Recommendations for Seasonal Employees

Seasonal employees must be able to demonstrate the value in their skills in a way that people outside of their industry can easily understand.  If your chosen career is seasonal in nature or you’ve had a few seasonal assignments, follow these tips to enhance your ability to work year round.

Identify the competency behind the task:

• It is important to identify the actual task performed on the job, since that is what is listed on the resume.  However, don’t stop there! You’ll want to identify the competencies that enabled the execution of those tasks. If the task was answering customer service calls, the competencies might include attentive listening, self control, communication and compliance. Those competencies have relevance for a much wider range of positions.

Plan ahead:

• If you know your position is seasonal or temporary, it’s never too early to start thinking about your next assignment.  Discuss future plans with your employer and make sure they are aware if you’d like to be considered for re-hire in the future. If you’re working with an agency, discuss your hopes and intentions for employment at the end of the assignment.

Research:

• When does the company or industry you’re interested in start hiring for their busy season? Do they have a history of offering seasonal employees longer term positions?

Get help!

• It’s not unusual for a company who frequently uses seasonal or temporary employees to get help from a staffing company. Contact your local Snelling office to see what opportunities are a fit for you!

How has seasonal employment impacted your career? Post in the comments, and let’s talk about it!