How to Handle a Hiring Freeze With Finesse

Chances are you've been there, on one side of the fence or the other. You're looking to hire a new employee when -- whoops! -- the powers that be yank your budget.

Or you've been interviewing for a plum position and suddenly it's no longer available.

Hiring freezes are an unfortunate fact of life, but you can handle them with grace and turn adversity into opportunity.

The Dear Workforce newsletter offers these tips for managers:

• Be honest. Tell candidates the job is on hold for economic reasons.
• Maintain open lines of communication. Keep in touch with applicants to keep your pool of talent deep.
• Fast-track strong candidates. Contact those being considered before the hiring freeze as soon as the position reopens.
• Tell applicants about other openings. This creates a sense of stability and paves the way if the original job resurfaces.
• Showcase your company. Discuss positives such as culture, benefits, career advancement and other positives that will keep attractive candidates interested.

• Don't take it personally. It's not about you; it's about the bottom line.
• Keep in touch. Stay current in the manager's mind with occasional e-mail check-ins.
• But don't be a pest. If you're a viable candidate and the job reopens, they'll want you. If you're not, they won't -- and all the e-mail in the world won't change that.
• Broaden the search. Ask if similar opportunities are available in another division.
• Don't put all your eggs in one basket. It's possible the hiring freeze may last forever, so make sure you look for alternative opportunities elsewhere.