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Landing a Seasonal Job This Holiday Season

By Asia Johnson on Tuesday, October 11, 2022

We’re nearing the end of the year, and it’s time to start creating a game plan for the holiday season. While many people are planning their holiday celebrations, businesses are increasing their efforts to recruit and hire additional help during this busy season.

If you need some extra money to get through the holidays or are simply looking for a new opportunity during this time, finding a seasonal job may be the solution. We want you to land a job by making the holiday hiring season work in your favor. (more…)

Career Options The Job Search

The Top 3 Seasonal Work Opportunities

By Job Journey on Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Do you hear that? Turkeys are gobbling and sleigh bells are jingling…

Although seasonal hiring is going on year-round, the end of the year is especially full of tantalizing opportunities. From holiday banquet servers and retail employees to event security at the big game, there’s something for everyone.

These jobs are a great way to pick up some holiday cash. Some even come with the possibility of being picked up for a full-time position.

Without further ado, here are our top seasonal work opportunities for the rest of 2018.

Banquet Servers

What do these last few months of the year have that makes them particularly powerful? Two of the biggest holidays of the year of course! Thanksgiving and Christmas are huge seasonal hiring opportunities, due to the increased need for positions of all stripes and colors.

This includes banquet servers. Do you love turkey? Do you like people? Do you like spreading holiday cheer through the power of fantastic food? This might be the pick for you.

Banquet servers perform all serving responsibilities during an event. This usually includes the serving of food, restocking and cleanup, as well as set up and tear down for the event.

Qualities to have include good communication, a sunny attitude, and being able to follow direction well.

Retail

With end of the year comes Black Friday and the ensuing holiday shopping season. Retail employees serve as the first line of defense against these excited shoppers.

Retail employees can cover a range of responsibilities depending on the type of store they are working at. However, a few common responsibilities include greeting customers, assisting with customer questions and concerns, using the store’s unique inventory and payment technologies, and adjusting or restocking displays.

Retail employees should know as much as possible about the products they are selling, be willing and happy to listen to and help employees, and have a high stress tolerance (especially during the holiday months).

Event Security

Do you love that feeling of enthusiasm and solidarity that comes with a big sports game? Or maybe the annual state fair is your go-to celebration. Perhaps concerts are your go-to hobby. How about taking those hobbies to the next level with an event security position?

Responsibilities can vary depending on the individual position and venue, but common duties include monitoring the event for any signs of unrest or rule-breaking, assisting individuals with directions, directing foot traffic, and escorting troublesome individuals out of the venue.

A security officer should be calm, cool, and collected. Prior security or military experience is a plus.

Contact Express Employment Professionals

Looking for the perfect seasonal job? Express can help you find the type of job that fits for your needs and abilities, and you’ll never pay a fee for our services and support.

Contact a local Express office or register online today!

Do you always follow up after interviews? If not, why not? Let us know in the comments section below!

The Job Search

Thanksgiving Lessons for Your Job Search

By Job Journey on Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Stuff your job search turkey with holiday cheer.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to get together and celebrate with friends and family. Juicy turkeys, delicious stuffing, piping hot pies, and wonderful conversation make the holiday memorable. There’s just something about thankfulness (and eating) that brings us all together.

After Thanksgiving is over, you’ll be refreshed and ready to hit the job search again. But before you do, think back on the holiday and apply what made it so wonderful to your search.

Get the Party Started

Thanksgiving involves plenty of planning. You need to call Aunt Susie to make sure she’s bringing the mashed potatoes, email Uncle Fred about the discount turkey, and text your siblings to make sure nobody bakes the same pie. It’s a struggle, but at the end of the day all of that scuttling around results in a holiday everyone can be proud of.

You can apply the same hustle to your job search. Cultivate relationships with friends and colleagues, and then leverage those relationships to hear about new job opportunities. Just make sure to keep in touch, and avoid asking someone for a job connection out of the blue. After all, you wouldn’t randomly ask weird cousin Harold (who you haven’t spoken to in the 10 years since he stole the turkey) to bring the cranberry jam, would you?

Give Thanks

That’s the whole point of Thanksgiving, after all. Being grateful for what we have, and for all of the incredible people who have helped us get to where we are today. You need to be thankful in your job search as well. After an interview, always send a handwritten note (or at least an email) to your interviewer thanking them for their consideration. If any of your contacts help you attain an interview, thank them for their time, either via LinkedIn.com, email, or by phone. The more personal you can make the connection (a handwritten note, a kind phone call, an in-person meeting) the better off you’ll be.

