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Christmas is approaching, and with it come seasonal jobs. For some, these can be a great way to earn extra cash, which can be used to purchase gifts, to pay off debt, or simply to save for the future. Kathy recently sent a question asking which part-time holiday jobs are best:
I am currently employed full time as an electrical engineer making a decent amount of money, but with the holiday season coming up, I was thinking about trying to get an additional part-time job. What is the best way to approach this? Do you know which employers pay the best and/or how to find out which gives the best discounts?
I don’t have any experience with this myself. My sister-in-law spent years working full-time in trendy women’s clothing shops. Many people would seek part-time jobs during the holiday season to make a little extra cash.
But it’s not just retail stores who need help during the holidays. Call centers, delivery companies (such as UPS), and restaurants also seek extra staff. (And so does Santa!)
Andrea at Consultant Journal warns, “If you want a Christmas job, it’s best to start your search well in advance of December.” Now’s the time to look. Many employers want seasonal employees to start in early November.
If I were seeking holiday work, I’d begin with Craigslist. A quick search for Christmas jobs and holiday jobs in my area reveals many options. Temp agencies are another likely source for part-time seasonal work. And, of course, you could always do things the old-fashioned way: go from shop-to-shop in your local mall to see what’s available.
Have you taken a seasonal job before? (Or have you worked in a store that hired extra employees for the holidays?) Do you have any tips for finding the best employer? What else should Kathy consider?
Note: Before you undergo Elf Training, be sure to listen to David Sedaris’ “Santaland Diaries”. Funny stuff. Photo by Sister72.
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October 24th, 2008 at 5:49 am
I’m a retail manager and, you are right, now is the time to look for a part time seasonal job. By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, it’s too late to get anyone trained in time and most retailers stop hiring.
It’s a pretty safe bet that most people are hiring. You can probably just go to your local mall and go around stores asking for applications. A lot of retailers will now let you apply via their website. The best bet, in terms of getting hired and pay, are big box retailers like department stores, Target, etc. The more desperate they are, the more they will pay. If you know, for instance, that your Old Navy is always a mess with clothes EVERYWHERE, then, chances are, they are short staffed and will offer you more money.
Smaller specialty stores are generally more fun to work in and less stressful during the Holidays but, for this reason, most pay less.
My suggestion is to apply at a place where you think you’ll be doing a lot of your Holiday shopping so you can take advantage of employee discounts. Of course, this might backfire if the 40% off at your favorite store causes you to buy things you normally wouldn’t…
Keep in mind, most places have dress codes. You probably don’t want to work at a place that will require you to buy another set of work clothes (you are trying to save money, after all). Target, for instance, requires red top with khaki bottoms, specialty retailers require you to have a certain “look”, etc.
October 24th, 2008 at 5:53 am
I was an assistant manager at a GameStop in Lancaster, PA, and watched the seasonal hiring procedure. We actually over-hired, knowing that a good percentage of the people we hired wouldn’t even show up on the first day.
So for us, expectations for holiday help were pretty low. I think a lot of retail establishments assume that they’re going to go get the dregs of the employment pool for holiday help, so it might be useful to know that when competing for a spot.
One Christmas, I worked at a Kohl’s through a “friends and family” program, where you could get temporary work during the holidays through a Kohl’s employee. It was basic, menial stuff (mostly folding clothes and moving boxes), and I was barely supervised. However, I don’t think Kohl’s is alone in it’s “friends and family” program, so that might be a valuable tip for entering the market.
October 24th, 2008 at 6:01 am
My wife works at James Avery every Christmas and I used to work at Babbages (when it was still around). She picked James Avery because she liked their products, but more importantly, the customers couldn’t touch the merchandise directly so there was little reorganizing or cleaning up that needed to be done.
I found that when you have a professional job and then work retail on the holidays, it can actually be pretty relaxing because the stress and responsibility that you have in your normal job just isn’t there. That’s not to say that retail is easy, but most of your problems are immediate and quickly solved.
As to where, most shops at the mall are always looking for holiday help and now is the perfect time to inquire. So, I’d recommend picking whatever stores you like the best, but also look at how the merchandise is handled by the customer. I can’t tell you how many hours of my life were spent realphabetizing Super Nintendo cartridge boxes.
