It’s that time of year to hire seasonal employees for many industries. From family gatherings to extra gift-giving, increasing your hourly employees during this busy time is important. However, we know going on a hiring spree can be time-consuming. Learn how to quickly find qualified applicants for your positions with these three tips.
#1 Write an Accurate Job Description
Writing an accurate job description is the best way to narrow down who applies to your positions and save yourself time and money. By only bringing in people who are already qualified, you also save money by less time advertising on job boards.
One common mistake is creating plain postings. For example, a description that says you need a cashier for the summer months, who likes to talk to customers isn’t very engaging. By clearly defining the role, the shift times, pay range, and duration of employment, you will attract people who are better suited for the role. If you need someone from May through September, you might favor a local high school student rather than someone who will be heading back to college in early August.
#2 Advertise Early
Another great way to get great seasonal workers is to advertise earlier than others hiring seasonal staff. If you wait until May to advertise you’re looking for seasonal help, you’ll be missing out on a lot of candidates! Be sure to start posting for applicants a few months before you need them to begin. Not only does this put you at a competitive advantage, but allows plenty of time for candidate screening and interviews before your busy season begins.
#3 Hire Your Customers
Hiring those who are already your customers is a great place to start recruiting candidates.
If you own an ice cream shop, who are your customers? Families with teenagers, high school students on a break from sports, college students home for the summer? Targeting those who already are familiar with your company is a great way to attract candidates, especially if you can offer perks like free ice cream when you have a shift or discounts when they come in with friends. To implement this, start by posting signage at your location and having instructions on how to easily apply or have applications ready to take.
To screen applicants for your seasonal employees and year-round positions, check out our Applicant Matching System (AMS). Our AMS acts as a pre-hire assessment to determine which applicants match up well against your current top-performing employees. This easily and efficiently weeds out applicants who aren’t a good fit, saves you time, and reduces turnover costs in the long run!
Plus, be sure to check out the best job boards for employers and stay up to date with laws around seasonal workers.