Holiday Jobs – Make Money with Part-Time Work

Find Seasonal Retail Job Positions, Temporary Christmas Employment

Nov 3, 2009

Find temporary work - get a seasonal retail job position. Holiday jobs will be available this year, but competition will be fierce. Make money with a Christmas job.

During the Christmas holiday shopping season, retail stores often hire temporary works to meet increased customer demand. These jobs are commonly filled by teachers and high school or college students on winter break, or anyone else looking to pick up extra work.

Holiday Jobs – Temporary Work

This year, the competition for Christmas jobs may be intense due to the high number of unemployed people looking for ways to make money as well. Considering the fact that former retail employees displaced by store closings will also be on the hunt for temporary jobs, the competition for seasonal work should be fierce this year; laid off retail employees are a particular threat to the otherwise untrained high school or college student looking for extra work.

Part-Time Work – Number of Christmas Employment Opportunities Down

While the recession has caused unemployment, it has also depressed retail sales, which means holiday jobs may not be as plentiful as usual. On September 23, 2009, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) online reported, “Nearly half the nation’s 25 biggest retail chains expect to hire fewer holiday workers this season than they did last year, another sign that retailers aren’t counting on recession-strained shoppers to relax the tight grip on their pocketbooks this year.”

According to the WSJ, retailers usually increase their part-time workforce by 10% for the fourth quarter holiday shopping rush. The Hay Group, a human resources consulting firm, told the WSJ that the number of temporary seasonal retail job positions could be down 5% to 25% from last year.

Outlook for Seasonal Work Opportunities – The Need for Temporary Workers

If the Wall Street Journal’s reported estimates are correct, that means some work opportunities will still be available, albeit fewer than last year. The WSJ puts typical holiday hiring at 700,000 jobs. Even the maximum estimated reduction of 25% leaves hundreds of thousands of temporary retail jobs positions to fill.

Make Money with Holiday Employment – Where to Look for Work Opportunities, Christmas Jobs

Because consumers’ mindsets have shifted to thriftiness in the face of a shaky economy, it is possible that discount retailers will have a greater need for temporary workers than other stores. Here are some discount and bulk retailers as well as popular big box stores to consider in a search for Christmas employment:

Temporary Workers – Seek Retail Job Positions at JCPenney, Best Buy, Wal-mart, Sears

JCPenney may also be a strong bet for holiday employment during a rough economy because it sells trendy everyday merchandise for a good value to consumers. Best Buy, Wal-mart, and Sears should need extra help because they are known for holiday deals, especially for Black Friday. Physically fit individuals seeking seasonal employment near a shipping facility for one of these retailers may want to look into warehouse jobs.

Part-Time Retail Sales Jobs – Make Extra Money, Get Discounts with Holiday Employment

Why pick up seasonal work? For many Americans, seasonal employment is a way to generate extra cash and obtain employee store discounts (for purchasing Christmas gifts). Consider the stores listed above as starting points. Also see the a list of over 50 other national retailers in the article Christmas Retail Jobs – List of Store Employers to consider for temporary retail job positions this holiday season.

"Holiday Jobs Look Scarce as Pessimism Grips Retail" by Ann Zimmerman and Elizabeth Holmes. Retrieved from online.wsj.com on November 1, 2009.

The copyright of the article Holiday Jobs – Make Money with Part-Time Work in Job Search is owned by Lena Gott. Permission to republish Holiday Jobs – Make Money with Part-Time Work in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.