One final caveat, you might not want to work at a store where you really like their merchandise. The first year I worked at Babbages, it actually cost me money as I spent more there than I earned over the holiday.
October 24th, 2008 at 6:07 am
I’ve worked a number of retail jobs over the course of my working life. Anyone looking for a holiday retail job should start now. Many stores have already finished hiring as they want employees relatively informed of day to day operations by the time business picks up in November. You don’t want to still be learning the register when lines are so long you can’t see the end.
YMMV, but the more specialty stores will have the better discounts, but will also tend to fill positions quicker and be more selective.
I was a manager at a mall bookstore that gave 30% off. I was also employed at “al-Mart Way” and they gave 10% off. 30% seems about normal from my informal survey of mall stores. Department stores tend to be less, but of course have a bigger inventory to work from.
Best advice is to go to the store you’re interested in. Many stores rely on signs in the window still or customers being interested in employees.
October 24th, 2008 at 6:19 am
I worked through my undergrad degree in the retail industry, and by far the nicest place I worked was at the Anthropologie in Washington DC. The corporate culture is kind of weird (for example they search your bag every time you leave the store) but other than that, there is a 40% discount off merchandise (and you need it there) and the employees are usually fun. On the down side, you have to deal with things like ordering clothing by color, telling women over size 12 that we don’t carry clothing their size, dealing with wealthy and sometimes snobby customers (for example, a classmate of mine ran into me while I was working in the store and kept loudly remarking that she couldn’t believe I was “working AND a student!”) and having to be on your feet eight hours per day. Still… I recommend working retail to anyone, just for a few weeks, just so you appreciate your service workers a bit more.
October 24th, 2008 at 6:34 am
Just a word of warning…my husband once worked at UPS during the Christmas season. It’s not pretty. The shift was typically 4-8, but during Christmas they would often go in at 1am and each day the shift would change. He came home filthy, sore and tired…and it doesn’t pay very well. So I’d definitely consider retail, which although can be a pain due to customers, is a little easier on the body.
October 24th, 2008 at 6:36 am
I once worked at Knott’s Berry Farm, an amusement park here in southern California that has a big Halloween event every year that lasts most of October. It didn’t pay much, but it was fun, running around the amusement park, in costume, scaring folks. In fact, I think it was more fun than if I had been there as a paying customer, because I didn’t have to wait in any of the long lines.
I know that the Disney & Universal parks experience big crowds during Thanksgiving and Christmas, when schools are out, and hire extra people. Again, the pay is not much, but if you’d enjoy working in that environment, it may be for you.
October 24th, 2008 at 6:38 am
I worked seasonally for Godiva several years back… November through February (they wanted me to at least stick around through Valentine’s Day). My advice is to look for stores that really have their biggest seasons during the holidays. Godiva ended up being a great one, because they gave a 50% discount on everything and if any chocolate dipped strawberries were left at the end of the day, the employees divided them up and took them home! Yummmm…
I also worked for a bookstore during a holiday season, but I’m not sure if they hired anyone just for the the holidays. A bookstore is a great place to work and have a discount though. You can find gifts for almost anyone on your list at a bookstore!
October 24th, 2008 at 6:38 am
I don’t think most people realize it, but Bars and Nightclubs frequently pull in additional help during the colder months. Bouncing, Waiting, Bartending.. and they can make reasonably decent money depending on where you’re at and what kind of crowd the place has.
October 24th, 2008 at 6:49 am
UPS is a great choice if you don’t mind a lot of physical labor. The base rate isn’t amazing, especially if you’re accustomed to earning more, but during peak season there are opportunities to do double shifts and earn overtime.
I was hired by Coach for their call center as a seasonal employee starting early one October. Great place to work, and they pay well. But I think their only distribution/call center is in Jacksonville.
Along the same lines as UPS, I believe the US postal service hires temp/seasonal folks.
October 24th, 2008 at 6:50 am
It may be a little difficult with finding a retail job this holiday season, given the economic situation and the fact that many retailers are feeling somewhat pessimistic about the 2008 holiday season. So competition might be stiffer this year than usual, and stores may not be hiring as much as they usually do. You may be in better position if you have some retail experience as opposed to being completely new. That being said, you definitely want to start now with looking for a retail job. Actually, you may have wanted to start about a month ago, as a note for next year. I worked retail on and off for about 10 years, and holiday hiring usually started getting kicked around in late summer and things really got rolling in about mid-September at the more proactive places I worked.
