The 34 Most Creative Seasonal Recruiting Hacks We’ve Seen in 2018
Seasonal hiring is starting earlier than ever. In a candidate market that’s more competitive than ever. So what can you do to differentiate your brand this holiday hiring season and stand out to top seasonal job applicants?
We’ve put together a list of the 34 most creative seasonal employee recruiting hacks we’ve seen so far this year to get you started. From ideas we’ve seen first-hand in Snag to customer suggestions in our Seasonal Hiring Workshop at HourMinds 2018, here’s how other brands are planning to attract seasonal workers and staff up for peak holiday traffic.
34 new ideas for recruiting seasonal workers you’ll want to try this holiday season
Offering signing bonuses up to $1,500
Paying seasonal employees the same day they work
Offering weekly retention bonuses
Partnering with businesses who have seasonal summer employees they’ll be letting go of (water parks, amusement parks, etc.)
Upping pay rates for weekends (and hard-to-fill shifts) during peak weeks
Targeting workers in different industries but similar roles…and offering to cross-train them
Hosting Facebook Live Events (applicant Q&As, showcasing employer brand, live interviews, etc.)
Bypassing ATS and application process altogether with recruiting chatbots
Running a re-engagement campaign to former part-time and seasonal employees
Hiring candidates on the spot (hiring events, phone screens, etc.)—completing paperwork, too
Adding a “day-in-the-life” overview to seasonal position job postings
Running a targeted recruitment campaign or hiring event in early August to jump competitors
Creating a free Snapchat Snapcode to appeal to Gen Z job seekers
Putting tablet devices in stores, so walk-ins can apply on site
Letting candidates self-schedule interviews—42% of employers say it’s the most difficult part
Coordinating a National Hiring Day Event across all corporate/franchised locations
Standing up a recurring “Open Interview” day and time slot for in-store manager interviews
Targeting employees at stricter/zero-tolerance workplaces
Poaching workers from stores that are closing and marketing directly to them
Placing ads/announcements in school newspapers and newsletters
Spreading the word at local church youth groups, in weekly church bulletins, etc.
Setting up a booth at local school events…sporting events, dances, pep rallies, career days, etc.
Adding Text to Apply codes to receipts (+ window clings, weekly flyers, etc.)
Providing work-from-home flexibility for Customer Service-type roles
Running a photo/video competition with current workers to highlight your workplace/culture—bonus points for then using it on your careers site!
Removing assessment and/or background screenings to speed up hiring and reduce drop-off
Allowing seasonal employees to set their own schedules
Giving extra hours/shifts to existing workers first—seasonal employees want hours. More hours=more $$
Using seasonal keywords in job titles and details to easily differentiate them (e.g. holiday, seasonal, etc.)
Punching up the fun/personality in your seasonal posting descriptions
Sponsoring special after-hours events and outings for workers
Clearly calling out job term and hours in seasonal onboarding docs to avoid confusion and turnover
Getting in front of parents with students—they’re thinking about where their child can find a job, too
Using on-demand workers to fill open/understaffed shifts
Start your 2018 seasonal hiring now. No really…right now!
The best seasonal recruiting strategy is an early one. The last few years, we’ve seen our own seasonal posting data on Snag trending more and more toward summer vs. mid-fall. But that’s not the only reason to start early. On top of posting seasonal jobs sooner, it’s also taking employers longer to fill those seasonal positions.
Last year, employers reported it took them 14% longer to fill all of their seasonal job openings.
Need help finding seasonal workers?
Want to set up your own Text to Apply code, targeted recruitment campaigns blitz or test-drive our recruiting chatbot? …Or just want to outsource your staffing up to someone else this season? We can help…let’s chat!
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