Having trouble hiring extra staff for the summer? If you’ve tried Seek, Careers, and Trademe with no luck, maybe it’s time to think creatively. And remember, while our unemployment rate is low, there are always going to be part-time workers looking for more hours or full-timers looking for a change.

Here are six fresh ways to find new staff:

1. Ask friends and whanau. Advertise to your tribe first — whether it’s via social media, email, or newsletter. Your friends, family, and customer base are already engaged with your business so they might want to work with you or know someone who does.
2. Promote from within. Have you considered whether one of your current staff members could fill the vacancy? Internal promotions are a great way to reward performance and create career paths that bolster employee engagement. Remember to go through the same recruitment process as you would with an external candidate to ensure they’re the right fit.
3. Use Student Job Search. Did you know there are more than 40,000 students nationwide looking for work? Most have finished their exams and are seeking temporary or permanent employment.
4. Jump on social. Since most people use at least one social media platform, it makes sense to leverage these channels to attract and hire new job candidates. LinkedIn is the most popular, but Facebook also has an effective platform for promoting new roles. Make sure your own business Facebook page has relevant, up-to-date content to give potential candidates a true insight into your culture.
5. Facebook groups. Are you a member of your local community Facebook noticeboard? Search for it and post your job advert there. It’s a great way to spread the word because people can tag friends or family who may be interested in the role.
6. Widen the net. The New Kiwis website links skilled migrants living in New Zealand with employers, and Work & Income New Zealand has a free phone service for recruitment.