5 Tips for Hiring Seasonal Employees

group of seasonal employees at a summer event

With summer just around the corner, many different industries prepare for their peak season and begin their high-volume hiring hunt. From rooftop patios, water parks, fairs, and festivals, to hotels, all sorts of businesses rely on bulk-hiring seasonal employees to get through this busy time of year. Whether you need a handful of service staff or need to hire thousands of summer employees and volunteers, there are a few top tips to keep in mind.

Take advantage of virtual job fairs

When you’re getting prepared to partake in high-volume hiring, you might begin exploring the different ways in which you can reach interested parties. One of the best ways to reach people is through digital means. If you’re going to be bulk-hiring, our top recommendation is to host an online job fair or virtual hiring event. Online events like these are a fantastic way to collect potential hire’s information and speak to them face-to-face. 

Often with seasonal work, employees need to offer a certain friendliness and customer service. Meeting and getting to know potential hires over video chat offers employers way more valuable information regarding personality than a resume ever could. The best part about online job fairs is that employers can potentially meet hundreds of candidates in just one day. Candidates can also be pushed through the screening and interviewing process faster as video interviews can be arranged on the spot throughout the fair.

An additional perk of virtual hiring events is that companies can offer a deeper look into their company and the open roles they are recruiting for by using pre-recorded or live videos. When using Hellohire’s pre-recorded video feature, you allow more of your employees a chance to participate, even when they can’t attend. While these videos are awesome for sharing information about the organization and role, they also help candidates determine if the position is the right fit for them as they receive more details.

Use speed interviews

Interviewing candidates is essential, but finding the time when conducting high-volume hiring can be challenging. This is why online job fairs are great combined with speed interviews! 

What is speed interviewing? A speed interview is where an employer uses Hellohire’s speed interview functionality to set interview times with predetermined, structured questions and notes. This way, employers are still getting 1-on-1 time with each candidate without wasting valuable time. Hellohire’s conversion timer helps to ensure time with candidates is used effectively by keeping the conversation moving. You can manage the desired length of the interview and timer for complete control.

Speed interviews are an incredible tool for the screening process of any job, not just for bulk-hiring. Recruitment teams and business owners can save time while still effectively and efficiently screening candidates.

Reach out to past employees

Reaching out to employees from previous seasons is a great place to start with the recruitment process. By keeping in touch and keeping records of past seasonal workers you can fill necessary positions with people you already trust. Hiring past employees is also helpful for reducing the number of screening calls and interviews you need to conduct, reducing the burden on hiring teams when high-volume hiring.

Another great idea is to go through the resumes you received last year. Often companies receive more resumes than open positions, and employers might have missed some great candidates. Invite these previous employees to an online job fair and meet them over a video call. Putting a face to a resume is great for determining if a candidate will be the right fit.

Set up a referral program

Often when hiring for seasonal work, businesses have returning employees. If current employees, that you trust, vouch for someone, this can often lead to great hires. A great way to entice your employees to refer or recruit candidates is by offering them some sort of compensation. Referral programs can be anything from monetary rewards, time-off, or a gift. Make sure to set up a referral program well before the season starts! 

Make sure all of your returning seasonal and full-time staff are aware of the program. You might even look to send reminders to them throughout the year.

Build a seamless training program

When seasonal workers are hired for only a short time, they won’t have experience with your business to rely on, and they are often learning on the job. This is why screening and hiring candidates you have had 1-on-1 time with is helpful. When using an online interview platform like Hellohire, you offer yourself a leg up by hiring workers that you have made a human connection with. Video call communications offer hiring teams insight into a candidate’s personality, problem-solving skills, charisma, and more.

Once you have completed your online job fair, screening video calls, speed interviews, and hiring, it’s time to put together an onboarding plan. The onboarding and training process of seasonal employees is often fast-tracked. In order for employees to be set up for success, you must offer them the tools they need. When building a training plan, make sure to consult with your employees. Employees can use their personal experience to ensure nothing is overlooked and seasonal workers can hit the ground running. 

The best high-volume hiring platform

At Hellohire, we offer organizations an easier, more efficient way to bulk-hire a seasonal workforce. Business owners and recruiters can quickly get face-to-face with candidates, sparking a real connection. With pre-recorded and live video options, ranking and referrals, structure questions, and more, Hellohire helps you hire well-suited, culture fits for your organization. Hire people, not resumes.

Ready to simplify your organization’s screening and interviewing process, let us show you how! Get in touch with Hellohire today and we’ll get you set up with a free demo and trial.