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Where to Find Short-Term Retail Workers

Posted on 11/09 by Erin Helms

Short-term workers represent all demographics and are in all industries. These sales associates work for a pre-determined amount, typically less than three months. Workers like the opportunity to build experience, provide extra income and develop their resumes. Your business gets additional help through your busiest seasons. Here are the reasons you need them and a few tips on how to find them.

Why Your Business Needs Short-Term Retail Workers

The big reason for needing short-term retail workers is to meet surges in customer demand. The high-volume periods typically include: The winter holiday season. The gift-giving season leads to customer demand for products. Back-to-school. Retailers selling apparel, accessories, home goods, and school supplies are in high demand and need help for the back-to-school rush. Valentine’s Day. For this romantic holiday, retailers must stock up on flowers, chocolates, and extra staff to meet the demand. Remember that businesses experience different surges, so consider which products you sell and how events and holidays will impact the demand for merchandise. Then, predict your staffing needs accordingly.

Who Does Short-Term Work and Why Do They Do It?

People have a multitude of reasons for choosing flexible, temporary work. A few common ones include saving money, paying off a loan, earning cash while attending school and flexibility. A worker might be close to retirement and need extra income, or a young person needs flexible work to supplement their income while accommodating their schedule. The workers are typically individuals who want more flexibility in their schedules.

How to Find Short-Term Retail Workers

Start by getting the word out, and when you do, be sure to lay out your scheduling requirements in the job description, as many short-term workers might work multiple jobs. Post your open positions early, especially if you need short-term help for the holiday season. Take full advantage of hiring websites like Indeed, FlexJobs, and ZipRecruiter. Snagajob even has a section for short-term and seasonal work. Your social media profile can help you find talented candidates, so share open roles with your followers. Social media is a terrific way to reconnect with short-term workers you might have previously employed. Employee referrals are always a good idea; these workers will more readily accept your job offer. Ask anyone you know if they know someone looking for temporary work who would be a good fit. Of course, money talks. So consider offering cash bonuses to employees for successful referrals.

A Short-Term Staffing Partner

Perhaps the most effective way to get top-notch short-term talent fast is by partnering with a staffing partner like LaborMAX. The team at LaborMAX is ready to provide you with the short-term retail workers you need, regardless of your location or skill requirements.

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