Career Options
If you're thinking about pulling in some extra money, now is the time to be getting the resumes and cover letters ready for the best of the holiday-based seasonal jobs.'Tis the season to go job huntingI was walking through a department store the other day and wandered down the seasonal aisle, only to be greeted by racks of Halloween costumes and assorted spooky paraphernalia. |
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 [ 2007-09-23 ] |
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It's not unusual for stores to start stocking seasonal items weeks, if not months, before the actual event or season is upon us.
So, what does this have to do with jobs? Plenty!
We are currently in -- for want of a better term -- the pre-holiday season.
Traditionally, the retail holiday season takes place from October through to December. In recent years it has extended deep into January, as consumers take advantage of sales in the new year that often run for the first few weeks, if not the entire month, of January.
With Canadians spending more money for each of the last several holiday seasons, and putting more and more debt on their credit cards, many sectors need to spend extra time and hire extra staff to gear up and maintain operations through the holiday season.
This is where the jobs part comes in.
If you're thinking about pulling in some extra money before the end of this year, now is the time to be getting the resumes and cover letters ready for the best of the holiday-based seasonal jobs.
If you haven't started investigating opportunities yet, you better start. Many companies know well in advance what their schedules will be come the holiday season time period and they're just itching to start hiring and training and getting staff ready for the rush.
Here are 10 places to start if you haven't put much thought into it yet:
- Canada Post or a private courier service: There's always a Christmas crunch when it comes to getting packages delivered on time. Canada Post and many private courier companies hire extra staff at many levels of their operations to keep the parcels flowing.
- Retail sales: The LCBO in Ontario does such a booming booze business throughout the holiday season, that it often needs extra staff to keep the shelves stocked and the customers moving. Other retail opportunities are available, especially in malls. Don't be shy if you've got your eye on a store you'd like to work at through the holidays -- drop in with a resume and start networking now.
Holiday gift-wrapping: Again, many large stores and malls offer this very seasonal service. Ask around to see where the opportunities will be and get your name on the interview list.
- Personal shopper: More and more Canadians are getting busier and older -- two situations that have given rise to the popularity of personal shoppers. If you want to get into the business, it's not too late -- but now is the time to start building your client base.
- Warehouse sales work: Many warehouse outlets and big box stores will be looking to bolster their staff with seasonal workers when they get inundated with shoppers looking to take advantage of their excellent prices. Drop in with your resume and check out the upcoming opportunities.
- Be Santa: Malls and organizations will be looking for professional Santas to staff their displays, parties and functions. If you don't have a white beard and a belly, you've got a few weeks left to grow them.
- Tree farms: When the season finally arrives, there'll be a run on Christmas trees. Tree farms will need workers to help cut, package and transport the trees, as well as sales people to staff the retail tree lots. Now is a good time to scout around and land a position.
- Catering staff: Along with the holiday season come Christmas and New Year's parties and all kinds of staff and organization functions that need to be catered. You could go into business for yourself, but a better starting point might be with established caterers who will be looking to hire and train staff before the holiday season arrives.
- Babysitting/childcare/pet sitting: Some people take off for the holidays, whether it's somewhere exotic or just off to grandma's house. For some, the juniors may not be invited, and they'll be looking for childcare. For others, it's Rover who isn't welcome and he'll need to be looked after, in their home or yours.
- Temp agencies: Not everyone takes Christmas off, and for some companies it's the busiest season, as they take advantage of the corporate lull in order to meet project deadlines approaching in the new year or are scrambling to get everything finished for their year-end reports. Temp agencies will be called on to provide many companies with staffing solutions -- sometimes on short notice. If you're already known to the agency, you may just land some of the better jobs.
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