Many companies, typically retailers, hire an abundance of seasonal workers to prepare for the boost in activity during the holiday season. The National Retail Federation reports that in 2008, the average monthly employment during the holiday season was 15.5 million workers. Retailers hired an additional 231,000 workers for the holiday season last year. Although these numbers are lower than in previous years, companies know that they still will experience increased traffic in the coming months and plan to staff accordingly.
Toys"R"Us, for example, announced that they are hiring approximately 35,000 seasonal employees in its stores nationwide. This number is equal to the total work force hired during each of the previous two holiday seasons. Dan Caspersen, executive vice president of human resources at Toys"R"Us, says that the company looks to its employees to provide expert assistance for those looking for the perfect gift.
"Because we are in the toy business 365 days a year, our sales associates know toys and are dedicated to providing gift-givers with recommendations for products that are right for kids of all ages, abilities and interests," he says. "We're looking for hard-working, reliable individuals who enjoy working as part of a team and want to provide customers with memorable store experiences."
If you're looking for seasonal employment this holiday season, here are 10 companies that are hiring now:
1. AT&T
Industry: Communications
Number of openings: 1000+
Seasonal positions available: Retail sales associates; store managers; and sales support
Location: Nationwide
2. A Wireless
Industry: Telecommunications
Number of openings: 250+
Seasonal positions available: Store managers; sales consultants; district managers; information technology; customer service
Location: Nationwide
3. Blockbuster
Industry: Entertainment
Number of openings: 1000+
Seasonal positions available: Retail sales associates; store managers
Location: Nationwide
4. hhgregg
Industry: Appliance and electronics retail
Number of openings: 800+
Seasonal positions available: Appliance and electronics sales
Location: Indiana; Ohio; Kentucky; Alabama; Georgia; Florida; North Carolina; South Carolina; Tennessee
5. Hickory Farms
Industry: Specialty retail
Number of openings: 4,000
Seasonal positions available: Sales associate
Location: Nationwide, shopping malls
6. Macy's
Industry: Retail
Number of openings: 1,000 +
Seasonal positions available: Part-time season retail help in gift wrap, sales associates, etc.
Location: Nationwide
7. Olan Mills Studio
Industry: Studio photography
Number of openings: 100+
Seasonal positions available: Photographers; portrait sales; customer service
Location: Ala., Ga., Pa., Ky., Tenn., N.C., Ind., Mich.
8. RadioShack
Industry: Electronics sales
Number of openings: 1000
Seasonal positions available: Retail sales associates
Location: 250 cities
9. Toys"R"Us
Industry: Specialty retail
Number of openings: 35,000
Seasonal positions available: Management positions; sales associates, including cashiers, shelf stockers and customer service roles; and back-of-house stock opportunities
Location: Nationwide
10. UPS
Industry: Shipping and distribution
Number of openings: 200+
Seasonal positions available: Package delivery drivers; tractor trailer driver
Location: Nationwide
By Rachel Zupek writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.