Interviewing Seasonal Staff: Dos and Don’ts

‘Tis the season…for hiring temporary workers!

With the holidays approaching, many businesses will be looking to beef up their workforce, particularly in the retail industry. It’s not uncommon for big box retailers and small shops alike to hire extra helping hands to serve the influx of customers looking to fill the space under their trees.

When you begin the process of hiring seasonal employees, you’ll need to ensure you’re well prepared. Here are some dos and don’ts for interviewing and hiring seasonal workers!

The Dos of Interviewing Seasonal Staff

1. Understand Why You Need Seasonal Help

Make sure you have clearly outlined what you will need your seasonal workers to do. Have a good idea in your mind of what your needs are, what your current staff is already doing, and where they may need extra support.

2. Ensure Your Job Description Is as Detailed as Possible

Once you have a better idea of what your seasonal staff will do, it’s time to create your job description and post it. Make sure you have listed everything you expect from people who fill the roles. And don’t forget to mention that the position is seasonal.

3. Fully Explain the Nature of Your Business

Whatever your business does, make sure the candidates know what they are getting into, if heavy lifting will be required, and if they will be working long, late, or early hours.

4. Dedicate More Resources to Hiring the Right People

Depending on how many people you need to hire, you might need all hands on deck to find new seasonal employees. Bring on extra recruiters, use a staffing agency, or ask other employees to help interview candidates.

5. Look for Candidates Who Will Come Back during the Next Busy Season

If your business requires you to hire additional staff during every busy season, give priority to those candidates and seasonal employees who do an exemplary job and encourage them to come back next season.

The Don’ts of Interviewing Seasonal Staff

1. Wait Too Long to Hire

Make sure you allow yourself adequate time to hire, onboard, and train new employees. The hiring process can take a while, especially if your job requirements are very specific.

2. Overlook Their Full-Time Potential

Just because you hire an employee on a seasonal basis doesn’t mean you can’t bring them on full time. Some of the best employees start out as seasonal. If you have room on your staff, be on the lookout for seasonal employees who perform well and go above and beyond for your business.

3. Make the Interview Process Too Arduous

The longer your interview process takes, the more it eats into your busy season. Our advice? Make sure you have the full-time resources to interview, vet, and onboard your seasonal workers.

4. Assume Their Schedule Is Flexible

Some seasonal employees have multiple jobs, so they may not be fully available during all the times you need them. Gather availability from all candidates and existing employees to determine where the gaps are and give priority to candidates whose availability aligns with your needs.

5. Neglect to Onboard and Train Them

The importance of thorough training and onboarding cannot be overstated. If you want your seasonal employees to succeed, set them up for success and make sure they understand exactly how to perform their job duties. For example, if you hire people to run the register at your store, you must train them to use your point-of-sale system correctly.

Sample Interview Questions for Seasonal Candidates

Now that you know how to interview for seasonal help, here are some sample interview questions to ask your candidates:

Walk me through your relevant experience.
Can you describe a previous seasonal position you held and how it prepared you for this role?
How do you adapt to fast-paced, seasonal work environments?
What is your approach to helping customers?
What is your availability during the busy season?
Will you be able to work holidays (if applicable)?
What are your plans for after the busy season is over?

How to Handle Seasonal Offboarding

An effective onboarding process is key to setting your seasonal workers up for success, but don’t forget about the offboarding process!

Be clear with your seasonal employees about when they can expect their employment to end. Set aside time to perform an exit interview and gather feedback from them about their experience with your business. And most of all, if you so wish, encourage them to come back next year.

Success with Seasonal Staff

Seasonal workers can make your business run more smoothly throughout your busy periods, no matter when that is. Following these dos and don’ts can help you ensure a seamless experience for everyone involved.