Talk to Us: (877) 225-8978
Talent Acquisition

How to Recruit Seasonal Employees

The summer tourist season signals the need for short-term seasonal employees in many industries, especially restaurants, hotels, and retail establishments. Businesses are excitedly preparing for peak seasons, with hotels filling up with tourists, and once again enjoying in-person shopping and dining out.  Following close behind is the frenetic year-end holiday season. Managers, who depend on short-term hires to meet increasing consumer demands, are already anticipating how much they’ll need to ramp up their staff. Retailers predict a 2023 holiday season similar to 2022, with a gain in sales from 4.8% to 4.5%, while economists predict tourism and travel to increase by 30% in 2023.  While getting a jump on seasonal hiring makes sense, it can cause added stress and uncertainty for even the most prepared employer. Experts who study seasonal employment trends agree that developing a strategic seasonal hiring plan offers the peace of mind to recruit and hire with confidence and ensures you choose the right talent for your short-term hiring needs. Here are a few examples of best practices you can start implementing immediately.

Recruit seasonal employees by using a variety of channels

Today’s media-savvy job seeker is accustomed to looking at multiple job boards and platforms simultaneously to find work. The most popular places to advertise have traditionally been established job sites like LinkedIn and Indeed. Still, experts advise utilizing a variety of channels, like your website, social media pages, college board sites, and networking events, as well as back-to-basics ideas like preparing eye-catching brochures to post in churches, gyms, libraries, and community centers to get the word out.  Tip: Incentivize current employees to help search their contact lists for potential seasonal workers by giving them a cash bonus or a few extra days off.

Offer more job perks

With so many seasonal jobs open, short-term job seekers have more options than ever before, and to get their attention, your business needs to stand out. Highlighting your benefits in your job post sets you apart from the rest. Some companies have successfully offered hourly compensation above minimum wage, company discounts, travel stipends, and bonuses as hiring incentives. Tip: Same-day pay apps are rapidly gaining popularity. According to a 2022 Seasonal Hourly Workforce Report, 62% of hourly employees said they prefer a flexible schedule with instant access to pay to meet their lifestyle needs.

Start early and use technology

Wait too long to hire, and you may lose out on the best talent, which can impact your business’ productivity year-round. Experts agree it is best to start searching for candidates early. As a rule of thumb, post ads on job boards at least three to four months before summer and holiday hiring. Online applications should be prepared in an easy-to-read format online, with a prominent “apply now” button. Screen applications and resumes and keep track of candidates you’re interested in using an applicant tracking system to help manage the entire process. Tip: Gen Z job seekers, typically in high school or college, comprise a large percentage of the seasonal workforce. An estimated 98% prefer texting to calls and emails, so be prepared to respond quickly to keep their attention and get a jump on the competition.

Consider candidates who show potential

Some job seekers may not possess all the skills you are looking for. Still, chances are they’re willing to learn and may already have transferable skills you can build on. Considering today’s dwindling pool of qualified candidates, someone who is eager to learn and seems easy to train may prove an advantage to you and your team. Tip: Consider an out-of-the-box hire like a veteran, retiree, or teacher, who can bring desirable, transferable skills to your team, like organization, customer service, discipline, attention to detail, and the ability to keep cool in stressful situations.

Employ more creative methods

To stay ahead of the hiring game, you may need to employ more creative methods to compete, like:
  • Throw an open house all-day hiring “party,”  a fun, effective recruitment method that entices candidates to come to you, so that you can reduce interview and hiring time. You can also plan a more traditional job fair in a larger venue to draw job seekers for both seasonal and full-time.
  • Create a social media page for your business. Post pictures of happy employees representing your company as a fun, diverse, caring team-–it’s an effective way to convey your company as a welcoming workplace.
Tip: Virtual interviewing is a great way to establish a personal connection with a candidate early on and can be arranged quickly from anywhere. You’ll reduce your hiring time and save on travel costs, as well as open the interview to more team members, so they can weigh in on the candidate, if necessary. 

Treat seasonal employees like they are full-time 

Did you hire someone for the summer who is exceptional, and you’d love for them to join your team full-time? If they add value to your business and have the potential for long-term success, then why not make them a permanent part of the team? Tip: When you post your job ad, clarify that the seasonal position could become a permanent role for the right candidate. According to a recent Axonify survey, 41% of seasonal workers take short-term jobs to get their foot in the door for full-time consideration. Don’t discount your seasonal worker’s potential to become a valued permanent employee.

Build a year-round network of seasonal workers

Eliminate next season’s recruiting and interviewing stress by establishing a network of short-term workers now. Pulling from past employees and present workers you’d like to invite back allows you to build your seasonal team well in advance. You’ll have your core team in place when you need them most, and you won’t have to rush at the last minute to hire candidates that aren’t the best fit.  Tip: Ensure you thank your seasonal employees for a job well done and entice them to come back for next season’s rush by offering them a raise or signing bonus. 

Remember the importance of training

You’ve hired a great group of seasonal workers, but that’s just the beginning – now you’ve got to train them. The hiring process can be stressful for new employees and employers, so ensuring your short-term workers are properly trained and acclimated to the team will keep your productivity levels high and the entire team on track.  Tip: Opportunities to help grow employees’ skills through mentoring or other related programs, make them feel valued. A recent survey found that 31% of employees see seasonal work as a great training opportunity, which may lead to full-time employment. 

Reduce hiring time with a digital hiring platform

Digital hiring platforms can streamline your seasonal hiring process and reduce time wasted hiring the wrong candidates. Quality management and tracking systems help you with everything from writing the job post to interviewing to hiring and beyond. They also ensure employers and employees communicate effectively through every stage. Digital hiring platforms help you manage your hiring plan from start to finish so you can get back to running your business faster.   Tip: Wizehire is an online hiring solution that uses DISC+ personality assessments, pre-written and optimized job templates, and expert hiring coaches to help you find the most qualified candidates. To learn more about our pricing and benefits, click here.

Make seasonal planning a priority

Creating a work-specific hiring strategy allows you to build your plan for all your short-term and future needs. It helps streamline the entire process causing less of an interruption in the day-to-day business for you and your team. It helps reduce interviewing and hiring time – which saves you money, gives you an edge over the competition, and sets you up for a productive year. But most importantly, it will help you find outstanding seasonal workers – some of whom may turn into full-time employees one day. Wizehire can help you with all your hiring needs, check out our pricing page to start your account today. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Find your people. Grow your team. Meet your Wizehire.