Most organizations understand how critical a comprehensive talent acquisition strategy is to their business’ success. However, many companies fail to include a customized seasonal hiring plan in their overall recruitment framework. Failing to have a plan tailored to attracting and hiring seasonal employees can place an organization at the back of the line when the time comes to ramp up its seasonal staff.
Start Early
If a company knows it will need additional employees during the holidays or the summer, it must begin opening the candidate pipeline well before the seasonal rush. Unfortunately, many organizations wait until a few weeks before their anticipated staffing needs to start the recruitment process.
An effective seasonal recruitment strategy should open the candidate search and screening process at least two to three months before the anticipated staffing need. This allows the organization to do a more effective job of attracting, screening, and hiring candidates as the company is not facing the pressure of an impending deadline. It also allows an organization to access a larger pool of candidates, leading to a larger pool of qualified candidates, as individuals have yet to be snapped up by other companies in need of seasonal employees.
Know What You Need
A company must know exactly how many individuals it must hire to fill its staffing needs. Consider past seasonal hiring trends, current company conditions and the role seasonal staff will play in the company’s operations to help focus recruiting efforts. Companies should not play pin the tail on the donkey with their hiring needs. A well-thought-out plan will go a long way to making the seasonal hiring process run smoothly.
Attract the Right Candidates
If a company is seeking seasonal employees for temporary positions, then the company should not advertise a seasonal position the same way or even in the same place that it would for a permanent position. Job postings and recruiting efforts should be focused on a candidate population that is not only open to but is actively seeking seasonal employment.
For example, college students are often ideal candidates for seasonal roles as they tend to seek employment in between semesters of school. These college students can include those who return home between semesters or stay in town during breaks from school. Additionally, students who have recently graduated college or even high school are prime candidates for seasonal employment as they wait to take the next step in their adult lives or plot out what they would like to do next with their lives.
Online interviewing tools and on-campus job fairs are excellent ways to attract and screen student candidates. The idea is to go where the candidates are and make it as easy for them to apply, interview, and get hired.
Put Your Best Offer Forward
Other companies are seeking seasonal employees as well and so it is critical for an organization to differentiate itself from competitors. Special seasonal pay, sign-on or end-of-season bonuses, and special incentives like temporary health insurance and paid time off can be excellent points of distinction between multiple companies seeking to hire seasonal staff.
Additionally, making seasonal staff feel like they are part of the team and not separate from the overall organization goes a long way. Candidates want to feel like the organization values them and truly wants them to be part of their team. An organization should set the foundation for showing candidates their value through the recruitment process and onboarding.
Organizations should also see seasonal employees as potential permanent employees and treat them accordingly. Current employees can look out for top performing seasonal employees they can refer for permanent positions.
Final Thoughts
A successful seasonal recruitment strategy is prioritized, properly executed, and conducted professionally. Many organizations try to pull in seasonal candidates at the last minute with minimal effort and poor planning and seek out candidates in the wrong places. Ultimately, companies that create a structured seasonal recruitment strategy, start the process early, define their needs, seek out suitable candidates in the right places, and offer valuable incentives will be the most successful in their hiring efforts.