Some places may be in need of stock people more than register/customer service folks- there’s more merchandise coming in and turnover on stocking can be high. That’s a job that’s likely to be either late at night or very early in the morning (think 4am), but it’s a fabulous workout, and depending on the retailer, can be kind of fun.
Another thing to consider if you have a college or university near by is seeing if their college bookstore needs PT help while classes are on break. A lot of bookstore workers are students, so they’ll leave on break, but the store is usually still open. It might be a better option for someone with time during the day, but the work is very easy during break. Now, if you stay for book rush, it will be a different story!
October 24th, 2008 at 6:51 am
Target and Wal-Mart do a lot of stocking at night, I worked at Target many years back and the night-folks were paid pretty well. Just you, your iPod, and a pile of boxes. I like the UPS/Fedex idea, they will be very busy as always. If it was closer to my house, I’d consider a weekend job at Barnes and Noble for the season.
October 24th, 2008 at 6:55 am
If you´re looking for a part-time job, it might be a good idea to find one where you can get discounts on gifts you would normally give. I worked at Bath and Body Works last Christmas, and as a 20-something female, it was a good place to buy gifts for friends and family. I would have been shopping there anyway, but I was able to get a discount and know in advance when certain products were going on sale.
October 24th, 2008 at 7:07 am
This one is for the younger crowd, and much different from what everyone else is recommending: I am a student and I plow/shovel snow over my Christmas break. The hours are tough (3am when everyone is sleeping), and it is physical labour (shovelling and carrying bags of salt), but the pay is usually decent.
I can still do stuff during the day, if I’m not sleeping, and I get a lot of hours from it.
October 24th, 2008 at 7:08 am
My dad has a great holiday job - he plays Santa and he’s GREAT at it! It leads to some extra income, and it also gives some reliable insurance that things will be extra Christmasy around my parent’s place every year. I also have had friends work at LL Bean in Maine every Christmas, and they seem to like it a lot.
Jerry
October 24th, 2008 at 7:11 am
I worked at Barnes and Noble a few years ago and it’s not a bad place to work. The pay isn’t great, but we did buy almost all of our Christmas gifts there because the discount is nice.
I would keep in mind that if you’re looking at a store that has younger employees who have gone off to college they’ll often hire them back for seasonal work while they’re home on break. I know the B&N I worked at did that, and while it was usually in the cafe, it may cut back on the number of seasonal employees they can hire.
October 24th, 2008 at 7:14 am
It most likely is not for this writer but if I were to do something I would strongly consider working for or starting a small business putting lights on peoples homes. I personally would rather be out doing the work on a roof than deal with retail. Then you get to take the stuff down in the new year and bring in some more money. Working for another company you would be competing with cheap manual labor, but if you could start your own, lots of people don’t want or are scared to get on their roofs.
October 24th, 2008 at 7:16 am
I would think petsitters and dog walkers/groomers would need extra help while so many are travelling. Housecleaning companies as well….maybe catering?
October 24th, 2008 at 7:21 am
Last year I worked part-time at Pier 1 Imports for the holidays. It was great! I had a lot of fun and made a little bit of extra cash to pay for Christmas. I highly recommend a holiday job for anyone. Sometimes, it’s just nice to get out of the house and socialize; a part-time job is a great way to do it!
October 24th, 2008 at 7:54 am
I made a tidy sum through college and grad school taking care of people’s pets while they were away during the holidays. The going rate may vary depending on your locale, but we currently pay pet-sitters $10.00 a visit to walk the dog, feed the cats, and clean the litter-box. I found growing up that special animal care skills (e.g., caring for horses) were in particularly high demand. House-sitting also will land you a nice place to stay if you’re visiting family (and it sure beats the sleeper sofa!)
October 24th, 2008 at 7:57 am
I would rather spend my time learning a new skill that can work over the long run. Mr Chiot’s studies web design & coding in his spare time and this year he was able to get a big contract for a small university running their website. It’s part time all year long and it’s good money.
