Did you know that by Halloween, you should have your holiday hiring in place?  Even seasonal employees need a few weeks to get settled in and become familiar with your store, merchandise and procedures.  But don’t panic — in this economy, you should be able to find qualified candidates eager to work.

The key is to offer flexible but predictable scheduling.  If you know in advance what the basic hours will be, you can advertise for someone who is specifically available during those times.  We use Craig’s List for all of our job postings.  We list the shifts we’re hiring for in the ad, and require that all applications be in person.

In addition to Craig’s List, we use signs in the store and mentions on our Facebook page and e-mail advertising to promote any openings we have.  The customers who know and love our shop (or are friends with someone who works there already) usually make great employees.

When a candidate stops in, they are given a two-page job application along with a half page form — laminated so that we can give it to the next candidate as well — describing the job, the specific hours, the opportunities for additional shifts, and the salary.  That way no one fills in an application without knowing exactly what they are applying for.

Since a very high percentage of seasonal employees are either in school or working another job, we know it is important to establish in advance that the schedule will fit with their other commitments. But flexibility is also key, because students need to take finals, and parents need to attend holiday programs at school. Be clear at the time of hiring about work on Christmas Eve and the week after Christmas — and also when the job is likely to end.

Retail salaries are not usually very high, so keep in mind that an attractive employee discount serves as great incentive. We do ask that employees not spend more than they make at our store, and we also over a slightly deeper discount to seasonal workers than to year-round staff.

A number of our seasonal workers have ended up joining our staff year-round. The holiday months end up serving as a trial period of employment, and if the relationship works well, we are all for continuing it!

Happy Retailing,

Carol “Orange” Schroeder