This CEO is hiring 10,000 seasonal workers—here's his advice for landing a new job
Seasonal hiring for the holiday rush is in full swing at 1-800-Flowers.com Inc., which recently announced plans to bring in more than 10,000 seasonal associates across its gourmet foods and gift brands. The slate of new roles is up by 25% compared to last year in order to meet new demand posed by pandemic-driven online shopping, CEO Chris McCann tells CNBC Make It, and this year's holiday class will effectively quadruple the company's year-round workforce. The ambitious hiring plans will fill part- and full-time roles in production, gift assembly, customer service and distribution and fulfillment center operations. Openings are primarily in-person jobs on worksites throughout Illinois, Ohio and Oregon. Some work-from-home positions, particularly those in customer service, are available. Here, McCann shares his best tips for getting hired in a seasonal role right now.

Key hiring traits that stand out

Given elevated health risks due to the coronavirus pandemic, McCann says one key characteristic stands out when a candidate is interviewing on location for a new job.

This year, the rules are different, and you have to consider the health and safety of your coworkers as much as you do for yourself. Chris McCann CEO of 1-800-Flowers.com Inc.

"We prioritize health and safety first and foremost," he says. He explains that company facilities abide by social distancing guidelines, require workers wear employer-provided personal protective equipment, and follow health and cleaning procedures intended to minimize the spread of the virus. "This year, the rules are different, and you have to consider the health and safety of your coworkers as much as you do for yourself," McCann says. Job candidates who arrive for an interview ready to support and uphold safety guidelines will stand out: "We want to find people who understand that working environment." In addition to following company rules to maintain the health and safety of the workplace, McCann says he counts on employees who are reliable and work hard. Candidates may stand out if they have a flexible schedule and express interest in overtime work, especially during an unprecedented and unpredictable shopping season. McCann is especially keen to hire applicants who say they'd like to return to the company for future seasonal work, or if they say they hope to join the company on a permanent basis after the holiday rush. "We've been doing this for so long," McCann says, "some people who started in the contact center are now in our legal department, or there are people who started in warehouse operations who are now managers of customer service at our retail stores. Those are stories of how you build a great company, by giving people entry-level opportunities and, once they're inside a company, opportunity to move around." The company says it hires roughly 5% of their seasonal workforce into permanent positions after the holidays.

Competition for e-commerce workers could mean better pay, perks