Hiring Seasonal Staff? Here are my 3 best hiring tips

Over the summer, I wrote an article for Aptos about seasonal hiring. The company reshared it the other day, so I reshared it too. Someone in the comments asked if I had any hiring tips.?

I do, but I rarely share them.

I guess I get all up in my head about how every company is different. I ran stores full of mostly teenage staff, but your staff roster may look very different if you work in home goods or luxury.?

However, this notion is kind of hogwash. I'm calling myself out.?

There are hiring universal tips. There are tips I can give you that may be helpful no matter where you work.?

Here are three.

One - Really listen

Interviews can be awkward, so as interviewers, we do our best to make people feel comfortable so we can really get a sense of who they are. At least, that's what I did.

Once the candidates were slightly comfortable, I tried to listen fully and pick up clues.

People will reveal their traits in ways they may not realize.

They may divulge that they didn't get along with their last boss. If they do, simply ask them to "tell you more." I'd get their side of the story and listen intently.

It's concerning that they didn't get along with their last boss, and they probably shouldn't have shared that with me, but I'm curious why. Did this person not listen to them or advocate for them? Their point of view is valid.

Don't be so quick to write them off. They could be a perfect fit for your team. Or not. But listen.

Two - Ask this question

This is my favorite interview question of all time:

Tell me about a time when you had to bend or break the rules.

Yes, there is a correct answer here. The answer should involve some reason for helping someone else - whether a customer or a friend in need.

To what degree did they break the rules? That's another part of this.

I've heard the best answers to this question, and it quickly reveals who this person is.

One guy told me he took a deposit home & played video games before he went to the bank. (Did not hire him).

Another guy told me his neighbor hired him to watch over his turkey (alive in the backyard), but he was instructed that he didn't need to keep the animal's area clean because they were going to eat the turkey later. (?? I know).

However, the guy ignored the request and kept the turkey's area nice and tidy, so he was comfortable, no matter his future.

You bet I hired that guy.

Three - Yes, attitude is everything

If your internet goes down, and you have to be on the phone trying to fix it - who do you want on your floor explaining the situation & helping customers? Hire that person.

You could even use that scenario in the interview and ask how they would let customers know that the store was experiencing technical issues.

I use that example because it happened all the time at my store. Every time I had to be in the office, standing on a folding chair, messing with the internet, with IT on speakerphone, I'd think,

Wow! Thank my lucky stars I have _____ on the floor right now!

Attitude matters.

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Hey, I’m Kit. ??????

I’m a retail leader turned writer.

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This article was originally published in Retail Renegades in October 2024.