I would rather have the extra time to myself during the holidays. It’s just not worth the extra driving & time to get a part-time job.
October 24th, 2008 at 8:09 am
I worked at The Container Store one holiday season. If I remember correctly the pay was well above minimum wage, we received thorough training, it was pretty much fun to work there even if it did get pretty crazy! I worked the closing shift and we were still out by 10pm. We had to work one weekend day, either Saturday morning, Sat. night, or Sunday (noon to 5pm or something like that) shift. So you didn’t spend your whole weekends working. And we got something like 40% off.
This year, I am selling Avon (I’ve done it before but it’s especially lucrative around the holidays), as well as jewelry I make. I will have a jewelry/avon party just before Thanksgiving, then offer ready-made gift baskets & gifts closer to Christmas. I wanted to ‘make my own hours’ this year, doing something I really enjoy.
October 24th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Be aware of the kind of job you are looking for: cashier, customer service, “zoner” (a person who straightens up the shelves throughout the day), folding clothes, etc. Big stores always need extra help with stock this time of year, but you might have to pull a 4am, or midnight shift.
Obviously your experience will be different if you work in a classy store versus a discount store, but big stores like Meijer/Target/Best Buy hire more people.
Try to work at a store that doesn’t have a public restroom, so you don’t have to clean up after your customers. Most stores in the mall are self-contained, so that’s a good option.
Everyone should work in retail, once. It will teach you the importance of being polite. I say this as a person who had the misfortune of working retail for two years. In the office, people at least have to behave with a modicum of respect for their co-workers. If you have a conflict, at least HR will get involved etc. But if you work in the public sector for a while you will realize the veil of civilization is very thin.
People LOVE to scream at you in retail (in big-box/discount stores at least), especially around the holidays. Just wait until you have to defend some stupid no-receipt-no-return policy. People can be quite creative with their insults and threats, especially if they have the added stress of children in tow. And they all want to take it out on you, personally. Then there are the thieves, drunks and stalkers. No these are not just characters from TV — when you are dealing with the public, be prepared to encounter all types of quirky and/or scary individuals.
I work in IT now. Compared to working the Returns desk, tech support is a dream!
October 24th, 2008 at 8:14 am
Thanks for the advice mate. In the states its probably easier to get a job during the holiday season. Here its a bit harder, but not so much that you can’t get a P/T job.
October 24th, 2008 at 8:25 am
I worked at Nordstrom for two Christmases…it was awesome, because they pay on commission if you sell enough. It was easy as pie to sell lots of stuff at Christmastime, even in my tiny department, and I made something like $20-$25 an hour(and this was 10 years ago!).
October 24th, 2008 at 8:33 am
An electrical engineer looking for part time work? My advice would be to first take a serious look at your household. As an electrical engineer myself I have occasionally looked at getting a PT/seasonal job to get a head start or pay a large expense, but when you already make a pretty good wage I have found my motivation to work for 1/2 to 1/3 what I usually do is pretty slim.
That doesn’t rule out part time work completely, but merely that you need to be honest with yourself and how much time you are willing to devote to an extra job. When you’re adding 10 hours on top of a 40 hour week it feels like a lot more than 10 hours.
So first take a serious look at possible household expenses you could cut if you put those ten hours into your home, and how your expense would change if you spent those hours at work. I cook almost every night. If I took a part time job I wouldn’t be able to do that as often. Even if I’m making $15 per hour I just worked two hours to pay for takeout rather than two hours on dinner, plus transit and other expenses. It’s just not worth the stress. You might also be able to come up with an off the record PT job like babysit for neighbors as they shop, or if you have any friends working over hours cook them dinner so THEY can avoid take out (just factor in time and materials and be up front that this is a business transaction, not a favor).
If you DO get a part time job you also need to take a look at the taxes. Withholding will assume you are starting from zero making $15 (or whatever) per hour and withhold at the 10-15% rate. If you have a good job you might owe 25-28%, which means you need to set some of those wages aside for when April rolls around so you don’t get hit with an unexpected extra tax bill.
October 24th, 2008 at 8:35 am
I worked the holiday season once - at Macy’s. I had never worked so hard in my entire life and I work in a trauma center! All for $6.30/hr.
