August is for out-of-office replies and enjoying the sun, but it’s also your secret weapon.
While others snooze, smart HR and talent acquisition (TA) teams are getting their ERP and tech hiring strategies locked in before Q4 demands begin to build. Here are six practical steps to help you prepare.
1. Tune up your talent strategy: audit and align hiring needs
Start by reviewing your hiring roadmap. Which roles are confirmed, which are pending, and where are the gaps? ERP and tech vacancies often need specialist input, so early alignment with hiring managers is essential. Clarify role scopes, confirm budgets, and ensure job descriptions reflect current needs, not recycled templates from last year.
Key actions to take:
- Revisit job descriptions for clarity and relevance.
- Confirm budget and timelines with internal stakeholders.
- Identify roles needing external sourcing or niche expertise.
- Align expectations with hiring managers early.
- Flag any dependencies that could delay recruitment, such as annual leave or pending approvals from finance or leadership.
2. Talent on tap: refresh your candidate pipelines
August is ideal for reconnecting with passive candidates, especially those who may have paused their search due to earlier market uncertainty or personal commitments. A light-touch check-in or update can re-engage talent before competition intensifies. Use this quieter time to refresh pipelines, reconnect with talent, and prepare for the internal recruitment demand spikes.
It’s also worth reviewing your ATS or CRM for overlooked profiles, particularly in niche areas like systems integration or data migration, where demand can outpace supply.
Steps to strengthen your pipeline:
- Re-engage passive candidates with tailored outreach.
- Review CRM or ATS for qualified but inactive profiles.
- Segment talent pools by skillset and availability.
- Update candidate records with recent activity or feedback.
- Prepare shortlists for priority roles ahead of Q4.
3. Streamline internal processes
Process refinement is another smart use of time. Interview scheduling, feedback loops, and onboarding steps can all be streamlined now to avoid delays later. If your team struggled with bottlenecks earlier in the year, use August to address them. Align interview panels, confirm availability, and prepare onboarding materials in advance. These small adjustments can improve speed and candidate experience.
Ways to improve efficiency:
- Audit interview workflows and remove friction points.
- Confirm panel availability and decision timelines.
- Prepare onboarding packs and role-specific materials.
- Standardise feedback forms for consistency.
- Set realistic timelines for offer approvals and start dates.
4. Use data to guide decisions
Data-driven hiring isn’t only a buzzword in 2025; it’s a practical way to improve outcomes. Reviewing time-to-hire, candidate engagement rates, and source effectiveness can help HR and TA teams refine their approach. For ERP and tech roles, where competition is high and skillsets are specific, using data to track what’s working (and also what isn’t) ensures smarter, faster decisions.
Metrics worth reviewing include:
- Time-to-hire by role type.
- Source quality (e.g., job boards vs. recruiters)
- Interview-to-offer ratios.
- Candidate drop-off points.
- Feedback consistency across panels.
5. What’s your employer brand really telling candidates?
A strong employer brand attracts talent. Take time to consider how your employer brand is showing up. Are your job ads clear and compelling? Is your careers page up to date? How are your Glassdoor reviews? Are all comments or concerns addressed? Are social media channels updated with careers content?
Candidate experience forms part of this. A positive hiring experience makes a big difference. Regular communication, clear expectations, and constructive feedback go a long way. Even if your chosen candidate accepts another offer, a good experience means they’ll take you seriously next time and may recommend others.
Candidates in tech and ERP often scan for signs of clarity, flexibility, and meaningful work, so ensure your messaging and candidate experience reflect that.
6. Identify the right recruitment partner
Finally, consider a recruitment partner to help you hire smarter and faster. For roles requiring specialist tech skills or deep technical expertise, working with a specialist recruiter can make all the difference. Firms like NU Concept Solutions offer targeted support for hiring managers. Consultants bring hands-on experience from the ERP space, digital transformation projects and cloud computing to help clients move quickly and confidently from vacancy to placement.
September’s hiring surge doesn’t need to be reactive. By using August to plan, align, and engage, HR and TA teams can move faster, hire smarter, and support business goals with confidence. Whether you’re scaling a team or filling a critical tech role, the groundwork you lay now will pay off in the months, and even years, ahead.
Looking for support? Speak to our expert consultants at NU Concept Solutions today.