How to hire a seasonal helper

How to hire a seasonal helper, step by step

Here's a step-by-step seasonal helper hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a seasonal helper job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new seasonal helper
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your seasonal helper job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a seasonal helper for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A seasonal helper's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, seasonal helpers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of seasonal helpers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Seasonal Helper	Description	Hourly rate
   Seasonal Helper	Hand laborers and material movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials. Others feed or remove material to and from machines, clean vehicles, pick up unwanted household goods, and pack materials for moving.	$11-17
   Loader/Unloader	A loader's responsibilities regularly involve manual work such as lifting and transporting objects to vehicles like trucks and vans. The tasks of a loader may also include operating various kinds of machines, maintain accurate documentation and inventory, sort and organize goods while examining their quality and quantity, and devise strategies on how to expand space capacity... Show more	$12-18
   Warehouseman	A warehouseman or warehouse worker is the person who assists with the inventory, shipping, and receiving of items in warehouses. Warehousemen receive and process incoming materials and stocks, along with picking and filling orders from the store... Show more	$14-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cleanliness
   • Customer Service
   • Seasonal Help
   • Mowing
   • Safety Procedures
   • Sales Floor
   • Flower Beds
   • Seasonal Position
   • Hand Trucks
   • Package Delivery
   • Groceries
   • POS
   • Food Preparation
   • GPS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Used RF to keep track of merchandise inventory.
   • Handle and run equipment such as lawn mowers, weed whackers and chain saws.
   • Used commercial grade weeders, blowers, tractors, mowers, and other types of equipment.
   • Provide a welcoming experience for customers by greeting and assisting customers as they wait to visit Santa.
   • Used the DIAD scanning system to record and transit data pertaining but not limit to package deliveries and movement.
   • Maintain cleanliness of multiple bathroom/shower buildings.

   More seasonal helper duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your seasonal helper job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A seasonal helper salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a seasonal helper in Mississippi may be lower than in California, and an entry-level seasonal helper usually earns less than a senior-level seasonal helper. Additionally, a seasonal helper with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average seasonal helper salary

   $14.20hourly

   $29,538 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level seasonal helper salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average seasonal helper salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$34,714	$17
   2	Colorado	$31,121	$15
   3	New York	$30,566	$15
   4	Texas	$29,195	$14
   5	New Jersey	$28,796	$14
   6	Virginia	$28,190	$14
   7	Oklahoma	$27,895	$13
   8	Maryland	$27,027	$13
   9	Georgia	$26,027	$13
   10	Illinois	$24,711	$12
   11	North Carolina	$24,237	$12
   12	Florida	$23,945	$12
   13	Ohio	$23,692	$11
   14	Louisiana	$22,397	$11
   15	Puerto Rico	$17,202	$8

   Average seasonal helper salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Bunge	$37,311	$17.94
   2	Ferrellgas	$37,162	$17.87	1
   3	Medline	$36,425	$17.51
   4	Flex-N-Gate	$34,974	$16.81	2
   5	Metal Technologies	$33,078	$15.90
   6	Green Mountain Coffee Roasters	$33,020	$15.88
   7	Conagra Brands	$32,155	$15.46
   8	Nestlé	$31,554	$15.17	12
   9	MSG Entertainment	$31,373	$15.08
   10	Shentel	$31,091	$14.95
   11	Parr Lumber	$30,932	$14.87
   12	Stahls' Transfer Express	$30,804	$14.81
   13	Town of Truckee	$30,793	$14.80
   14	Wells Enterprises	$30,671	$14.75
   15	Adams 12 Five Star Schools	$30,642	$14.73
   16	Kelly Services	$30,419	$14.62
   17	Anderson Hay & Grain	$30,109	$14.48
   18	First Realty Management	$29,992	$14.42
   19	The Andersons	$29,914	$14.38
   20	Silver Eagle Distributors Houston	$29,669	$14.26

4. Writing a seasonal helper job description

   A good seasonal helper job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a seasonal helper job description:

   Seasonal helper job description example

   • Competitive Pay
   • Flexible Scheduling
   • Instant access to earned wages with PayActiv
   • Bonus earning opportunities
   • Growth potential opportunities
   • Employee Discount at Bloomingdale's & Macy's Stores

   About:
   
   Bloomingdale's is like no other store in the word and as we approach our 150th anniversary, we strive to continue that promise. As a global leader in the industry, we make fashion personal and fun, aspirational, yet approachable and are fueled by the power of relationships both with our customers and colleagues. As America's only full-line, omni-channel upscale retailer, we drive the customer experience through leveraging the creative energy and style know-how of our department and outlet store teams, or through visual inspiration on Bloomingdales.com.

   Job Overview:

   The Seasonal Administrative Support Colleague (SASC) supports the Manager Business Administration (MBA) and the Colleague/Customer Experience, executes store administrative functions and supports the People Strategy. The SASC is both customer and colleague facing and has responsibility for providing a great customer experience and delivering high touch organization and communication skills that support total store and HR initiatives and functions.

   Essential Functions:

   SUPPORTS THE MBA AND THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

   • Provide an exceptional customer experience by ensuring both the in-store and online customers are always the top priority. Service customers who visit the Executive Office / Store Manager office for assistance. • Respond and address customer concerns quickly • Floor present as needed to support store

   SUPPORTS STORE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS

   • Support Cash Office functions • Assist GM, MBA and ASCs as needed

   SUPPORTS THE PEOPLE STRATEGY

   • Assists store management in sourcing applicants through online resources and in-store referral program • Oversees candidate management process including recruiting, hiring, candidate correspondence, and coordination of onboarding • Retains documents through Imaging Documenting System and in-store hires

   Qualifications and Competencies:

   High Scool Diploma or equivalent required

   1-2 years related experience

   • Effectively communicate and present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, and all levels of internal and external business partners

   • Ability to effectively plan and execute strategies

   • Ability to monitor and maneuver workflow to achieve priorities

   • Ability to work a flexible schedule with retail hours, including day, evening, weekends, and/or holidays

   Physical Requirements:

   • Requires periods of walking, standing, hearing, talking, reaching with extended arms, crouching and climbing ladders

   • Frequent use of computers and other office equipment

   • Requires close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus

   • Frequently lift/move up to 25 lbs.

   STORES00

   HRCOM00

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right seasonal helper for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with seasonal helpers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit seasonal helpers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your seasonal helper job on Zippia to find and recruit seasonal helper candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit seasonal helpers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new seasonal helper

   Once you've found the seasonal helper candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new seasonal helper first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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