YEAR-END: Start Date Negotiations Around Christmas/New Year

It's December, which means you're closing offers while navigating a minefield of holiday vacations, family obligations, and candidates who want to "take a break before starting." Here's how to handle start date negotiations without losing good hires or creating onboarding nightmares.

Set Realistic Expectations Early

If you're making offers in December, acknowledge reality upfront. Most people aren't starting between December 23rd and January 2nd unless they're desperate or have no family. Don't pretend the office is fully operational during this time - it's not, and everyone knows it.

Start dates of January 6th or later are reasonable for offers extended now. If the candidate needs earlier, ask why. If you need earlier, be prepared to explain why it can't wait two weeks. Sometimes it's legitimate (project deadline, coverage need). Often it's just arbitrary urgency.

Understand What They're Actually Negotiating

When a candidate asks for a January 13th start instead of January 6th, they're usually negotiating for one of three things:

More vacation with their current employer - They want to use PTO they've accrued before it expires or gets paid out at a lower value. This is smart financial planning.

Actual vacation - They want time off between jobs. This is healthy and you should encourage it.

Extended notice period - They're giving their current employer more than two weeks to help with transition. This shows character, and you should appreciate it because they'll do the same for you when they leave.

Figure out which one it is. Your response should match their reason.

The Flexibility You Actually Have

Most start date negotiations can flex 1-2 weeks without real business impact. If you're claiming you "need" someone to start on a specific Monday, ask yourself if that's actually true or if you just like round numbers.

The exceptions: roles with specific project deadlines, seasonal businesses with busy periods, or positions filling critical gaps where someone is leaving. In these cases, be transparent about the constraint.

If you're inflexible on start dates, you'll lose some candidates. Decide if that's worth it before you draw a hard line.

The Offer Acceptance Dance

Here's what actually happens: candidate verbally accepts on December 10th, wants to start January 20th. You need the position filled by end of Q1. What do you do?

First, don't panic. January 20th is still Q1. Second, ask if there's any flexibility. Maybe they can start January 13th if you agree they can take a few days off in February for a trip they already booked.

Find the actual constraints on both sides, then solve for those instead of anchoring on arbitrary dates.

The Trap of "Just Start Part-Time"

Don't suggest candidates start "part-time" or "just a few hours a week" during their notice period at another job. This is asking them to either violate their current employment agreement or work two jobs simultaneously.

It's not cute, it's not flexible, it's just asking them to do something sketchy. If you wouldn't want your current employees doing it, don't ask candidates to do it.

What To Actually Say

When they need more time: "January 20th works for us. We want you rested and ready to hit the ground running. Use the time well."

When you legitimately need them earlier: "We're hoping for January 6th because [specific reason]. Is there anything that would make that work for you? If not, what's driving the January 20th date?"

When they're asking for way too much time: "We're excited to have you join, but March 1st is further out than we can accommodate. Our latest feasible start date is January 27th. Can we make that work?"

Bottom Line

Start dates are negotiable. Everything is negotiable. But both sides need to negotiate based on actual constraints, not imaginary ones.

Most importantly: if you're closing offers in December and getting mad that people want to start in January, you're the problem. Plan your hiring timeline better next year.

The best candidates have options. The ones who want a week off between jobs are usually the ones worth waiting for.