Mostly I was amazed how badly employees are treated by management. My usual job wouldn’t tolerate that at all. I stuck it out as per my nature (since I had commited), but I also had just moved and owned little for my home. Got great deals with employee discount coupons sale - I was there often so I always knew when things were on sale! You could shop on your breaks too, very convenient.
I think it’s great to pick up seasonal work but retail is tough if you have a “real” job. I was so worn out and mentally taxed I started screwing up my day job. “Part time” to Macy’s meant 33 hrs a week, even when I had stipulated I couldn’t do more than 24 - and couldnt close three weeknights in a row (meaning I’d get out at 12:30 am). Mgmt didn’t care; it was all about bleeding you dry.
I also was unable to be as frugal as I would like during this time since I didn’t have the luxury of lots of free time. I found myself eating out all the time, taking things to the dry cleaner instead of hand washing myself, not shopping sales (since it required planning) for daily stuff and skipping time and half OT at my day job because I was on the books at Macy’s.
I respect anyone who makes retail their career - very hard work and many many hours!
October 24th, 2008 at 9:01 am
I worked in retail as an express clothing store associate for several years in college and then when I needed an extra job around holidays and to save up extra cash for buying my condo I went to work for a bridal shop on a few evenings a week plus weekends. It was a low stress job because all brides are happy and excited to see the dresses and at that time there were no sales quotas. The thing is working a regular job plus evenings and weekends eventually will burn you out. By the end of the year I was completley burnt out and had to quit. Luckully I had enough money saved by then so it worked out ok.
October 24th, 2008 at 9:19 am
The only seasonal jobs I’ve worked were summer jobs at camps, tutoring, etc. My part-time job during med school was teaching LSAT and GRE.
People have already given great suggestions for retail jobs, etc. so I’m going to throw out a couple options that are slightly off the beaten track, and not necessarily holiday-specific.
With an EE background, maybe you could tutor students who are studying for final exams. It may be worth it to check out Elance.com for freelance jobs; right now it looks like there are 29 projects in need of an EE.
If you’re interested in part-time work year round, it may be worth it to take the GRE and apply to tutor, if you feel fairly certain it won’t take up a lot of time to study for it. Look at sites like Testmasters, Princeton Review, Kaplan… the pay is better than you’d get in retail and less physical than waitressing, UPS, etc.
October 24th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Shara brings up some good points that no one else has really mentioned. Because Kathy has a full-time professional job, she needs to be cautious about the work she takes.
Is a night shift ending at 1am going to harm your productivity at work? Is the routine bad treatment of retail employees going to be worth the low pay on top of your full-time job? Will you blow all your meager wages on gas and takeout?
More importantly, is your manager going to see you waiting tables or running the checkout at Walmart and think less of you? You can say all you want that people’s opinions don’t matter in that regard, but when it’s your boss for your day job — well, it does matter.
Is your company going to question your loyalty when you can’t stay late because you have to stock? Or will you have to quit the extra job the first minute there’s a conflict — in which case, why bother?
This doesn’t mean you can’t find holiday work, but be cautious. A job with a fixed and strict schedule that won’t mean no sleep. A job outside the public eye. A job with an aspect that will benefit your work’s perception of you (playing Santa? awesome, whether or not you get paid).
October 24th, 2008 at 9:28 am
As an aside, I would also suggest the reader check whether her usual employer has a “moonlighting” policy, and if so, whether it covers this situation.
In my corner of the salaried software industry, policies banning working second jobs or requiring that you get permission for a second job are quite common. Usually retail IS likely to get approved, because it’s not a conflict of interest. Actually using my software skills for another company gets more tricky because I have to convince the powers that be that I’m not doing work in direct competition with the current employer.
In some cultures, it can help if you tie it to a non-work interest or helping a friend. “A friend is asking if I can help out a bit - yes it’s software but it’s a different sector” is an example, or “You know I’m really getting into quilting? Well, I’ve got a chance to work at JoAnn Fabrics a couple nights a week, and the discount would be nice,” or “I’d like to work the gym part-time so I can get a free membership, plus it’ll make me more likely to work out while I’m there.”
