Seasonal Staffing: How to Attract Talented Employees for Temporary Positions
September 6, 2016 | Staffing Blog
We all want hard-working, motivated employees. One way to acquire the talent we look for is to hire dozens of people, hoping the good ones stay. Other options for finding worthwhile employees include staffing agencies or referrals. All of these paths may eventually lead to finding talented employees.
But what about seasonal positions?
Naturally, we still look for hard-workers, but in many cases those looking for temporary work tend to be less dependable and dedicated. While this generalization is true in the majority of cases, finding talented temporary employees is not impossible. In order to find them consider seriously the following two factors.
Occupation
If the applicant is a student, their academic record can reveal much about their character and work ethic. College students with positive records who also hold jobs often make the most dedicated and hardest working employees.
If the applicant has worked many different jobs there are two possible reasons: they learn slowly and make little headway in any position, or they learn quickly and excel in many areas. Pay attention to how long they stayed in each position. Also, ask them outright which they enjoyed most and which was the most challenging. Intelligent and thorough answers will distinguish what kind of person the applicant is.
Work History
This may seem obvious, but dig deeper.
If an applicant’s work history repeatedly presents temporary work, the chances are that the individual values transparency and will make an honest employee.
If their work history shows a lot of movement, it is worthwhile to find out why. The reasons may include military or charity work, or possibly a person who finances long-term travel with short-term jobs. Generally, these people are hard-working and motivated, making prime seasonal employees.
If the work history shows long stints at local companies, but the individual is now applying for seasonal work, take a closer look at what changed. Possibilities include: the applicant is lying about their work history or they are currently going through major life changes. Take care as this can indicate a lack of dedication.
Hire Away
Yes, hiring seasonal employees is risky.
But thorough exploration of each applicant’s work history and current employment or occupation reveals crucial information leading to informed hiring decisions. Finding the right seasonal employees can make the difference between a profitable season and a failed season, so putting in the effort to make these decisions will always be worth it.
Please contact us for more information or support.