Dr John Sullivan Talent Management Thought Leadership
How often have you heard the “I wish we could stay here” phrase while you were on a vacation trip?
Well, if your company has retail locations throughout the US, offers remote jobs, or has jobs that happen to be close to popular vacation areas, you have an opportunity this summer to practice what I call “Vacation Area Recruiting” (or VAR).
This is where you actively recruit targets while they are on vacation in recreational areas where you have open jobs. And because they will be so grateful for this opportunity to fulfill a dream. You will get fully engaged candidates that, if hired, may stay forever! So this summer, your recruiting message in these vacation areas should make it clear to “dreamer applicants” that…
“Yes, we can make it possible for you to live and work in this highly desirable vacation area.”
What Are The Vacation Areas Where Candidates Want To Live?
Most companies try to sell their recruiting targets by bragging about core factors like pay, career growth, job security, and/or great products. However, there is one extremely powerful attraction factor that, in the eyes of one of these dreamer applicants, can by itself “transform a good job into a great one.”
I label that attraction factor the “vacation area dream.” So many vacationers literally dream and vocalize out loud that someday they might be able to live and work in a cherished vacation area. And fortunately for individual companies, it turns out that there are a large number of compelling vacation areas in the US where they also have a large number of open jobs.
These compelling vacation areas can include whole states like Hawaii and Florida. And unique major cities like San Francisco, New Orleans, Las Vegas, and New York. As well as major outdoor recreation areas, including mountains, beaches, and even theme-park cities like Orlando.
Just Why Living/Working In A Vacation Area Is So Compelling
There are multiple reasons why an opportunity to work in a dreamy vacation area might trump the more traditional job attraction factors of pay, security, and opportunity. Those powerful attraction factors include:
Summer is when many consider changing jobs – including leaders, you should start out by realizing that summer is a primary time for making career decisions. For example, in 2024, August had the most job applicants of any month that entire year. And job switching is common during these summer months because school is out. More families become more open to considering a job change and/or relocating to a new area. And for new empty nest families, their breadwinner becomes dramatically more open to relocation when their last kid is preparing to go off to college. Another attraction factor is after taking a vacation break from work. Many returning employees will be dreading having to return to the same old drudgery. And that will make them more open to considering one of your jobs in the vacation area that they just visited.
A chance to live closer to family – the driving factor behind 61% of all family vacations is to visit family or friends. So if you have an open job close to where your target’s family lives, you are almost guaranteed to get the attention of these “want to be closer to their family” candidates.
Improved quality of life and health – Many who live and work in crowded and hectic metropolitan areas dream of improving the quality of their life. By moving to less hectic and slower-paced areas with easier access to recreational and leisure activities. Many also believe that a move to one of these vacation areas will improve their health and wellness, and it may even lengthen their life.
Much better weather – because of recent environmental changes, many who now live in sweltering and storm-ravaged areas are becoming ready to give up on their current location. So if you have jobs in areas with consistently pleasant weather, where employees and their families can spend more time outdoors, you should be actively recruiting vacationers.
A lower cost-of-living may be possible – given the current combination of an affordability crisis and high gas prices. Many more employees will be willing to consider relocating to a vacation area where the cost of living is markedly lower. And that might include considering a move to no-income-tax states like Florida, Texas, Nevada, and Tennessee. Moving to a lower-cost state may improve the chances that middle-aged employees will be able to adequately save for their retirement.
It’s an opportunity to preview potential retirement areas – employees who are beginning to think about their retirement. In many cases, they may choose to vacation in an area that is already on their list of potential retirement areas. And if they really like the location, they will be much more open to accepting their last job before retirement in the area.
Off-seasons while locals fully enjoy the less crowded months – because vacation areas themselves can sometimes be crowded. Those who are moving there should realize that most vacation areas have long offseasons. And these long offseasons give locals plenty of time to avoid the vacationing crowds.
Implementation Steps – For Vacation Area Recruiting
For those who are seriously considering implementing a Vacation Area Recruiting effort. Here are some tips and action steps that you should consider.
– First, you must get the attention of those taking their vacations – Obviously, getting busy vacationers to devote any time to a job search can be challenging. Start by letting potential candidates know, before they leave, about your vacation area hiring opportunity. Advertise on the websites and podcasts that focus on the vacation area where you have open jobs. Those prior to leaving preparation sites can include those that focus on rental cars, major hotels, and vacation area activities and tours. And for those that will be flying in, your first opportunity to get their attention will be advertisements in airport departure areas. After they arrive, be sure to advertise in airport exit corridors and near rental car desks, baggage areas, and in cabs. And of course near hotel check-ins. And for those who are driving the family car to your vacation area. Consider placing your ads at highway rest stops. As well as advertising your job efforts on billboards near major hotels, amusement parks, and recreational attractions. Finally, it may also be wise to advertise on tour/sightseeing buses and at gas stations.
– Next you must make it extremely easy for them to interview – because your candidates are on vacation, you need to respect their time. So whenever possible, utilize telephone or Zoom interviews. Also consider parking an RV near busy walking areas, where you can interview and meet candidates face-to-face. Finally, consider offering those who interview a small reward for finding the time to interview during their hectic vacation.
– You may not always have to pay for relocation – it would be helpful if you could help pay for a candidate’s relocation to this vacation area. But you might be surprised to learn that this won’t always be necessary. Because sometimes this move to such a highly desirable location will be so compelling to the candidate.
– Vacation areas with lots of open jobs will be the most compelling – because today it’s common to have dual-income families. A job discussion that reveals that the area has a large number of open jobs for spouses will make your job easier to sell.
– Any change in location will need to pass muster with your kids – for your recruiting targets who have a modern family. You should assume that their kids will influence (and likely resist) any final relocation decision. You can make the kids more supportive by highlighting the local fun sites that are now quite close. As well as the fact that they can play outside all year.
– Contact candidates again after their vacation – some who apply for your vacation area jobs might not be willing to participate in an interview during their rushed vacation. So make it a standard practice to have a recruiter contact the best unavailable candidates within a month of their return from vacation. Because after a short delay, their return to work may have completely improved their interest level.
– Add all top candidates to your talent pipeline – because their interest in living in a vacation area isn’t likely to fade over time. It’s wise to place all of your qualified candidates in your talent pipeline. So that you can keep them informed about your company and its current vacation area job openings.
– Put together an FAQ list – after you get some experience in interviewing and hiring talent into a particular vacation area. Compile a list of frequently asked questions and answers that applicants can review during their free time.
Final Thoughts
For years, I have been writing about the importance of timing in recruiting. And how best or right time recruiting can dramatically improve your recruiting results. This timing strategy emphasizes recruiting when the labor supply is above average in size, and the competition for talent is low.
This means that, in the case of Vacation Area Recruiting, during the summer months of July and August, when applications are high. Competition is low because most recruiters and hiring managers are barely active. Recruiting leaders and hiring managers also need to realize that vacation area recruiting has many benefits. The most important of them being that it gives your company a competitive advantage in recruiting (because few corporations practice it). And because it provides you with grateful candidates who, after hiring, are likely to stay with you a long time.
Thank you for taking the time to read and share this article.
Notes for the reader
This is the latest article from Dr. Sullivan, who was called “the Michael Jordan of Hiring” by Fast Company.
You can subscribe to his Aggressive Talent Management newsletter (which focuses on recruiting tools, current recruiting opportunities, and recruiting trends). Either here or by following him on LinkedIn.
