How to Promote Seasonal Help to Full Time Employee

If you are growing as a leader and have the mission to grow your business, you are most likely the type of leader who is always looking to add great people to your team. 

Great leaders are always chasing after growth because they understand that success is found through learning, evolving, and bettering themselves and those around them. This includes consistently seeking to find teammates who will upgrade their team. 

While seasonal hiring can become a challenge, if done correctly, it can also become the passageway to finding amazing teammates who will take your team to the next level of growth. 

But you must have a vision of what a seasonal teammate could become and a plan for helping them grow once you have decided they are ready to become a full time part of your team. Vision is directly related to clarity so you must be clear on why you want this person on your team and what they can bring to the table that may not be represented currently in the makeup of your team. 

Your plan for development becomes priority once you recognize the attributes this seasonal employee has to offer. Development doesn’t happen by accident. Successful development must be strategic and implemented daily. Development is purposeful and focused. Not allowing room for happenstance or growth by chance. 

But what do you look for in a seasonal employee who you think could become full time? How do you know when it is time to offer the invitation into a full time position? 

Let’s explore the top 3 attributes you want to see in a seasonal employee that show it may be time to develop them further. 

1- This employee takes initiative- event in small tasks

Seasonal employees are often given simple jobs and tasks to help overcome the rush and business that takes place within certain times of the year. Often, businesses will hire seasonal help to take on tasks like gift wrapping, cleaning, greeting, or customer service. Most of these tasks are seemingly small but make a huge impact on your business. Noticing which seasonal teammates take initiative in these small tasks is critical to measuring if they are ready for a full time opportunity. 

Do they go the extra mile when asked to complete a task?

Do they have to be asked to take action or do they make the decision to take action?

Do they take on extra tasks they were not asked to do?

Do they make decisions on their own or wait to be told to do something before they act?

Do they ask inquisitive questions in hopes of learning more?

You want every teammate to take initiative. You’re not a babysitter or a commander. You are the leader of a team and you want your teammates functioning as independently as possible. When a seasonal employee shows signs of true, healthy independence, you must affirm their curiosity with opportunities for growth. 

2- This employee has proven to be dependable

It may seem like an obvious observation, but you want people who show up fully each day. You want teammates who are fully present during the day, ready to work hard, be creative, and give their best. Dependability is much more than being on time and always fulfilling your schedule. Dependability is about giving your best while taking part in building a successful business. Dependability is about focusing on the tasks at hand, being a good teammate, learning and developing to bring out your full potential. 

When a seasonal employee shows this type of dependability, invite them to take part in becoming a full time teammate. 

3- This employee shows awareness in every situation

The greatest risk of hiring seasonal help is they are just that- seasonal. They know this. You know this. Your team knows this. Most likely your customer base knows this. The magic is found in hiring seasonal employees who don’t function as seasonal employees. 

Regardless if someone is working with you 40 hours a week or 5, you need everyone to display a level of awareness that is unmatched. Awareness for their teammates. Awareness for customers. Awareness of products or issues or delays or traffic. Every teammate must have such a high level of awareness that communication happens almost miraculously and without much verbal interaction. 

A great seasonal teammate will have an awareness about them that makes them stand out from the rest. They will notice things taking place, take initiative through action, and ask questions others may not even consider. When a seasonal teammate proves this level of awareness by their work and presence, know that you have found someone who must be on your team moving forward.