When it comes to holiday hires, the most significant indicator of success or failure is a candidate’s fit. As companies hire for the immediate short-term in the fourth quarter, staying cognizant of this is crucial, as the necessity for new staff members to adapt quickly to company culture and begin meeting expectations is a time-sensitive matter. To determine which candidates have the “right stuff” to make it as seasonal workers in your firm, consider using a combination of new technology and traditional evaluation methods to assist in your temporary staffing endeavors.

Many companies are now using technological tools to provide more in-depth insight regarding applicants. One of the most popular tools when it comes to candidate screening is the assessment test, which cross-examines many aspects of a candidate’s character and nature. Employers use these tests to gather information on potential hires, which can help to weed out ill-fitting candidates, and to elevate promising candidates to the next round in the hiring process. Ultimately, these tests reduce the time spent with candidates who wouldn’t have been hired regardless of whether or not they made it to the second interview round.

Other new technological developments that are strengthening the standard hiring process include in-store kiosks and hiring software. Some of these tools are advanced enough to send a text message to hiring managers about a candidate who is a good fit, or even allow candidates to virtually try out the job. At some organizations, candidates that make it through the technological evaluation are even hired on the spot by managers to begin training immediately. However, to be sure in your hiring efforts, whether you’re using this tool or another method, we recommend setting some time aside to sit down-face-to-face with your top picks.

Why? Because when it comes to candidate assessment, there are still some things technology can’t determine. For example, some candidates may be able to guess their way through an assessment test. Or, two candidates may have equal credentials and seemingly similar character traits, but one may trump the other when it comes to fit. As a result if you are using technology to supplement your onboarding process, it’s crucial for you to pair these new tools with traditional screening methods to build the most accurate profiles of applicants.

While new innovations can help companies feeling the pressure of the seasonal hiring bustle by eliminating the most irrelevant resumes to narrow down the applicant pool, face-to-face interaction should remain an important part of the hiring process. Asking candidates questions and embracing the opportunity to read body language and observe how fast they can think on their feet, will help hiring managers walk away with the clearest perspective on which candidates have what it takes to staff their team for the seasonal surge.