Scouting Out Seasonal Employees
Bread & Butter, May 2002

During peak times, seasonal employees can be the backbone of a restaurant's work force. According to the National Restaurant Association's 2001 Eating-and-Drinking-Place Summer-Employment Forecast, the restaurant industry is the second-largest creator of seasonal jobs during summer months, ranking only behind the construction industry. Here are some ways to successfully attract temporary employees in time for the busy summer tourist season.

• Recruit online. "We rely on the Internet to connect with people," says Sandra Miller, human-resources manager at the Mount Rainier branch of Guest Services, Inc., in Ashford, Wash., who estimates that about 40 percent of applicants apply online. Miller suggests putting basic information about the job on the Internet, such as housing and salary, and providing a downloadable online application.

• Screen potential employees. Make sure seasonal workers understand the restaurant's expectations before hiring them, says Kris Thompson, director of human resources for Lindblad Expeditions, a passenger-vessel travel company based in Seattle. "You need to give people as much information as possible, especially if the job involves relocating and living in some company-provided facility," she says. "They need to meet the qualifications of the job," says J.B. Bettinger, senior director of human resources for Xanterra Parks and Resorts in Aurora, Colo. "They need to have appropriate English skills to be functional and prior experience working in a national-park setting."

• Look outside the border. International students are a good source of seasonal employment, says Miller. These students come to the United States through a sponsor agency and receive a J-1 Visa, which allows them to work here temporarily. International students also have insurance through their sponsor agency. "We have a lot of international students in entry-level jobs," says Miller. "We can't always count on their English skills, so we move them around as their capabilities improve."

• Provide housing. Xanterra Parks and Resorts provides dormitory-style housing at a reduced cost and meal services to seasonal workers at 12 of its 27 locations across the country.

• Rehire employees. "We send out applications in January to previous staff," says Miller, who says about 20 percent of seasonal employees come back again.