One of the biggest challenges a business can face is for keeping things moving during the summer. Well, the dog days are here again, so here is some specific guidance for getting the most out of hiring this season.

1.      Write a Season-Specific Job Description

Like any other job listing, your summer work posting needs to stand out from a ton of other opportunities candidates will be scrolling through. To distinguish your posts, make sure they follow these guidelines:

• Be brief and specific.
• Take advantage of search engine optimization by including keywords commonly associated with summer job listings, such as “temporary,” “part-time,” and, yes, “summer.”
• Be sure to include the physical activities summer jobs typically entail in the job description, such as standing, running, and working outdoors.
• If the seasonal job could turn permanent, note that as well.

2.      Promote Your Posting

Search optimization isn’t just for Google. Place your job postings where you can get the most looks from the most motivated job seekers. Make full use of social media channels. (And don’t forget the hashtags!) If you’re targeting students, be sure to place good, old-fashioned fliers on campus bulletin boards and have a presence at career fairs.

3.      Streamline Your Candidate Evaluation

To make sure you get the most hires as quickly as possible, adopt a trimmed-down timeline for getting candidates screened, interviewed, and onboarded. If you don’t already have an applicant tracking system, look into one to automate and organize your candidate search. Incorporate video interviews to compress your schedule, and consider using a single round instead of gradually narrowing your candidate list.

4.      Make Your Job Offer Ghost-Proof

Before you extend offers to your most promising candidates, be sure to run background checks to eliminate the possibility of unpleasant surprises. Also, review your company guidelines as well as state and federal hiring regulations to make sure you’re compliant. Finally, seal the deal with an enthusiastic offer letter with all the information your candidate needs to get a confident “Yes!”

Trust Arrow Staffing to Do the Heavy Lifting

We help employers throughout the Grand Rapids area and the Inland Empire with their staffing needs. Whether you need summer help or want to boost your year-round recruiting efforts, contact us to learn how we can help.