October 24th, 2008 at 9:34 am
about 100 years ago, I started retail work during college for Christmas during my first semester of college. In those ancient days, stores started staying open late( only to 9 PM) the day after Thanksgiving and no Sundays(blue laws in Pa.) I worked a lot-eventually up to 3 full days and Wednesday night(the only late night in those days) for the remainder of my 4 years in college. I have noticed customers are much worse today- clothing thrown on the floor of dressing rooms, a sense of general rudeness- and of course, stores stay open ridiculous hours-especially at Christmas. I am thinking of doing “out of the public eye retail” when I retire- early shift- putting the books back at Borders or Barnes and Noble or straightening up clothing merchandise when the customers aren’t there. More likely the book store since I might use the discount there.
October 24th, 2008 at 9:37 am
I worked for Bed Bath & Beyond seasonally for a little while. It was actually pretty fun, and I made $10/hr which wasn’t bad (hint: Ask for what you want to make! You just might get it)
I HATED checking people out but I mainly worked on the floor so that wasn’t a big deal. I liked zoning and I loved helping people shop, plus there’s no commissions or sales quotas or anything so you don’t feel pressure to upsell a college student to ALL-Clad when all they need is Farberware.
A college friend of mine is a retail store manager at a mall store and they are always hiring for the holidays and they have shifts after the store is closed for stocking, so you don’t even have to talk to customers.
October 24th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Double check with your current employer (if you have one) to make sure you won’t be getting a position that is a conflict of intrest.
example: You couldn’t really work sales at Best Buy if you worked for Sony, becuase you would have a conflict of intrest in trying to suggest different devices VS the Sony products.
You could loose BOTH jobs, if you are not careful.
October 24th, 2008 at 10:12 am
If you are looking for extra work how about working as electrical engineer on a side project basis. You can find scads of work on Guru.com. The best part is you can pick projects you are interested in and can add to your work creds or you could pick slam dunk assignments and make some extra cash.
October 24th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Every year I think it would be a great idea to get a second job; everyone needs help and I could use the money. But the truth is, my life always gets so full and busy at holiday time, I can barely manage my day job! Family stuff, parties, gift shopping, cleaning for houseguests, everything seems to pile up. There are things I don’t HAVE to do - but I would not be happy missing out on fun with friends or family just to make a little extra cash.
October 24th, 2008 at 11:11 am
A lot of companies (especially engineering)will not allow you to take a 2nd job without prior approval.
October 24th, 2008 at 11:18 am
I worked for Macy’s one year. The job was OK, but an unexpected upside was that I was so busy that I lost about 5 pounds even though I was eating corn dogs every day.
October 24th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Falantrice…you are guaranteed to get fired if you would take side projects as an engineer. I’m environmental engineer and I know.
Also, the pay is really really good but the student loans are really really bad. So I’m working as a chick @ UPS with paychecks going straight into my savings account for my wedding. Want to look great for your wedding? Load boxes.
October 24th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Desi
I agree getting fired would be bad and if it is against the rules and our EE should not do it. I have found that many employers can be OK with you taking side jobs in your field as long as it is outside you corporation’s industry. In the past, I have found that I actually learned new skills on another company’s dime and brought them to my day job. If a boss has an open mind, it can actually be a benefit the primary company if it is the right fit. That said, I now work as a consultant so I don’t run into those rules.
October 24th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Probably a local small company will allow it but I know larger companies you will have to go through so many different branches to get approved…the holiday season will be over by then haha.
I like working a physical job since there’s no intel property to be argued about and it gets me on my feet a few more hours than usual.
October 24th, 2008 at 11:39 am
I am finding it impossible to get a retail job right now. I’ve been searching for work since mid-September, willing to take ANYTHING in retail, and this whole time I’ve had one interview (at Target), which didn’t result in a job offer. Most places are NOT hiring. I am about to give up and see if I can find a job in fast food. (And I’m worried I won’t be able to.)
Seriously, I’m a great employee - responsible, punctual, great customer service skills, willing to work minimum wage, nights, weekends, holidays, decent work experience (a handful of part-time/temp foodservice jobs and a summer working at a call center), great recommendations… Is it just the economy, or am I doing something wrong? I’ve applied to every big box store in the phone book and I’m worried that I’m failing the Unicru. Or that people see I have a BA and an AAS and pass me over for being “overqualified”.
