A Quick Guide to Seasonal Hiring, for Employers and Employees
“The increase in retail and shipping is pretty obvious, right? You have a lot of consumers trying to get their gifts out really early, before the holiday,” explains Angel Diaz, director of recruiting for Kavaliro. “A lot of people are starting to shop earlier, so the spike in retail and shipping is because the closer you get to the holidays, the harder and harder it gets to ship out gifts and do holiday shopping.”
But retailers aren’t the only people bringing aboard temporary employees to help them through the end of the year: 26 percent of employers in non-retail industries are also looking for seasonal help.
According to Diaz, these employers are bulking up their workforces to ensure they meet year-end deadlines for certain projects. “Maybe financial institutions — or maybe other types of industries — are trying to close out their books at the end of the year,” he says. I think that’s the major spike in seasonal hiring … a lot of companies trying to get these little projects out of the way before January.”
For example, Diaz says that Kavaliro has placed quite a few workers in data entry roles as companies scramble to update their databases before the new fiscal year starts.
Do You Need Seasonal Help?
If you’re a retailer, chances are you’ve already addressed your seasonal workforce needs — or are in the process of addressing them. But if you’re in a non-retail industry, you may only now realize that you could use some extra help around the office as the year comes to a close. Diaz has a few tips for employers looking to bring aboard seasonal employees for boosted productivity in Q4.
1. Post, Post, Post
Put simply: you can’t hire seasonal workers if no one knows you’re hiring.
“Depending on the position, obviously, the best thing is posting,” Diaz says. “Take advantage of social media. I’ve seen companies use Craigslist, Facebook, LinkedIn, even the CareerBuilders and Monsters [of the world].”
Diaz says that Craigslist seems to be an especially effective way to publicize seasonal jobs: “We see a lot of flow, believe it or not, in Craisglist, when it comes to seasonal employees.”
2. Be Direct
Don’t beat around the bush: let candidates know upfront in the job posting that you’re looking for seasonal employees. You may think that keeping this info quiet will attract more and/or better talent, but all it really does is tick off prospective employees when they finally find out they’re vying for a temporary position. They won’t hesitate to drop out of the race when they see you’ve been less than forthcoming.
“Clearly state that you’re looking for a seasonal employee for a couple months, for a two-month project at the end of the year,” Diaz says.
3. Treat It Like Regular Recruiting
You may be hiring for a temporary role, but the recruitment process is largely the same for seasonal and permanent employees. Don’t get too caught up in the contingencies.
“Use all the different modes of recruiting [that you normally use],” Diaz says. “All the social media, all the job boards: go across everything.”
Job Seekers/Employees: Need Some Extra Cash for the Holidays? Land a Seasonal Role
Whether you’re out of work or simply looking to pad your Christmas-gift fund, Diaz suggests taking advantage of Q4’s seasonal hiring push. Approach seasonal roles the same way you would approach a permanent position: be aggressive and show the employer you really want the job.
“One thing I would always recommend to someone looking for seasonal employment or a little extra money is go the extra step,” Diaz says. “Don’t just apply for a job. Call into a company; let them know who you are. Maybe even stop in with your resume, say, ‘I saw you had a position posted. Here’s my resume. I’m very interested in this position. What are the next steps?”
Diaz says that going the extra mile will set you apart from the sundry other candidates looking for seasonal roles: “That’s going to show a recruiter or an employer that … this person took the time to print out a resume, to get dressed, to come visit [them] and talk to [them] in person. It shows what kind of person [a candidate is]. That’s going to be very impressive when it comes to a prospective employer or recruiting firm.”