Finding the right applicants to fill seasonal positions can be a challenge. Even with drought, wildfire, hurricanes, and other external factors at play, the America Outdoors 2022 Outfitter Trends Survey showed staffing concerns as the most cited issue of the year. Only 50% of outfitters surveyed said they were adequately staffed to meet demand.
As the industry navigates this challenge, we want to offer some resources to help you expand your search and plan for the 2023 season. Knowing where to post job openings may be an important part of the solution to staffing challenges.
What to pay
Finding the right pay rate for your staff is important for recruitment and retention. Still, as you seek information on pay rate adjustments, we encourage you not to base your strategies solely on the policies or rates of other outfitters. In 2022, we partnered with HR Outfitter to bring you a webinar dedicated to this very topic to show outfitters how they can do their own assessment for pay rate. You can access the HR Outfitter Job Compensation AnalysisTool here.
Once you have decided on what to pay, consider posting the rate or range with each listing if you’re not already doing so. In some states and municipalities, it is the law to list pay, but even if this is not the case where you operate, it may be the right move. 79% of employees say they want pay transparency, and according to John McKinney of HR Outfitter, posts that list pay receive an average of 5x more clicks. Listing the pay range allows candidates to self-select into or out of your job based on this factor (and the others you describe in the listing), which saves both parties time.
Where to Post
Outdoor Industry Job Boards
It is smart to post on job boards specifically for the outdoor industry, though you may still consider some more universal options such as Indeed or LinkedIn to get a wider reach. Below you can find a list of some of the main options for the outdoor industry.
Not all of these will be right for your organization. Some are better for seasonal; others are geared toward full-time jobs in the industry, and they all have their specific audiences. Let us know in the comments which job board works best for you!
Colleges and Universities
Posting job listings on college and university job boards, such as Handshake, can attract new candidates who may not be aware of your company or even the outdoor industry. An even better option is to partner with 1-2 universities with outdoor recreation programs. This is also an excellent opportunity to ‘walk the talk’ of diversifying your staff by reaching out to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) or connecting with the staff in the multicultural center of any university. Be prepared to offer your knowledge to students while you plant a seed of excitement for an outdoor lifestyle. You can see the growing list of HBCUs with outdoor programs at HBCUs Outside.
Your Website and Social Platforms
If you do not already have an employment page on your website, it’s time to fix that. Whether you’re currently hiring or not, this should have content about your company culture year-round, so that curious applicants can learn more about you and apply when available. Learn more about how to communicate your employee value proposition here.
Social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, can also be great places for outdoor recreation companies to post seasonal jobs. Many outfitters use their social platforms to answer questions from potential candidates (use the “ask me anything” feature on Instagram). You can turn the Q&A’s into a reel and even cross-post on Tiktok to reach a wider audience.