Hiring Seasonal Help for the Summer or Ski Season

The season is short and everyone is hiring at once. How to staff it well, and early.

For families who spend a summer by the shore or a winter in the mountains, seasonal staffing is its own discipline. The need is concentrated into a defined window, the competition for good people peaks in that same window, and the logistics, often involving a second home and relocated or temporary staff, differ from year-round hiring. Families who plan for it well are staffed; those who wait scramble.

The first principle is to start early. Because everyone heading to the same resort or shore town is hiring for the same narrow season, the best professionals are spoken for well in advance. For a summer in the Hamptons or on Nantucket, that means engaging help in the late winter or spring; for a ski season in Aspen or the like, it means hiring in the early autumn. Beginning months ahead is the single most important thing a family can do, because seasonal demand is fierce and the supply of excellent local help is thin.

The second is to decide what kind of seasonal arrangement fits. Some families bring their year-round staff with them, which preserves continuity but requires arranging travel, accommodation, and often premium pay for the relocation. Others hire dedicated seasonal staff for the location and the window. Many do a mix, bringing key people and hiring locally for the rest. Each approach has trade-offs in continuity, cost, and complexity, and the right one depends on the family and the home.

The third is to account for the particular demands of the season. Resort seasons are intense, more entertaining, more guests, more activity, longer hours, than ordinary life, so roles should be defined and compensated for that reality. Seasonal compensation often runs at a premium, both because of the demand and because the work is concentrated and temporary, and because professionals are giving up their season to a single family. Accommodation, travel, and the short-term nature of the role all factor into the package.

The fourth is to vet seasonal help to the same standard as permanent staff. The temptation, under time pressure, is to cut corners on screening for a "temporary" hire, but a seasonal nanny or housekeeper has the same access to your home and family as a permanent one. The standard should not drop because the duration is short.

We place seasonal staff and structure these arrangements for families heading to their summer and winter homes, helping them plan early, decide how to staff, and find vetted professionals for the season. The families who treat seasonal staffing as the specialized task it is are the ones who actually relax once they arrive. It is the standard we hold at Nannies + more…® on every search.