Fall Hiring Is Here: How to Prepare for Seasonal Employment

A practical guide for Nevada job seekers with disabilities preparing for the fall and holiday hiring season.

As summer comes to an end, many employers begin preparing for one of the busiest hiring periods of the year. Fall marks the beginning of seasonal hiring for retailers, restaurants, entertainment venues, warehouses, customer service operations, and many other businesses preparing for increased demand during the holiday season.

For job seekers, this creates an opportunity that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Seasonal employment can be much more than a temporary job. It can provide recent work experience, help you develop new skills, strengthen your résumé, build professional references, and sometimes lead to permanent employment.

If you’re considering looking for work this fall, now is the time to prepare.

Why Employers Hire More Workers in the Fall

Many businesses experience a significant increase in customers and workload between fall and the end of the year. Instead of waiting until the holiday rush begins, employers often start recruiting and training seasonal employees weeks or even months in advance.

Depending on the employer, fall hiring may begin as early as September and continue throughout October and November.

Seasonal opportunities are commonly available in industries such as:

• Retail
• Warehousing and fulfillment
• Grocery stores
• Restaurants and food service
• Hotels and hospitality
• Entertainment
• Customer service
• Administrative support
• Delivery and logistics

Even if an employer isn’t advertising a position as “seasonal,” fall can still be a good time to search for work because businesses may be expanding their teams in anticipation of increased demand.

Seasonal Employment Can Be a Stepping Stone

It’s easy to look at a seasonal position and think, “Why apply if the job is only temporary?”

There are several reasons.

For someone entering the workforce, returning after an employment gap, changing industries, or simply trying to gain more experience, a seasonal position can provide an opportunity to establish a recent employment history.

It can also give you the chance to demonstrate skills that are difficult to show on a résumé alone.

Employers get to see your reliability, communication, work ethic, attendance, ability to learn, and how you interact with coworkers and customers.

In that sense, seasonal employment can become an extended job interview.

Some employers retain high-performing seasonal employees after the busy season ends. While permanent employment is never guaranteed, approaching a seasonal position as though it could become permanent can put you in a stronger position if an opportunity becomes available.

Start Preparing Before the Hiring Rush

One of the biggest mistakes job seekers can make is waiting until they see the perfect job posting before getting ready to apply.

Preparing ahead of time allows you to respond quickly when opportunities appear.

Before fall hiring gets into full swing, consider completing the following:

Update Your Résumé

Make sure your contact information, employment history, education, certifications, volunteer experience, and relevant skills are current.

If you haven’t worked recently, don’t automatically assume you have nothing valuable to include. Volunteer work, internships, work-based learning experiences, training programs, and other relevant experiences may demonstrate transferable skills.

Gather Your References

Identify two or three people who can speak positively about your reliability, work habits, skills, or character.

Always ask someone before listing them as a reference, and make sure you have their current contact information.

Know Your Availability

Seasonal employers often place significant value on availability.

Before applying, determine which days and hours you can realistically work. Consider transportation, school, appointments, family responsibilities, and other commitments.

It’s better to provide accurate availability from the beginning than to accept a schedule you can’t consistently maintain.

Practice Interviewing

Seasonal hiring can move quickly. Some employers conduct short interviews and make hiring decisions soon afterward.

Practice answering common questions such as:

• Tell me about yourself.
• Why do you want to work here?
• What is your availability?
• Tell me about a time you worked as part of a team.
• How would you handle a difficult customer?
• Why should we hire you?

You don’t need to memorize perfect answers. The goal is to become comfortable talking about your experience, strengths, and what you can contribute to an employer.

What Employers Look for in Seasonal Employees

You don’t necessarily need years of experience to be a strong seasonal candidate.

During a busy season, employers often need people they can depend on. That makes certain workplace behaviors especially valuable.

Reliability: Arriving on time and consistently reporting for scheduled shifts.

Communication: Asking questions when necessary and communicating appropriately with supervisors and coworkers.

