Whether your retail business is preparing for the holiday season or the back-to-school rush, the way you approach seasonal hiring can have a big impact on the bottom line.
START EARLY
The early bird gets the worm and the same is true for retailers getting a jump on seasonal and holiday hiring. Getting a head start will help you not only attract the best candidates but also ensure you have enough time to more fully understand the scope of your hiring needs, conduct thorough interviews, and properly train your new team members.
BE CLEAR AND DETAILED IN JOB POSTINGS
Job postings for seasonal and holiday hiring should be as specific as possible about the qualifications required and skills desired. The job description should detail the day-to-day responsibilities of the position. (Check out this blog post for an overview of duties that retail sales associates typically handle.)
It’s also important to highlight that the opening is for a temporary seasonal position. As for timing, include the start and end dates, and if there is an option to extend the engagement or transition to a full-time role.
For seasonal and holiday hiring, it is also critical to be clear about what hours and days these employees will be expected to work, especially if it includes holidays or off-hours. For example, if you need staff to work Thanksgiving night to prep for Black Friday, include that in the job ad. While being expected to work a busy crunch time might seem obvious to you, it may not be as clear to all seasonal job candidates.
Lastly, make sure to include any job perks like discounts or end-of-the-season bonuses.
DON’T SKIMP ON ONBOARDING
One of the most common mistakes a retail business can make is throwing seasonal and holiday hires on the sales floor without proper training. Regardless of their “temporary” status, these workers are representatives of the company. Set them up for success by prioritizing the training and onboarding experience. After all, customers will remember poor service no matter if it comes from your full-time team member or temporary holiday hires.
GIVE SEASONAL EMPLOYEES A REASON TO RETURN
Seasonal and holiday hires should be treated with the same respect and consideration that your full-time staff receives. Ensuring they have a positive work experience can be beneficial in several key ways. Building this relationship can help you re-recruit these same people as regular seasonal hires, and also lead to positive feedback about their employment experience on review sites.
DO AN END-OF-THE-SEASON REVIEW
As you wind up a busy season, consider taking the following steps to continue fostering a positive relationship with your seasonal and holiday hires.
Ask about future availability: This is a great time to find out which hires can come back for other busy seasons. Some workers design their lifestyle around seasonal and temporary work and may be open to returning.
Consider exit interviews: To find out how you can do better next season, consider holding exit interviews with temporary employees to learn more about internal successes and challenges.
Seasonal today, full-time tomorrow: Hiring seasonal and holiday employees is a proven way for companies to discover new talent for future full-time roles. If you find someone you think would make an excellent full-time fit, this end-of-season review could be a good opportunity to gauge their interest.
WORK WITH 24 SEVEN TO HELP WITH YOUR SEASONAL AND HOLIDAY HIRING
24 Seven has more than two decades of staffing in the retail space. Our specialized recruiters can do the legwork for you to help ensure you go into any busy season equipped with the skilled retail talent you need to succeed.
Contact a recruiter today and let us help you build out your seasonal and holiday teams.
This post was updated on October 10, 2023.