Don’t Be a Turkey

Thanksgiving is a bad time to be a turkey. Whether your turkey is stuffed or topped with cranberry jam, you probably wouldn’t want to swap places with him. A turkey can also be defined as, according to Merriam-Webster, a “stupid, foolish, or inept person.” So it goes without saying that you don’t want to be a turkey in your job search either.

To avoid looking like a turkey, make sure to prepare. Join professional or trade groups to learn the ins and outs of the industry. Research a company online before you step foot into an interview, and have some idea of what the company culture and dress code are. You don’t want to stand out as a gobbling, semi-flightless bird. Try to soar like an eagle instead.

Have any other ideas about how Thanksgiving can apply to your job search? Let us know in the comments below!

The Job Search

Holiday Job Tips

By Job Journey on Thursday, November 16, 2017

Sleigh bells are ringing—what are you waiting for?

Whether you’re unemployed and looking for work or employed but looking for a change, the holidays can be a great time to jump start your job search.

Seasonal jobs, for instance, can be both a way to pay the bills and stepping stones on the way to full-time employment. And with Black Friday looming on the horizon, businesses are rushing to fill their job openings. Although many holiday jobs were filled in October, there are still plenty of opportunities for work out there. The challenge is finding those opportunities and getting an interview.

The following are a few ways to enhance your holiday job search and get one step ahead of the competition.

Apply Everywhere

If what you need is a job, any job, don’t narrow your job search to one type of business. Although retail is hiring in spades, other businesses are just as busy. More people shopping means more people stopping by coffee shops for a latte or the gas station to refill their tank. Warehouses also need more employees to keep up with the huge amount of gifts being shipped back and forth. After a long day of deal-hunting, shoppers will flock to restaurants in droves, which means a need for more wait staff.

Drive around your area and see which restaurants or stores are hiring. Then go online and use job search websites like Indeed.com or Monster.com to find openings in your area. You can go to the specific business website as well.

You can also send your resume to local staffing companies (like Express Employment Professionals) so they can connect you with opportunities you wouldn’t hear of otherwise. With you and the staffing agency both job searching, you get two times the job search power without paying a dime.

Network

The holiday season is a time of celebration and coming together. Networking events and volunteer projects are plentiful. Use these events to connect with others in your industry. Just make sure to be tactful. For instance, don’t beg for a job at a Christmas party or desperately follow someone to every one of their volunteer projects. Be yourself and show that you’re a person worth knowing.

Once you’ve made these contacts, search on LinkedIn and connect with them. After that, feel free to send a positive letter thanking them for connecting with you and let them know that you’re looking for work. Also, be sure to mention how you’ve been productive during time without work. These connections could lead to seasonal work or even a full-time job in the future!

Make a List—and Check It Twice

What do you really want in a job? It’s fine if you’re just looking for something to pay the bills right now, but do you have a long-term career strategy? What do you enjoy? What do you hate? What kind of boss and business culture do you need to thrive? Answering questions like these can make your job search much clearer, paving the way for the New Year.

Looking for more holiday job search tips? Ask us your questions in the comments below!

The Job Search

4 Tips for Finding Seasonal Work This Year

By Job Journey on Tuesday, September 27, 2016

The holiday gift-buying rush is upon us, and with it comes a perfect opportunity to find a seasonal job to bring in a little extra money.

Consumers spent more than $626.1 billion dollars during the winter holidays in 2015-2016, according to the National Retail Foundation, continuing an upward trend since 2008. In 2014, employers hired more than 700,000 employees to help offset the holiday rush, creating an almost 6% increase in employment during that time.

So what’s the best way to go about searching for a seasonal job? Follow the four tips below to get a jump start on your competition.

Look in the Right Places

Large retailers, such as Walmart and Target, offer the best opportunities for seasonal workers because of the variety of products they offer. But don’t neglect other niches outside of retail. Shipping companies also experience a large increase in volume during the holidays, allowing for several contract positions.

Beat the Competition

Start pounding the pavement now to look for that seasonal job. Companies are already planning for holiday hiring, and it pays to get on their radar early. You might also consider using a staffing company, such as Express Employment Professionals, as they often work with client companies that hire extra holiday help.

