Five Tips For Better Seasonal Hiring
Get a Head Start
The best thing you can do for your seasonal hiring is starting early. Top-quality candidates are only on the job market for about 10 days. When you wait too long to hire for your seasonal needs you miss the chance to advertise the open positions to potential employees. Having this extra time will allow you to improve your overall seasonal hiring strategy.
On top of that, once you have received an application, follow up as soon as possible. This keeps your candidates from wondering where they stand in the process and potentially receiving offers from your competitors. Be sure to communicate as early as possible so they aren’t left questioning what’s next.
Take a Look at Previous Years
One of the best tools you have on your side when it comes to seasonal hiring is your data from previous years. Take a look at how busy you got and what your staffing needs were. This will give you an idea of what you need to do to plan for the upcoming seasonal hiring season. You can get information that will tell you how many new hires you need to bring on and draw up a recruitment plan.
You can also take data from previous years to let you know where you might be able to cut back and save money. For instance, you may have kept your seasonal staff on for too long last year. Looking at the numbers, you will be able to tell where the cost of your staff outpaced your earnings. This can give you an idea of where you can adjust the schedule and start cutting your staff back down for the slower seasons.
Be Specific About What You Want
Another important thing companies can do to improve their seasonal hiring is to be specific about what they want. Be sure to detail exactly what each position will be doing. Include any information about required travel, scheduled hours, remote work, opportunities for long-term work, and other specifications.
You should also strive to be detailed in your job description as well. Companies often make the mistake of being vague or providing too much information in their job listings. You will greatly improve the quality of your seasonal employees by being clear and concise with these statements. This way, the employee knows exactly what their job is, what is expected of them, and what they receive in return.
Think About New Ways to Market Your Company
Don’t be afraid to try new things when it comes to marketing yourself as an employer. Use job boards and consider purchasing advertisements on sites like Indeed or Google. This will help you expand your reach and get your job listing in front of more potential candidates. Other great places to market your company include social media, networking events, and industry communications, such as newsletters and bulletins.
You should also think about where your ideal candidates might come into contact with you. When you know where they are you can more readily market yourself as a potential employer in those places. Would they be attending networking events or will you have better luck encountering them on social media? Once you identify a good funnel for quality candidates, you can place more focus on sourcing employees through that channel.
Consider How You Can Extend Your Talent Pool
There are a number of things you can do to extend your talent pool and make sourcing new hires for the busy season easier. Let potential candidates know that you will be looking for seasonal work. You can also keep up with previous employees. Some of them may be interested in returning to work for another season. This makes it easier because they will already be familiar with the job and its duties.
You might also consider implementing an employee referral system. Your company’s strongest employees can provide you with valuable professional referrals. After all, they know what you are looking for in a new employee. This can create a new channel for sourcing talent and also improve the overall quality of new hires.
Need Seasonal Hiring Help? Burnett Specialists Is Here For You!
You can also utilize the assistance of a staffing firm to extend your talent pool. A firm will have already tapped into its talent pool and verified the credentials of each applicant. Working with a staffing agency like Burnett Specialists can set you up for success during the holiday season. Contact us for more information about how we can help your company improve its seasonal hiring.
