Now Arriving - Your New Summer Staff

It's that time of the year where the big kids head out to their summer jobs. I clearly remember being the Mom Cat as it were when my first round of seasonal employees / driver guides headed to Alaska in the spring of 1999. We all loaded up their stuff into the Gray Line of Seattle motorcoach and shuttled them to SeaTac. As they were saying their goodbyes in their Gray Line of Alaska red coats, I felt like a mom sending her kids off to camp. I hoped that each one would find what they were looking for in Alaska and that nothing bad would happen to them.

The enthusiasm right now on our social network is bubbling over. The countdown timers are mentioned daily. "Two more days left!" "15 days left!" "No fair, I still have month to go." They cannot wait to get to their new jobs and their homes in the parks and other great places.

So, my encouragement to you today is simple. Help them have the best summer job ever! The rewards to them will be great, but the rewards to you for being an employer of choice are greater. So here's a quick checklist of ways to start off on the right foot.

Make a great first impression!

• Smile, smile, smile!
• Know their names and be expecting them just like guests at your resort/ranch, etc.
• Be sure that employee housing is clean and ready for use.
• Hang welcome signs.
• Provide maps so they know where they're going.

Build Your Team

• Have a BBQ so that your new employees get to know their co-workers.
• Provide mentors to those employees who are new to your operation.
• Team them up during orientation.
• Find out what the one thing they want to do is this summer and help them do it.

Help your employees succeed.

• Keep your HR office door open for questions and concerns.
• Help them learn their jobs quickly.
• Buddy check with your employees to see how things are going early on.
• Let them know when they're doing a great job!
• Feedback is important. Encourage it.
• It's normal for people to be nervous when they reach a new place. Help them to feel comfortable by answering their questions and taking care of their needs.

That's enough for now since I know that you have plenty of items on your to-do lists. Treat your new employees well and they'll be champions for your organization in no time. I hear the train whistle now....

Applicants are people too...

At this time of the year, it's likely that employers are seeking anybody to fill their jobs. There are a few types of applicants: those that plan ahead, those that plan way ahead and those that suddenly realize that "Wow. I guess summer is here and I need a job." You may even find people who didn't know that your job opportunity was just the thing that they weren't looking for. As a recruiter, you need to be savvy enough to address all of these types of people and remember that all of them want to be treated with respect, interest and just like a guest in your home, they want to feel cared for.

However, in the seasonal world I know it's tempting to stop recruiting the moment the season starts and when the off season arrives believe that it's time to take a break. But, in order to get the best candidates, not just those who can fog a mirror, it is imperative to always be a recruiter, all of the time. You never know when you might just find that perfect person to work at your lodge, camp, resort, ranch, etc. Good recruiters are recruiting all of the time.

Think of your own life. Doesn't it seem that when you are not necessarily looking for the love of your life, or the perfect job, or finding that place that you can call home, it finds you? Life is all about seeking opportunities and taking some risks, for in doing so you will find your reward.

Be good recruiters. Remember that paper or on-line applications represent people and they simply want to move their lives forward and have some adventures along the way. Don't dash their dreams by not acknowledging their interest. Be thankful. Say hi, write that email, give them a call that says "Thanks for applying!" Of course, you'll find people who aren't qualified for your jobs, but be nice about that too. Move them on to something that suits their skills better or advise them to acquire different skills so they can get that job in the future. Be brave enough to tell someone no. It's a whole lot nicer than letting them float in cyberspace wondering if their application got through in the first place. Be kind.

Successful recruiting campaigns are based upon and supported by recruiters who possess the following mindset. "Who can I meet today? Whose life am I going to change by providing an opportunity to work at my lodge, ranch, resort, etc.?"

Because really, isn't that how you would like to be treated?