The seasonal hiring guide

When to start seasonal hiring

The most common seasonal hiring mistake is starting too late. Seasonal workers, especially students, line up their jobs weeks in advance, and the best returning employees get snapped up by whoever asks first. Work backward from your opening day:

For short seasons like a six-weekend fall festival or a holiday tree lot, compress this timeline but keep the order. Paperwork and training should never happen on your busiest day.

How many seasonal employees to hire

Build your headcount from the ground up, starting with your busiest day:

1. List every position you need on a peak day, like parking, admissions, concessions, attractions, retail and cleanup.
2. Count people per position per shift on that peak day.
3. Count shifts per week each employee can realistically work. Students might work two or three, retirees four or five.
4. Add a buffer of 20 to 30 percent for callouts, limited availability and people who leave mid-season.

For example, if your busiest Saturday needs 40 people across all positions and most of your staff work two days a week, you need enough people to cover every busy day, then 20 to 30 percent more on top. Teams in August are a natural way to organize this: one team per department, each with its own positions and schedule.

Write job listings seasonal workers respond to

Seasonal applicants are often scrolling on their phones and comparing a few options. A good listing answers their questions quickly:

• Dates and schedule. When the season runs, which days are busiest, and the minimum availability you need.
• Pay. Include the hourly rate or range. Listings with pay get more applicants.
• What the job is actually like. Outdoors, on your feet, in costume, working with kids? Say so.
• Age requirements. If a role requires someone to be 16 or 18 and up, state it.
• Why it's fun. Seasonal jobs are a chance to work somewhere memorable. Lean into the perks: employee discounts, free admission for family, end-of-season parties.

Keep your application short. Ask only what you need to decide whether to interview someone. In August ATS, you can add multiple choice availability questions and a file upload for anything like a certification.

Where to find seasonal workers

• Last season's team. Your best source by far. They know the job and you know them. Reach out before you post publicly.
• Employee referrals. Ask returning staff to bring friends. Many operators offer a small referral bonus after the new hire works a set number of shifts.
• High schools and colleges. Contact career counselors, post in student job boards and attend job fairs.
• Your own website and social media. Embed your careers page on your website and share your application link on social media and in your email newsletter.
• On-site signage. Your guests are often your future employees. Put a QR code linking to your application at your entrance and register.
• Local community groups. Retiree groups, churches, homeschool groups and local online groups are great sources of reliable weekend help.

Screen applicants quickly

Speed matters more than perfection in seasonal hiring. An applicant who doesn't hear back in a week has probably taken another job.

• Use a simple pipeline. For example: New, Interview scheduled, Interviewed, Offer sent, Hired, Not selected. Move everyone forward or out within a few days.
• Hold group interviews or casting calls. For high-volume roles like scare actors or concessions, interviewing 10 people at once is efficient and shows you how candidates interact.
• Automate the follow-up. Text applicants an interview invite when they enter a stage, and send a polite text when they aren't selected. August ATS stage automations do this for you.
• Check references for key roles. Automated reference requests make this painless.
• Run background checks where appropriate. Especially for roles working with children or handling cash. Follow applicable laws on disclosure, consent and adverse action, and apply your policy consistently.

Make offers fast

Once you've decided, send the offer the same day. Include the position, pay rate, start date and what happens next. Digital offers that candidates accept from their phone remove the back-and-forth. Set a response deadline of a few days so you can move to your backup candidates if needed.

Onboard before day one

Paperwork on the first day eats into training and makes a poor first impression. Send onboarding to new hires as soon as they accept, so they arrive ready to work. In the U.S., new hires generally need:

• Form I-9. The employee completes Section 1 no later than their first day of work, and the employer completes Section 2, including reviewing identity and work authorization documents, within three business days of the first day.
• Form W-4 for federal tax withholding, plus any state withholding forms.
• Your policies. Handbook acknowledgment, safety policies, uniform or costume agreements, photo releases and anything else specific to your operation.
• Contact and emergency information and a photo so managers can recognize new faces.

With August onboarding, new hires receive a text, fill in their information and e-sign documents on their phone, and you can see who's done at a glance.

Hiring minors

Seasonal businesses employ a lot of teenagers, and child labor rules are strict. Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, 14- and 15-year-olds may generally work no more than 3 hours on a school day, 18 hours in a school week, 8 hours on a non-school day and 40 hours in a non-school week, and only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., extended to 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day. Certain jobs are prohibited for workers under 18, and many states add their own rules and work permit requirements.

Practical tips:

• Ask for date of birth or age range on your application so you can plan schedules.
• Send minor-specific paperwork, like work permits or parental consent forms, only to minors. August onboarding packets can be limited to specific age ranges.
• Build schedules that respect hour limits, especially on school nights.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Employment and child labor laws vary by state, so check with your state labor department or an employment attorney.

Train your seasonal team

• Hold a group orientation covering safety, guest service standards and the layout of your property.
• Use checklists for opening, closing and position-specific tasks so new staff don't have to memorize everything.
• Put resources in their pocket. A mobile resource center with your handbook, maps and short training videos answers questions before they're asked.
• Pair new hires with veterans for their first shift.

Schedule for your peaks

• Collect availability up front and ask for updates before each month.
• Publish schedules at least a week ahead so staff can plan.
• Slightly over-schedule busy days to absorb callouts.
• Use open shifts to fill gaps from the people who want more hours.
• Let staff swap shifts with manager approval, instead of just not showing up.
• Watch the weather and have a plan to text the team if you need to cut or add shifts.

Keep your team through the season

Mid-season turnover is expensive. A few habits make a big difference:

• Communicate constantly. Team group chats and quick text updates make people feel included.
• Recognize great work publicly. Kudos, shout-outs and small rewards go a long way.
• Offer perks like employee discounts, food, or free admission for family.
• Consider a completion bonus for employees who work through the end of the season.
• Pay accurately and on time. A reliable time clock and clean payroll export prevent the frustration of missing hours.

Wrap up and plan next season

• Thank everyone personally and let your best people know you want them back.
• Note who you'd rehire, and keep their information on file.
• Ask for feedback on what would make next season better.
• Review your hours and labor costs by team to plan next year's headcount.
• Next season, rehire returning staff in bulk and send only the paperwork that needs updating.

Seasonal hiring checklist

• Estimate peak-day headcount by position, plus a 20 to 30 percent buffer
• Invite last season's best employees back
• Publish mobile-friendly job listings with pay and dates
• Share your listings on your website, social media, schools and on-site
• Review applicants within a few days and automate follow-ups
• Check references and run background checks where appropriate
• Send digital offers with a response deadline
• Complete I-9, W-4, state forms and policies before day one
• Handle minor-specific paperwork and hour limits
• Run orientation and share checklists and resources
• Collect availability and publish schedules a week ahead
• Set up your time clock and payroll export
• Thank your team and plan rehiring at the end of the season

Common questions