Waiting Isn’t a Strategy

What High-Growth Leaders Are Doing Differently with Talent Planning in Late Q4 and Early Q1

Let’s be honest: we’re days away from the holidays, and a lot of people are mentally checking out. High-growth leaders, though, are using this late Q4 window to set themselves up for a stronger, faster Q1.

For the second year in a row, late Q4 has picked up for key hires across both direct hire and contract. Leaders are no longer treating this as a quiet period – they’re making smart moves that carry directly into the new year.

Late Q4 isn’t over – it’s the setup

Even this late in the quarter, conversations are happening, shortlists are being built, and offers are going out with January and February start dates in mind. Decisions might take a bit longer with vacations in the mix, but work is still moving.

Leaders who use late Q4 as “setup time” – not “shutdown time” – head into January with clarity on who they’re hiring and when, instead of starting from scratch once everyone is “back.”

Strong late Q4 demand

Late Q4 has become a busy window for critical roles across the business, from hands-on contributors to key leaders.

In practice, that looks like:

• Direct hire for positions that are foundational to 2026 plans.
• Contract and contract-to-hire to keep initiatives moving and create flexibility around budget and headcount.
• Interim and fractional support to steady teams and buy time while permanent searches are underway.

The pattern is clear: teams that move now aren’t scrambling in March to recover lost time.

Where timing really matters

In the functions closest to growth, customers, and delivery, timing isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s the difference between momentum and stall. When the right roles sit open, projects don’t just slow down, they stack up and delay what’s possible for the business.

High-growth teams are rethinking what “the right hire” looks like. They’re prioritizing people who can operate cross-functionally, partner with data and technology, and tie their work directly to outcomes like revenue, customer experience, and brand impact. Late Q4 and early Q1 are when those high-impact seats are being filled, not deferred.

Why a women-led, people-focused partner hits differently

Intuitive is a women-led, people-first company, and that shows up in how every search is run. The focus is on listening, clarity, and long-term relationships, not quick wins.

Being people-focused means treating every engagement as an extension of your team — taking the time to understand your roadmap, culture, and the real impact of each hire. Leaders come to Intuitive when they’re ready for something beyond traditional, transactional staffing: a partner who cares about both client and candidate experience, gives honest guidance on when and how to hire, and protects their brand while bringing in people who can do the work and strengthen the team.

What high-growth leaders are doing in the next 60–90 days

The organizations creating real momentum are approaching late Q4 and early Q1 with a clear plan. They are:

• Pinpointing the 3–5 roles that must be filled by the end of Q1 to protect next year’s plan.
• Deciding which should be full-time versus flexible or project-based support.
• Lining up interviews and shortlists now, even if start dates are in January or February.
• Partnering with a firm that already has a strong pulse on their talent market so they’re not starting from zero after the holidays.

They’re not waiting for “perfect timing.” They’re making progress with the time they actually have.

A simple next step

If you’re looking at your 2026 goals and realizing there are still gaps on your team, you’re not too late — but it is time to move with intention.

Take an hour and map out:

• The initiatives that cannot slip next year.
• The roles that are truly make-or-break for those outcomes.

From there, Intuitive can help turn that into a concrete plan for late Q4 and early Q1 — which positions to prioritize, how to structure them, and what a realistic timeline looks like. If you’d like a partner in thinking this through, get in touch and let’s align on the hires that will set your team up for a stronger start to the year.

Author: Betsy Miller, CEO, Intuitive