Have you thought about hiring more employees for your small business but aren’t sure if you can afford the additional costs? What’s the solution? Many small businesses have found that hiring temporary or seasonal workers saves them both time and money.
“Working with temporary employees provides businesses with a number of benefits,” says Ryan Sutton, a senior regional vice president with the Robert Half staffing agency. “This strategy offers companies the ability to adjust staffing levels as workloads dictate and helps hiring managers tap into a talented candidate pool.”
In addition, hiring temporary employees allows small businesses to evaluate potential employees without a long-term commitment, and to adjust more quickly and easily to workload fluctuations.
Whether you’re looking for a candidate to help with inventory, or a savvy marketing professional that can grow your business, chances are there’s a temporary employee out there with the exact skill set that you’re seeking. Here’s where to find them:
1. Recruiting Through Social Media
Posting a job opening for a temporary position on your Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin pages costs nothing, and offers the possibility of reaching potential candidates who already support your business. Just keep in mind that your social media recruiting efforts should complement rather than replace traditional hiring efforts. While posting job notices on social media may yield more candidates, in-person interviews are still the best way to assess whether a potential employee has good interpersonal skills and can work well with your existing staff.
When Lisa Lillien, creator of the Hungry Girl brand, needed additional assistance at her offices in Encino, California, she turned to Facebook to advertise for a temporary executive assistant and a front-end web developer.
“We have a lot of Facebook fans, and people who are followers are already familiar with our brand and share the posts with others, so we received some great recommendation and hires,” says Lillien, whose staff of 15 work with her on everything from recipe development to marketing her Hungry Girl books and newsletters.
2. Working With a Staffing Firm
“Working with firms like ours can save companies time and money,” Sutton says. “We can help shorten the search process by quickly placing a candidate from our expansive network, which also saves organizations from paying for an extended hiring process. “
As an example, Sutton notes that his firm assists clients by conducting work history evaluations, interviews and reference checks of candidates.
“The result is employers can bring in someone who can contribute immediately,” Sutton says. “With a staffing firm, hiring managers also can quickly address any problems, and the firm will identify a replacement if needed. For small businesses, that often don’t have a human resources department, these services can be invaluable.”
3. Hiring Moms Seeking Flexible Hours
Focus on connecting with employees who are specifically seeking temporary and flexible arrangements. These include retired personnel who already have a pension and health benefits from their former employer, but want to supplement their incomes, stay-at-home moms who are looking to work part-time hours while their children are in school, and high school and college students who are looking for work experience and are available to work evening or seasonal shifts.
For a fee, small businesses can post job openings on May Brooks, a website geared for moms seeking part-time or temporary work. Employers can also connect with moms seeking flexible work arrangements through the International Moms Club. Their site lists local chapters across the country.
4. Finding Students Ready to Enter the Workforce
Students can make the ideal temporary worker since they are looking to gain experience and earn extra money. Contact the employment center at your local high school, community college or university to determine how to advertise openings to students. This is also a good way of finding a temporary employee with a specific skill set such as a marketing graduate who can help to design a marketing plan, or a journalism student who can write copy for your website.
5. Connecting With Retired Personnel
Sites such as Workforce 50 and Retirement Jobs make it easy to connect with retirees who are seeking temporary and flexible work. In addition, many colleges and universities have Emeritus programs for active, older adults and may be able to link your business with retirees seeking part-time work.
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