With the return of seasonal jobs, we have started to think about the impact it has on job seekers. We asked ourselves, what are the key components to finding a temporary role that will warrant a high level of commitment for a short period of time? We’ve come to think it’s a lot to ask for a short duration, but it’s a huge need in the workforce.
According to CBS, there was a huge surge in seasonal employment from the retail industry with 700,000 roles to be filled for just the 2018 December holiday. Meanwhile, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported 25,000 temporary work hires in the government sector as well as signs of temporary jobs speeding up in the administrative and waste services showing 7,000 temp jobs every month in 2018.
There’s a lot of demand for seasonal, temporary and part-time work, so what’s being used today by job seekers to find those open roles?
Thankfully you have us! We did some exploring ourselves to find out key resources during the seasonal job search. Our favorite sites to find seasonal talent span many industries ranging from hospitality, retail, and even temporary positions abroad. We highlight what makes these sites so reliable for job seekers in search of seasonal work.
1. Coolworks.com
The focus of CoolWorks.com is to find you a job closely associated to the hospitality sector. The “cool” thing about that is it takes you to many roles posted by resorts and parks that are sure to bring candidates to stunning locations and environments.
“Jobs in Great Places” – Coolworks
Although the locations are the main eyecatcher for most, Coolworks still aims to deliver more context and detail surrounding each role being posted.
CoolWorks displays the type of job varying from “year-round” and “seasonal”, a perfect feature for the seasonal-work seeker. In addition, icons outline what a candidate can expect at each location in terms of environmental conditions, avoiding any surprised later on. Since the majority of the jobs that CoolWorks provides are in remote locations, they ensure to include an in-depth listing of all accommodations each role would provide for candidates who will be traveling to fill the role.
Take a look at Timothy Ward’s experience in finding an amazing seasonal job using none other than CoolWorks! He goes into detail on how CoolWorks works to accommodate the best seasonal role for any preference. Check out his step-by-step breakdown!
It’s the amount of detail that Coolworks is aiming to provide which makes it one of our favorite resources for finding work. It helps build more interest in the role being posted. More information being shared leads to improving transparency and engagement with candidates during their job search.
2. Backdoorjobs.com
Backdoorjobs.com shares the same values as CoolWorks, which focuses on helping connect job seekers with seasonal roles outside of their normal workplaces. Their motto of “short-term adventures” tells it all.
Beginning with a breakdown of the various “channels” for seasonal jobs, Backdoorjobs.com continues with an in-depth description of the responsibilities set for each role. It’s almost as if every job listing receives a dedicated blog post that discusses each component of the role. What Backdoorjobs.com does well is how they illustrate roles in a more personal way. By including the impact candidates are expected to make and videos to help visualize the environment they will be a part of, the tone is set as if backdoorjobs is an advisor providing a guide of each job.
The in-depth description of how both the job seeker and the role they will provide value entice candidates to be part of something meaningful. Even if the role is temporary, it still means so much to an employer and employee in a short period of time. In best cases, candidates return Backdoorjobs delivers that value through its storytelling style job postings. This goes to show how valuable first impressions are and the impact it has in the long run.
3. Snagajob
Snagajob has grown over the years to become a well-established job board with a mission to center around hourly work. With this comes a larger inventory of seasonal roles ready to be filled just in time for peak temporary hire period.
With a section dedicated to just seasonal jobs, finding a role that matches a candidate’s preference is set in a more targeted environment. In that way, seasonal jobs and seasonal job seekers are found in the same place.
Contrary to the previous sites, Snagajob provides jobs that are closer to home in metropolitan areas. To help the candidate’s job search process, Snagajob provides quick and easy insights about the seasonal workforce. Displaying top seasonal employers, industries and even the amount of roles available in each city.
The simplicity of the Snagajob platform provides a beneficial two-way relationship that helps match the right roles with the right people. By being more specific and categorized, Snagajob makes finding seasonal work focused and efficient.
Main Takeaways
The common theme found around our favorite resources is having as much information about the role upfront. There are two benefits to this: it helps connect with a more specific audience and smooths the onboarding process as candidates are coming in more informed.
The nature of seasonal roles calls for candidates to expect temporary value, resulting in a more demanding job selection process from job seekers. For short term commitment, candidates are evaluating a temporary role is worth and are looking for what best accommodates the situation. With more information given upfront, decisions are more informed and applicants are filtered better based on their responses.
As the recruitment process moves along, more informed candidates set a healthier foundation during the onboarding process.
“Seasonal staff often feel like they are being thrown into the fire on day one, which can trigger a decrease in self-efficacy.” – Harvard Business Review
It goes to show the impact of the initial onboarding steps and its influence on the staff’s morale. To have a more educational initial touch point is a step toward strengthening the seasonal workforce.
Engaging the seasonal workforce requires a different, more direct approach. There’s a need to position other factors of the job as valuable and providing a clear picture of what is to be accomplished and expected during the short commitment. Communicating these roles in a prepared and engaging style is key to recruiting the seasonal workforce.
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Source:
1. BLS, Current Employment Statistic Highlights, August 2019
2. Jennifer Moss, Harvard Business Review, Do Your Seasonal Employees Feel as Valued as They Should?