Deck the halls with boughs of money? That’s what many retailers are saying this holiday season. Despite the bleak job market, seasonal employment is on the rise this year according to Forbes. While temporary employment may not be your end game, getting a seasonal job can offer serious benefits to both your wallet and future job prospects. Laid out below are some of the pros and cons of seasonal jobs.
The first thing to consider when looking for temporary employment, especially with seasonal jobs, is how committed you are to working. Many retailers who hire seasonal workers are looking to have them make a larger time commitment, and be around for the holidays. Are you willing to work on Thanksgiving and/or Christmas Eve? With Black Friday now starting on Thanksgiving Day at many big-box retailers, those with seasonal jobs are being asked to work more odd hours. While some part-time workers are getting mad, the reality of temporary employment is that most likely you’ll be working some overtime. Though the job market for seasonal employment is good, there are still many other people who are willing to work holidays if you aren’t, causing you to fall out of the running for some of these seasonal jobs.
After you’ve decided to make the time commitment, you’ll want to start your job search. Retail positions are the most popular forms of temporary employment over the holidays. Check out one of our earlier posts for tips to seasonal employment and to see what seasonal jobs are available this holiday season. Not all seasonal jobs are retails jobs though. You know the Santa Clause in the mall? That’s a seasonal job! How about a valet attendant for the packed malls, or a Christmas tree lot attendant? If none of these seem right to you, chances are there just isn’t a holiday job market for what you want to do right now. That’s OK too.
While the job market may be tight, people are always going to have a need for seasonal employees around the holidays. If you are looking to earn some extra cash, and don’t mind the hours or the less-than-glamorous jobs, then seasonal employment might be for you. If not though, there’s nothing wrong with that. You can use the extra time you have to volunteer this holiday season, or work on your video resumes for full-time employment.
With all the added seasonal jobs, this really is the most wonderful time of the year for the job market. Will you be taking advantage or not? Either way, have a great holiday season!
Have you ever taken a seasonal job? How did it go? Are you looking for one this holiday season? Share with us in the comments section below!
IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by kc7fys
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