The 2009 Holiday Hiring Job Market

In the first bit of bright news for the unemployed in quite a while, it's been reported that the job market for the upcoming 2009 holiday season is up slightly over last year. While a holiday job is usually a temporary position, it can also be a great way to get your foot in the door at a place. Keep in mind that many companies "test the water" by hiring temporary employees; when they find one that meets and exceeds their expectations, they often end up hiring the individual for a full time, permanent position. Even if a holiday job doesn't earn you a permanent job, it can help fill the gaps during this tough economic time.

Finding Temporary Holiday Jobs

As you've probably already guessed, the obvious places to find temporary holiday jobs are those whose business picks up during the holiday season. Therefore, retailers are very good places to seek temporary employment during the holidays. The yearly influx of customers - and the much higher number of sales that come along with it - find many retailers severely understaffed. As an incentive, many of these retailers offer competitive pay for temporary holiday employees, and usually include perks like significant discounts on their merchandise as well.

When you're brainstorming for places to look for temporary holiday employment, think about the places where you'd normally do your Christmas shopping - then jump in the car and head over. Instead of picking up a bunch of Christmas gifts, though, come armed with your resume and be ready to fill out an application. Better yet, be prepared to speak directly to the manager, if he or she is available. There's a very short window of opportunity when it comes to landing a temporary holiday job, so aggressive tactics are sometimes necessary.

Landing Temporary Holiday Jobs

After tracking down the places that are hiring for the upcoming holiday season, how do you go about actually landing a job with one of them? First of all, you've got to decide whether your resume is relevant or not. If it isn't you'll need to tweak it so that it applies to the position that you're applying for. If you know someone who works at a place that's hiring for the holidays, ask them to put in a good word for you. Fill out the applications at these places in their entirety; omitting requested information is a sure way to have your resume removed from consideration.

Finally, the best way to land a temporary holiday job is to be a little bit aggressive. Pound the pavement and go to as many places in person as possible. Ask to speak to the manager or the owner - or whoever is responsible for hiring. Make it clear that you are very interested in helping out during the holidays and that you can work absolutely any shift necessary. Make yourself as indispensable and available as possible, and you're much more likely to stick in the manager's mind when it's time for him to make his decision. Few people make this extra bit of effort, so it can only help your cause.

Package Handling

UPS will hire 50,000 seasonal package handlers and drivers' helpers. These are fast-paced, physically demanding roles with average pay starting at $8.50 an hour. UPSJobs.com lists all the openings by location.