Why Hiring in Q4 Might Be the Smartest Move You Make All Year

TL;DR:

• Q4 is often overlooked as a hiring window, but it’s actually one of the best times to bring in top remote talent.
• There’s less competition, more passive candidates open to conversations, and a chance to start the year strong.
• This article breaks down the advantages, challenges, and a timeline for hiring before January.

Rethink the Default

"We’ll hire in January." 

This is usually a company's default hiring reflex, especially in teams with strict budget cycles. 

But when most companies pause, the ones that keep going get ahead. They have more access to great talent and a clean head start.

According to the Q4 2025 Employment Outlook Survey by ManpowerGroup, based on over 40,500 employers across 41 countries, 38% plan to increase hiring this quarter, while just 15% expect reductions and 45% plan to hold steady. Among those planning to hire, 39% say it’s because their company is expanding, creating more job opportunities – and more competition for the most talented candidates.

In the U.S.specifically, 28% more employers surveyed expect to grow their teams this quarter. And the tech market? Globally, IT leads all sectors with a 36% hiring outlook, meaning over a third of tech employers expect to grow their teams this quarter.

Why Q4 Is a Smart Time to Hire

• Less competition — Nearly half of the companies are on hiring pause, which means less competition for high-quality talent.
• Start strong in January — Start now, and your new hires will be strong contributors by January instead of just starting to onboard.
• Use remaining budget — Unused funds? End-of-year flexibility? Q4 hiring is a good opportunity to maximize it.
• Passive talent is listening — At the end of the year, top talent quietly explores what's next. They might not be actively applying for new roles, but they’re open to a conversation if the perfect role lands in their inbox. This is great timing for hiring remote developers, engineers, and other product talent as they plan their upcoming year and work on New Year’s resolutions for their careers.

Why Waiting Can Backfire

Let’s look at why hiring teams usually delay:

• "We’ll revisit hiring after budgets are final."
• "People are out for the holidays."
• "We need to see how Q4 ends."

Totally fair. But here’s the catch:

• Budgets aren’t the real issue — If you know the role is really needed, it’s not about the budget, it’s about not getting stuck in the mindset of "waiting until next year" and maybe losing great hiring opportunities.
• People disappear during the December holidays — Make decisions in October or November, before distractions kick in.
• The roadmap doesn’t wait — Delay a hire by a month, and you’re already two sprints behind schedule.

Yes, There Are Challenges, But They’re Manageable

Q4 has hurdles: approvals drag, and teams are stretched trying to hit EoY goals. However, the companies that win in Q4 are the ones that plan early and stay focused.

Start by locking hiring decisions in October, before calendars get crowded. Define roles clearly and make sure decision-makers are aligned. Create shorter hiring cycles by agreeing in advance on what “good” looks like for each role. Don’t let perfect become the enemy of progress. 

You don't need a long timeline if you’ve got clarity and the right partner to help.

Also: consider how Q4 onboarding can support — and not derail — your roadmap. Ramping during a slower December can mean a lower-pressure onboarding experience, better knowledge transfer, and stronger planning for January. Even one early hire can reset momentum for the whole team.

Execution Blueprint: How to Actually Pull It Off 

Here's a sample timeline you can swipe:

• October 15–20: Define roles, confirm budget, write your job descriptions.
• October 21–November 4: Kick off search, review shortlist, conduct interviews.
• By November 5: Offer made, contract signed.
• Mid-November: Onboarding starts.
• December: New hire ramps, contributes to end-of-year sprint and planning.

Even if you don’t get all the way to onboarding in December, having an offer accepted before the holidays buys you a massive head start for January.

How Strider Helps You Win Q4

Let’s not pretend you have time to fully manage hiring in Q4. That’s why Strider exists.

• Top LATAM remote talent ready to make an impact.
• 100+ skills across engineering, product, data, design, and many more.
• 80,000+ vetted remote tech professionals.
• Shortlist in as little as 2 days, hire in under 2 weeks in many cases.
• All offers, contracts, compliance, payroll, onboarding, and equipment shipping? Handled for you.
• You don’t need to open a local entity; we handle all the bureaucracy, you get the talent and the cost savings.

While others are stuck in January backlogs, your team will already be ahead.

What It Looks Like in Practice 

Here you can check a few hiring stories from our customers that may inspire you to hire remote developers, engineers, and many other tech roles and scale your teams in Q4.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hiring in Q4

Q: Is Q4 really a good time to hire software engineers?
A: Yes. While many companies slow hiring in Q4, you gain access to top candidates with less competition. Q4 hiring also means your new team member is productive by January.

Q: What are the risks of hiring late in the year?
A: Budget delays, holiday slowdowns, and unavailable decision-makers. But these are solvable with front-loaded planning and a partner like Strider, who quickly connects you with top remote tech talent from LATAM and handles the hiring admin.

Q: How fast can I make a hire through Strider?
A: We typically deliver a vetted shortlist in 2 days, and most clients hire in under 2 weeks. We manage sourcing, technical vetting, English check, cultural fit, compliance, onboarding, and even equipment shipping.

Q: How does Q4 hiring affect roadmap delivery?
A: Instead of delaying new feature delivery until February, hiring now means ramping new engineers in November or December and hitting the ground running in Q1.

Hiring in Q4 is strategic. While others wait, you get to build.
→ Have a role you need filled before January? Book a call with a hiring expert.