What can I do to make myself a more attractive candidate? All the career guidance I can find is geared at people looking for business/professional jobs.
October 24th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Last December I turned a hobby of mine into a trickle of income by dealing blackjack and poker at christmas parties for a small entertainment company.
They’re so overbooked at christmas they’ll do anything to get you to work, and the job was fun. Just dealing some cards (for play-money gambling) for folks at their staff christmas parties. It also kept me from spending since almost all of the gigs were Friday/Saturday evenings for a few hours.
October 24th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Sarah Have you tried Ross and Marshalls?
Sometimes they just take a while to call you back.
What is your degree in?
Also, are you dressing professional when turning in your resume? Sometimes they chunk it if you dress bad before the actual interview. A manager at Wendy’s told me that.
October 24th, 2008 at 11:59 am
My BA is in philosophy and my AAS is in culinary arts and management.
I always dress professionally (business casual) when I’m in a store where I’m applying for a job. Picking up an app, dropping it off, whatever. All the time. At my Target interview, there were two other people there waiting for interviews and I was the only one not wearing jeans. Sometimes I worry I dress up *too* much.
I have my Marshalls app to turn in today, actually.
October 24th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Some enterprising kids in my neighborhood go around putting up Christmas lights for neighbors as a small side business. All you need is a ladder and some cold-weather gear (and a lot of patience–in fact, I might hire them this year!).
October 24th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
One note to add to all of this: in my experience, working retail as a second job can be pretty onerous because of scheduling issues. For example, I’ve known some bookstores to refuse to give you a set schedule (so you can tell your primary employer “I can’t work late on Wednesdays through the end of the year” or whatever) and its not unusual to have a new scheduler “forget” what your availability is–meaning that you wind up scheduled for a shift while you’re supposed to be at job #1. It usually falls to you to find someone to cover your shift, and especially if you’re new, you may not have the social capital to call in a favor, especially around the holidays when everyone is trying to arrange for time off.
On the other hand, for anyone who is fairly early in their day-job careers, taking a second temporary position can help send a message to a boss that you need to be earning more money–and if your boss wants you available to work late or put in extra hours, it just might be enough to encourage the raise. (I’ve witnessed this myself.)
October 24th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Just keep on applying. Try a few restaurants maybe with culinary arts.
I had to look for 6 weeks and at the end of the 6th week, I got a job working on campus as a computer tech. The day after I accepted, I got a million calls from everyone I had applied to before.
October 24th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
JW…Watch them charge double to take them down…haha
October 24th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Sarah,
Are you married to working in retail? I wouldn’t immediately assume your education would point in that direction. Would you consider hotels and restaurants? With your AAS, you would probably qualify for any number of positions.
You might also want to think outside your “major”. My mom had a BA in Psychology and it qualified her to work for the IRS. Many places are looking to see that you can accomplish a degree and they don’t care what the subject is. My sister worked at Macy’s with a BA in Communications. She was hired as seasonal help and they liked her enough to keep her on.
October 24th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
I second (or third, or fourth?) UPS, although if you are available in the daytime it’s more fun to be a “Driver’s Assistant” than in the warehouse loading boxes. You get to wear the uniform, run around outside, deliver peoples’ christmas presents (they’re often happy to see you) and maybe even drive the “package car” (not “truck” FYI) if your driver is cool and doesn’t mind breaking the rules a little. I did it for 2 Christmas seasons in college.
October 24th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
@Sarah: Why not try substitute teaching? Many teachers get sick around the holidays, and the pay is decent; better than no job at all.
Unless you are wearing diamonds and a cape, you are not overdressed. I worked as a retail manager for a while and I can confirm that yes, you are more likely to get hired if you dress professionally. You “seem more serious” about the job than someone that shows up in, say, flip-flops, a mini-skirt and a low-cut tank top (I kid you not; happened WAY too often).
Overall, being pleasant, polite and generally friendly will get you very far in the any job interview. Do NOT flirt with your interviewer.
If you haven’t already, try a staffing agency like Robert Half (for tech) or others. They can help match up your abilities to companies in need, and often have better tips on job openings.
October 24th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
My husband works for Walgreens and they are under a hiring freeze right now, at least in his district. I’ll decline on stating my entire candid opinion on the matter, especially right before the holidays.
