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The weather is getting warmer, and so is competition for entry-level workers at Sea-Tac Airport! This spring’s hiring season is the hottest we’ve seen since 9/11, and many applicants are being interviewed by multiple employers for open positions.

While exciting from an economic and employment standpoint, it presents some significant hiring challenges for employers. Here are a couple of ideas to deal with the challenges of hiring qualified employees in a changing market:

Don’t wait for job-seekers to come to you
When competition for new hires heats up, go where the job-seekers are! The Airport Jobs office has interview space both for for one-on-one interviews and a conference room for group interviews of up to 8-10 applicants.

Airport Jobs can also promote “open interview sessions” that keep you busy interviewing while you are scheduled to be in the office. Contact us to reserve your space, as many employers are taking advantage of this opportunity. Reserve at least a week ahead for best results – we’ll have time to promote your jobs to applicants visiting Airport Jobs. (Call Gerrie Neifert at 206-835-7502 for more info.)

Improve your “show-up” rate
Recently we’ve heard from employers that their new hires were not showing up for the next step of their employment process (training, badging, etc.). What gives?

Well, one clue is that when these employers changed from giving verbal-only directions to giving clear and simple written directions, their “show-up rate” increased dramatically!

Airport Jobs has helped a couple of employers write directions that will be clear to all new hires, including those who have English as their second language (ESL). One employer reported, "the information sheet you prepared has proven an excellent tool in helping our folks make it to class and through the hiring process."

Judi Johnson, ESL instructor from South Seattle Community College has been working with airport employers to create easily understandable instructions. Here is a sample any employer can adapt with company-specific information to create a handout that helps new hires take the right steps to start the job.

Judi has also offered to review employer instructions (at no cost) for clarity and usefulness by ESL applicants. She says “sometimes it is just a matter of making a few wording changes” to make the piece more easily understood.

If you would like Judi to review your hiring instructions, just email your document to Ruth Westerbeck, Program Manager at Airport Jobs: westerbeck.r@portseattle.org.

About Airport Jobs
Airport Jobs is a complete job listing and employment information center serving over 100 Sea-Tac Airport and related employers. We have the tools to help you handle your company’s recruitment, selection, training and other human resource needs. Most services are free.

Airport Jobs staff are ready to help your organization with current and future recruitment needs. Contact Ruth Westerbeck (phone: 206-835-7506, email: westerbeck.r@portseattle.org) to take advantage of Airport Jobs Employer Services. Learn more by visiting www.airportjobs.org.