Winejobs

Seasonal employment should be tackled in much the same way as any other hiring process but getting it wrong can prove expensive and, more critically, negative on the business.

Finding people who have the abilities to perform the required tasks and the personality traits to fit well with the values of senior management and the culture of the organisation can be a daunting task.

It becomes even more challenging when this period, such is the case during Vintage, is the busiest time of the organisation’s year.

There is little time to make up for employing the wrong person in a short-term role.

Thus you must get everything right from the start to ensure the best candidate is hired.

Prior planning is vital to achieving the desired results.

Basic steps can aid employers here in preparing to enter the jobs market with a vacancy.

• Determine both the tasks that will be performed by the seasonal employees and the abilities, personality traits and values they must possess to be successful in the role.
• Identify the selection tools required, from the job ad to assessing applications to undertaking tests or role play techniques that fit the job to interviewing candidates.
• Utilise the organisation’s management or key personnel to assist in the screening process and final analysis towards presenting an offer to the desired applicant.

Throughout this process it is important to give credence to a set level of standards and credentials that are required for the advertised position.

Ensure all candidates adhere to the same approach and questioning but at all times just keep it simple.

The earlier an organisation can begin its talent search will encourage better results as well.

With the Vintage period primarily taking in the months of January to April, one should consider starting their recruitment process in August or September of the previous year, should they know a specific role will require filling.

However, this process could also draw well into December – it is never really too late to seek out employees for an upcoming Vintage.

Consideration of past staff members could also prove invaluable while these may be the people the vineyard or winery turn to when a full-time or longer term vacancy arises.

Those who have had a positive experience within your organisation previously make any transition much easier.

You know them, they know you – it normally works well for everyone.

Remember though, your seasonal employees will play a crucial role in the success of your business, particularly within businesses that are impacted heavily by the specific time of the year as is the case here in the wine industry.

Vintage employees, just as much as long term staff, represent your brand and this cannot afford to be affected by undesirable outcomes.

Therefore, advanced planning, a stringent hiring process and a genuine investment in the organisation’s seasonal employees can make a tremendous difference.

Don’t leave candidates in the dark when applying for an advertised position. If your job ad is only describing the role in question, you are not giving the candidate the full story.

When candidates are applying for a role, they are also applying to join a community. What does that community look like and is it a right fit for them?

Here are three tips when preparing job ads that will help you attract the right candidates:

Graphics and language

Your logo and any unique graphics give the jobseeker the feeling that your company is important.

The way your company looks on the internet can affect the attitude of the seeker looking at your posting.

Accentuate your company’s personality and image through use of language and images so that the job seeker gets a true feel of the culture of your organisation.

Employee testimonials

If the job site where you are posting your employment ad has a video option, this is a great opportunity for getting employees to talk about why they enjoy working at the organisation. It reassures the candidate that the company is looking after its staff and puts a face to the business name. Written staff testimonials on the company description is another option where videos are not possible.

Sell your company

The section of your job posting that describes your company is a great selling opportunity. It should explain why your company is a great place to work and why it is becoming even better. Include your company’s mission / vision statement here and other selling points that you believe would be important to prospective candidates – eg career advancement, training, company growth.

For more useful articles on everything employment, visit our article archives at https://www.winejobs.com.au/knowledge_centre

By Elizabeth Bouzoudis

Employment Crossing outlines key elements that can make your job postings more successful by making them more exciting to job seekers.

Source: http://www.employmentcrossing.com/

Graphic Appeal

The Internet is a graphic medium. Sometimes, we in the HR business do not always remember the impact that the simple page layout can have on job seekers. And it is different than the newspaper business.

Include your logo wherever you can. Your logo and any unique graphics give the jobseeker the feeling that your company is important. It may sound superficial, but the way your company looks on the Net will affect the attitude of the seeker looking at your posting. Accentuate your company’s personality and image and maintain the “look and feel” that reflects the culture of your company.

Make the copy look appealing. Long paragraphs or lists that have too many entries are harder to read, especially at a computer monitor. You have the ability to include as much information as you need, but break it up in a way that is eye-catching, and make it easy for the jobseeker to find the most important elements of your job.

Some of our customers actually have a graphic artist help them out. While that may be a little extreme, the idea is that image is important.

Sell Your Company

It is easy to assume that everyone is completely familiar with you and your operation. Frequently, that isn’t true, and even when a seeker knows your name, they don’t really know what makes your company tick.

The company description quickly becomes boilerplate, copied from one posting to the next. That is probably okay, but every once in a while, it pays to take a close look at how you present your company’s unique nature. What are the key elements that a jobseeker finds out from your Internet job posting?

The section of your job posting that describes your company is a great selling opportunity. It should explain why your company is a great place to work and why it is becoming even better. Try answering at least some of the following questions:

• What are your main products and services?
• What distinguishes your company from the competition?
• What are your likely sources of growth and prosperity?
• How long do people stay at your company?
• How does this job relate to your company’s future?
• What are your company’s goals?
• What about in-house career advancement and training?
• Do you have new products or services?
• Are you growing?
• What achievements are a special source of pride to your company?

You can think of more, but you get the idea-set yourself apart. Make your company special and tell the jobseeker all about it.

Sell Your Community

I remember an old song lyric that went, “eight hours to work, eight hours to sleep, and eight hours to play.” While long hours and commuting may cut into that play time, the place where your employees live is important. You can also include one more line in your job description, and that line can tell the jobseeker what it is like to live in your neighborhood.

Community events, local websites, and anything else that makes you, your company, and your community attractive to the jobseeker is not only fair game, it helps you land the perfect applicant.

The bottom line is this: HR has evolved into a marketing function. Selling the right jobseeker is the key to your success.