5 Steps to More Effective Seasonal Hiring

Seasonal hiring doesn’t have to be chaotic. By planning ahead and using smart strategies, you can avoid the last-minute scramble and ensure you have the right people in place when you need them. Whether you’re in tourism & hospitality, construction, or retail—industries that rely heavily on seasonal and temp workers—taking a proactive approach can make all the difference. 

 Why Seasonal Hiring Can Be Challenging 

Seasonal hiring may seem straightforward, but it often comes with its own set of unique challenges: 

• Time Sensitivity: The pressure to fill roles quickly before the peak season hits can lead to rushed decisions, resulting in poor hires. 

• Unpredictable Demand: The demand for temp workers can vary widely from year to year, making it harder to forecast staffing needs accurately. 

• Training Time: Seasonal workers often need to be trained quickly, which means you need a system in place to get them productive faster without sacrificing quality. 

• High Turnover Rates: Seasonal employees are temporary by nature, leading to higher turnover. The challenge is maintaining consistency in performance while managing turnover effectively. 

But don’t worry. Here are 5 steps that can make seasonal hiring much easier and less of a headache. Let’s dive in. 

Seasonal Hiring Tips

1. Start Early—At Least 3-6 Months Before Peak Season 

• Plan ahead—Start hiring at least 3-6 months before peak season. 

• Get a head start on the competition and secure top talent before other companies. 

• Pro Tip: Create a seasonal hiring timeline to track deadlines for recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, and training. Starting early gives you more flexibility if things don’t go according to plan. 

2. Use Data from Past Seasons to Forecast Hiring Needs 

• Analyze past data—Look at previous years’ trends for sales, staffing levels, and peak periods. 

  • Tourism & Hospitality: Review booking trends and guest traffic patterns. 

  • Construction: Assess previous project timelines and labor demands. 

  • Retail: Study sales data from past seasonal rushes. 

• Predict your needs—Forecast accurately to avoid under- or over-staffing. 

• Pro Tip: Break down your historical data into specific timeframes (weekly or daily) to forecast demand more precisely. Don’t forget to consider external factors, like market changes or competitors’ hiring trends. 

3. Leverage AI-Driven Screening Tools 

• Automate resume screening with AI-powered tools that can quickly identify top candidates. 

  • Tourism & Hospitality: Find customer service-oriented candidates with soft skills. 

  • Construction: Identify workers with specific certifications or relevant experience. 

  • Retail: Match candidates with proven sales or inventory management skills. 

• Reduce manual labor—AI tools save time by handling initial candidate assessments and resume reviews. 

• Pro Tip: Look for tools with natural language processing (NLP) features, which analyze resumes and applications for deeper insights—helping you identify hidden talent based on soft skills and industry experience. 

4. Streamline Onboarding for Faster Productivity 

• Simplify the onboarding process—Use automated tools and pre-recorded training materials to get new hires up to speed faster. 

• Ensure quick ramp-up—Design a streamlined process that minimizes paperwork and gets new hires trained and productive in a short amount of time. 

• Pro Tip: Create a checklist for onboarding, covering essential tasks like filling out forms, reviewing company culture, and initial training. Assign a “buddy” to guide the new hire through the process. 

5. Work with a Recruiting Firm That Specializes in High-Volume Hiring 

• Partner with experts—A recruiting firm specializing in high-volume hiring can help you source, screen, and place top seasonal talent quickly. 

• Access pre-vetted talent—A trusted firm already has a network of qualified candidates ready to go. 

• Pro Tip: Choose a firm that can scale with your needs. Make sure they’re flexible and can adapt if your hiring requirements change throughout the season. 

Need Seasonal Talent Without the Hassle? Riverway Can Help. 

At Riverway, we take the stress out of seasonal hiring by connecting businesses in tourism & hospitality, construction, and retail with the right talent—fast. 

• We connect you with top talent – Access a pool of pre-vetted candidates ready to meet your seasonal needs. 

• Skip the grueling hiring process – Let us handle sourcing, screening, and placement so you can focus on other areas of your business. 

• Get candidates to say YES – Our strategies ensure competitive offers and smooth onboarding processes for temp workers. 

• 60-day guarantee – If we don’t find the right fit, we’ll replace them within 60 days—no questions asked. 

Don’t let seasonal hiring overwhelm you. Focus on growing your business while we find the right person for the right job. 

Contact us to learn about how Riverway can help you find top-tier talent today.