From chaos to quick clarity: Seasonal hiring made simple

For many the summer season means vacations, slower life (maybe not in TA), and sunshine. The idea of preparing for holiday hiring? Already?!

Last year, according to MSN, “Employers across the country added 12,000 jobs in October… after adding more than 200,000 in September.”

Which means the time is here to start getting your plan in place to tackle your high-volume, hourly holiday hiring, and we promise the plan isn’t as hard to implement as that tongue-twister is to say.

The name of the game is speed, scale, and quality. Here’s your playbook for tackling this year’s seasonal hiring challenges.

Hire smarter this season 

Seasonal hiring doesn’t have to feel like a sprint that sacrifices quality for speed. Every year, recruiting teams face the same challenge: high application volumes, tight timelines, and the risk of turnover when quick hires don’t stick.

With Hirevue’s Talent Engagement Agent, you don’t have to choose between speed and quality hires. Powered by conversational AI and backed by behavioral science, our agent engages candidates naturally, guiding them through applications with real conversations—not robotic scripts.

The result? A hiring process that’s faster, more human, and better at surfacing talent that stays through the season.

• Speed at scale: Handle surges in applications without adding recruiter bottlenecks and feed candidates directly into your ATS.
• Quality matches: Connect candidates to the right-fit roles using proven science, reducing costly turnover.
• Better candidate experience: Keep applicants engaged with dynamic, personalized conversations that reflect your brand.

Give a glimpse into a day on the job

As businesses ramp up for peak seasons, finding the right candidate quickly and retaining them through the busy period can be a challenge. The Virtual Job Tryout® (VJT) offers a high-impact solution for seasonal hiring by combining realistic job previews, data-driven assessment, and an enhanced candidate experience.

The assessment immerses candidates in job-related tasks, giving them a true feel for the role before committing. For seasonal roles, often temporary and fast-paced, this clarity helps candidates decide if it’s the right role for them, therefore reducing turnover and keeping recruitment lean and focused.

Walmart created a custom Virtual Job Tryout® assessment for the retail associate role and was able to hire over 400,000 employees within months. 

Read the full case study here.

Reduction in turnover costs, increased retention, and higher performance are especially impactful for short-term staffing bursts like seasonal hiring.

Mobile solutions for fast-moving talent

Your seasonal workers are looking for a role quickly, and your process should be, too. Hirevue solutions are all mobile-friendly and as easy as literally sending a text. 

With Hirevue text engagement, you can even reach out to your past employee database via 1:1 messages or mass campaigns—because who knows your business better than your past employees? 

For brand new potential hires, engage with them and prescreen them via text. It’s easy and effective. 

Your entire process should be quick. A VJT, skills-based assessment, or OnDemand interview? They can complete it on their phone and you can click “send offer” in as quickly as 24 hours. 

Your tech reflects your employer values

Hourly hiring teams are faced with a unique challenge: many of your candidates are also your customers so creating a positive candidate experience is crucial. You want to maintain your customer base even if candidates aren’t hired. 

Your solutions reflect your brand and how you value your employees. Fast, flexible solutions show you value their time and respect them as people first. 

For example, Walmart’s implementation of that custom Retail Associate VJT led to a 95% completion rate and nearly universal candidate satisfaction. Happy candidates not only convert better, but they may also recommend your brand to others.

This holiday season, don’t settle for rushed hiring that leads to empty shifts and frustrated teams. With Hirevue, you’ll have the power to hire quickly, confidently, and elevate your brand in the process.

Request a demo or take a self-guided tour here.