example, our blog on experiential hiring offers useful insights on trends impacting entry-level hiring that you can share with students as they think about their next steps.

Start Warming Your Pipeline Now

The best recruiting results don’t happen overnight—they’re the product of building strong relationships over time. By staying connected with early-career candidates this winter, you’re making a small investment that can yield big results come spring recruiting.

Ready to take the next step in nurturing a strong early-career talent pipeline?

Schedule a demo to learn how Micro-Internships can keep your pipeline warm all year long.