subject: 5 Tips to Land a Seasonal Holiday Job [print this page] 5 Tips to Land a Seasonal Holiday Job 5 Tips to Land a Seasonal Holiday Job
Many businesses hire temporary workers to help out with all of the extra work created by the holiday season. These jobs can be a great way to pick up extra cash for the holidays or even to help pay your usual bills. Here are some tips to help you land a seasonal holiday job.
Find the jobs: Not all of the seasonal holiday jobs are where you think they are. Big retail stores will certainly be hiring but so will many restaurants, grocery stores, shipping businesses and even some government agencies. Take a look at this list to get an idea of who is hiring. When searching job search websites, use keywords such as: holiday, seasonal, temporary, part-time and Christmas. Try SnagAJob, a site dedicated to part-time and hourly job listings.
Be prepared: Employers want to see experience relating to the job for which you are applying. For example, retail jobs like to see experience dealing with customers, making sales, and handling cash. If you need a resume to apply, take a look at it and make sure you emphasize any experience that applies to that specific job.You should also learn as much as you can about your potential employer. Learn as much as you can about the business by looking at their website and get a feel for it by visiting in person and talking to current employees. This will help you to figure out what to emphasize on your resume, and it will also help you to be more prepared and knowledgeable during the interview process.
Apply early: Most hiring for seasonal jobs is done during October and November. Get your resume or job application in as early as possible. After your interview, follow up with a few phone calls to let the person who interviewed you know that you are still interested in the job.
Be flexible: Many holiday jobs have hours that change week to week so you have a much better chance of getting hired if you are willing to be flexible with your availability. Similarly, some positions aren't as popular as others, for example: cleaning person or late night/early morning stock person. You have a much better chance of getting hired if you are willing to take a less popular position.
Be enthusiastic: Part-time shoe salesman may not be your dream job but act like it is. Employers want someone who is enthusiastic about their job and happy to come to work every day. Be that person during the interview process AND after you have landed the position. There are a lot of people willing to take your job. Hang on to it by keeping a positive attitude. After the holidays are over, make sure that you leave the company on good terms. If you ever want to work there again, most employers will give consideration to people who have worked for them in the past. In fact, certain companies, such as UPS, give their temporary workers the opportunity to apply for full-time positions after the holidays are over.