Flexibility: Being willing to learn different tasks or assist where needed.

Teamwork: Working effectively with others during busy periods.

Customer service: Remaining professional and helpful when interacting with customers.

Willingness to learn: Accepting instruction, feedback, and training.

These are examples of what employers often call soft skills. Technical skills can frequently be taught, but strong workplace habits can make an employee stand out.

Consider Transportation Before Accepting a Position

Transportation should be part of your job search strategy, not something you figure out after receiving a job offer.

Before applying for a position, determine whether you can reliably get to and from the workplace for the shifts the employer may require.

If you use public transportation, check whether service is available during early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays.

If you rely on someone else for transportation, discuss your potential work schedule with them ahead of time.

A job may look perfect on paper, but it needs to be realistically accessible for you to maintain employment successfully.

What About Disability Disclosure?

Job seekers with disabilities sometimes wonder whether they are required to tell an employer about their disability during the application or interview process.

In many situations, disability disclosure is a personal decision. A person may choose to disclose a disability when an accommodation is needed during the hiring process or to perform essential functions of the job.

The important thing is to think about what you need to be successful.

A reasonable accommodation is a change or adjustment that can allow a qualified person with a disability to participate in the hiring process or perform their job.

Examples might include changes to how instructions are provided, accessible equipment, certain scheduling modifications, or adjustments to the application or interview process, depending on the individual’s needs and circumstances.

If you’re unfamiliar with workplace accommodations, ESS’s Resource Center article “What Is a Reasonable Accommodation?” provides additional information about how accommodations work in employment.

Don’t Count Yourself Out Before Applying

Job descriptions can sometimes feel intimidating.

You may see a long list of preferred qualifications and assume you aren’t qualified because you don’t meet every item.

Read the posting carefully and pay particular attention to the essential responsibilities of the position.

Ask yourself:

Can I perform the essential functions of this job, with or without a reasonable accommodation?

If the answer is yes, consider applying.

Employers ultimately decide which qualifications are most important to them. Your job is to give them the opportunity to consider you.

Don’t make the hiring decision for them by automatically removing yourself from consideration.

Treat a Seasonal Job Like a Permanent One

If you’re hired for seasonal employment, approach the opportunity professionally from your first day.

Show up on time. Learn the job. Ask appropriate questions. Accept feedback. Help your team. Maintain good attendance. Demonstrate that you’re someone the employer can depend on.

If you’re interested in staying with the company after the seasonal period ends, let your supervisor know.

You don’t need to ask about permanent employment on your first day, but once you’ve established yourself, you can express your interest in continuing with the company if a position becomes available.

Even if the seasonal job ends as scheduled, leaving on good terms can still give you something extremely valuable: experience and a professional reference for your next opportunity.

Fall Hiring Is an Opportunity to Move Forward

You don’t have to know exactly where your career will lead before taking your next step.

A seasonal job might become permanent. It might introduce you to an industry you’ve never considered. It might help you discover what type of work you enjoy. Or it might simply give you recent experience that helps you qualify for the next position.

All of those outcomes have value.

The key is being prepared when opportunities become available.

Update your résumé. Practice interviewing. Determine your availability. Plan your transportation. Think about the support or accommodations you may need. Then start applying.

Fall hiring doesn’t begin when the holidays arrive.

It begins now.

Employment Support Services Can Help

Employment Support Services (ESS) works with individuals with disabilities throughout Nevada to develop workplace skills, gain experience, prepare for employment, and pursue meaningful employment opportunities.

Depending on an individual’s eligibility and authorized services through Nevada Vocational Rehabilitation, employment support may include job development, work experiences, employment preparation, workplace training, job coaching, and other services designed to support successful employment.

If you’re currently working with Nevada Vocational Rehabilitation and are interested in employment services, speak with your Vocational Rehabilitation counselor about the services available to you and whether ESS may be an appropriate provider for your employment goals.

Employment Support Services
Where Ability Meets Opportunity.