Be Prepared

When shopping around for jobs, be prepared to interview or fill out an application on the spot. Bring a pen, copies of your resume, proof of citizenship, and contact information for your professional references. Don’t forget to block off plenty of time to talk with a supervisor if you get the chance.

Be Flexible

Seasonal workers must be flexible to accommodate for extended store hours, and you don’t want to knock yourself out of the game by demanding a specific schedule.

Do you plan to look for seasonal work this holiday season? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The Job Search

What to Do If You Don’t Have a Holiday Job

By Job Journey on Monday, October 26, 2015

The holiday season is a busy time for everyone, especially the retail industry. As the holidays approach, many businesses begin hiring additional employees to help with the extra workload. Since much of that hiring takes place before the holidays kick off, it’s important to secure seasonal work early. If you haven’t landed a seasonal job, check out these tips for finding temporary work this year.

Think Outside the Box
Retail isn’t the only industry in need of extra staff during the holiday season. Restaurants, catering companies, and event planning businesses also recruit extra staff during this busy season, so reach out to companies in your area to find out if they’re hiring.

The season’s increase in shopping also creates thousands of part-time jobs in other industries. Shipping companies need mail sorters and packers. And, grocery stores may need additional staff, especially during the week leading up to a major holiday. Because children are out of school, home care and day care are also in higher demand.

Check with family and neighbors to see if you can help with baking, wrapping, dog walking, running errands, or other tasks that people may be willing to pay for during this busy season.

Don’t Give Up
If you are struggling to find a holiday job, don’t give up. Keep sending your resume to companies you’d like to work for, or calling businesses you think may need extra help this season. Don’t forget to check out a staffing company like Express Employment Professionals for help finding a temporary job this season.

If you do score a holiday job, remember to work hard and showcase your skills so your part-time job might just transition into a full-time opportunity.

What was your favorite holiday job? Let us know in the comments section below.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Career Options

Need a Job? Seasonal Work Is Here

By Job Journey on Monday, September 14, 2015

The holiday season may still seem far off, but now is the time to start looking for work if you plan to find a seasonal job this year. Every year, the holiday season helps put millions of people to work in jobs that may begin as temporary employment, but often turn into permanent employment.

There are many benefits to finding a seasonal job. In addition to the extra income around the holidays, seasonal jobs are also a great way to add experience to your resume and network with people who may be able to help your career in the future. Even though your job may start out as a temporary one, it could lead to permanent, full-time employment.

Take Your Job Seriously
According to Bob Funk, CEO of Express Employment Professionals, “Employers will look at their temporary employees this holiday season to see which ones merit a full-time, permanent position.”

If you want to better your odds of landing a permanent job after the holidays, remember to treat your seasonal job like an extended interview. Take advantage of the opportunity to show you’re hard-working, committed, and have a positive attitude. When you go above and beyond at your temporary job, you better your chances of being noticed by potential employers.

Don’t Limit Your Options
Holiday jobs may seem like they’re limited to Christmas or other winter holidays, but don’t forget about the entire holiday season. Halloween, for example, can be an avenue for temporary work because of large costume superstores that open for the season. Additionally, party stores may need extra help around New Year’s Eve.

Start Now
Stop by any department store and you’re likely to see holiday items already stocked on the shelves. If businesses are already thinking about the holidays, you should be too. Brainstorm places you would like to apply for seasonal work and get started on applications. Don’t wait until November or December, because most employers want their seasonal staff trained and working before the shopping rush begins.

Call a Staffing Agency
When companies want to hire multiple new employees for the holiday season, they often go to a staffing company for assistance. Since staffing providers are usually better equipped to find, screen, and hire large numbers of workers, they can be a great resource for you. Do your homework before you apply and make sure the staffing company is a reputable one, like Express Employment Professionals.

Make Sure You’re Prepared
In a recent poll on Movin’ On Up, we asked if our readers plan on looking for seasonal work this year. An astonishing 84% of responders said that they do plan to look for seasonal work. Since so many people want to find work this holiday season, you need to make sure you’re prepared to beat the competition. Clean up your resume, brush up on your interview skills, make a list of references, research the companies you want to work for, and know the skills that employers want to see. When you’re prepared for a job opportunity, you stand a better chance of landing the job.

Have you worked a seasonal job? Did your seasonal job turn into a permanent one? Share your tips with us in the comments section below!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.