Five Quick Screening Wins Before Christmas Shutdown
The December hiring squeeze is real
December in Australia is a strange mix of wind-down and panic.
You’re juggling public holidays, leave calendars, and a list of roles that really should be filled before everyone disappears to the beach.
The good news? You don’t have to choose between speed and safety. With a tighter screening process, you can do both.
1. Decide up-front what “good enough” looks like
The biggest time-waster in December hiring is indecision.
Before you post a role, decide:
Which checks are non-negotiable (e.g. police check, right to work)
Which are “nice to have” but can wait until January
What are your absolute red flags?
Document this in a one-page checklist and share it with anyone involved in the hiring process.
Now you’re not re-arguing criteria every time a new CV appears.
Grab your checklist template from your internal HR drive or talk to us about a simple version tailored to your roles.
2. Use a single, standardised screening request
If managers email candidate details in different formats, things get lost.
Create one standard screening form (or online request) that captures:
Candidate details
Role they’re applying for
Required checks
Preferred start date
Mornington Screening Service clients often send everything in a single secure request, eliminating back-and-forth to clarify basics.
See our secure process here:
How It Works
3. Run checks in parallel, not one after another
Old-school hiring runs checks like a slow relay race:
CV review → interview → reference calls → police check → offer.
In December, that’s a recipe for “Let’s pick this up in January.”
Instead, once you’ve had a strong first interview:
Kick off background and police checks immediately
Keep candidates warm while they run
Be ready to issue an offer as soon as the results land
Because MSS runs multiple checks in parallel, you’re not losing days waiting for one step to finish before starting the next.
4. Replace reference chasing with objective checks
Reference checks are notorious for:
Taking ages to schedule
Producing polite but vague feedback
Adding stress for everyone involved
For many roles, you’re better off relying on objective verification:
Identity checks
Right-to-work verification
Criminal history checks
Licence or accreditation validation
You still get confidence, without blocking offers while managers chase calls between Christmas parties.
5. Pre-book your December screening window
The smartest HR teams treat December like tax time: they book early.
If you know you’ll need to hire:
Casual retail or hospitality staff
Seasonal admin or customer service roles
Extra support workers or healthcare staff
You can pre-book a screening window with your provider. That way, you’re not competing for turnaround time when everyone else suddenly remembers they need people, too.
To lock in capacity:
Book a Screening Consult
Tip from the Expert
Most December hiring mistakes come from rushing without a system.
A simple checklist plus an external screening partner can save you:
Hours of admin
Awkward conversations in January
The cost of re-hiring when a rushed decision doesn’t work out
Call to Action
Want these five wins working in your favour before the Christmas shutdown?
👉 Book a Screening Consult and we’ll map out a simple December screening plan for your team.