Each Walgreens store has a different number of hours they are allowed depending how busy they are, so it may pay to apply to more than one location of the same company if you can.
October 24th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I really appreciate everyone’s suggestions. I’ve applied to jobs in retail, grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, call centers, civil service, bakeries, coffee shops, tutoring servies, senior centers, gas stations, and movie theaters. (I’m still trying to figure out where to find these mystical “professional” jobs that are available to “anyone with a degree”.)
I looked into substitute teaching, but getting certified would cost me over $100, with no guarantee that I’d ever find work as a sub. I went to a staffing agency, but they turned me away for not having enough “experience” (i.e., I’ve never gone to work in a suit).
I’m asking about retail in particular since the holidays are coming up and there are supposed to be so many seasonal jobs open, but I’m not seeing anything. I worry that I’m doing something wrong. I mean, 16-year-olds manage to do this, why can’t I? What do they have that I don’t?
October 24th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Also, as for interviews…my husband has done a lot of them and hired many people. Nine times out of ten, he knows in the first minute or two when he will NOT be hiring someone, and it’s usually a matter of strange personality or really bad “vibes”. (Maybe the person is communicating badly and it signals not being able to work with others, for example. ) He’s very willing to hire someone who needs more training if he thinks that person will be mature, intelligent and flexible personality-wise. His best interviews can last 45 minutes to an hour, simply because the conversation has gone well.
Now, of course I am biased, but I think my husband does a really good interview. Other interviewers may be more difficult to talk to themselves, thus creating a stupid situation for everyone. But be open and talk about more than your prospective job…for instance, tell them about your family, your hobbies, or any other good things in your life that set you apart and show that you are a decent person outside your job.
October 24th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Holiday retail is baptism by fire, and if you’re new you’ll never see store clerks the same way again. Three weeks of holiday retail on top of a full-time job will burn you out, but you can make good money, especially if you have no time to spend any! I second everyone who said to find a place you enjoy shopping. And don’t be discouraged putting in lots of applications. It helps if you can find a real person to talk to for a minute, so they have a face to put with the application.
While it’s not a holiday job, if you live near a college or university, keep “laboratory guinea pig” on your list. During graduate school I pulled in an extra $40-60 a week going into the MIT hearing lab to respond to random beeps and tones. Sure, it was dull, but I was broke, I could do it in 90-120 minute chunks, and it became a nice break from the frenzy of school. Plus you would not believe how acute my hearing is now!
October 24th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Sarah,
The ‘professional’ jobs can be hard to find but they’re out there. Of course job websites (monster, career builder, etc) is one place to start. The university you got your BA from may have a listing. Job fairs also have lots of people to talk to, hosted by your university, local government, or the businesses themselves. Where I work doesn’t even bother posting jobs anywhere other than the company website because enough people find us. At that point the responsibility is on you to get creative and just start with companies you can think of. If you are looking for entry level (like secretarial) then everyone needs those people: governments, Intel, Lockheed, you name it.
On the other extreme end of the spectrum are small businesses. A small shop I take all my glass needs to (picture frames, mirrors, etc) has a sign up saying “We are ALWAYS looking for Pleasant, motivated people!” Many businesses are too small to do much in the way of advertizing, so they find people via networking, so ask EVERYONE you know if they know of anyone looking for help. Most jobs are never posted but networked. My husband has had a half dozen jobs and only got one via a cold application, and that was a transfer position within the company he was already working for.
And when every last avenue has been exhausted what is left is: moving, or more training. If your area is in a slump then maybe you have to evaluate what is holding you where you are and consider leaving. That is what I had to do right after I graduated. I was looking at some seriously depressing job choices so I moved 1200 miles and don’t regret it. In fact now is the time of your life to consider it because it’s easier now than when you have a half dozen kids in tow.
October 24th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Sarah, try more staffing agencies. I worked as a temp while between jobs; even with experience, I had to be signed up with at least 3 agencies to get reliable work. If you live in a decent-sized city you should be able to open your phone book and find at least a half-dozen or so, probably more. Most will provide training in common software, data entry skills, etc. I don’t know how they’re being affected by the current economic situation, but generally they’re a pretty good bet.
Good luck.
October 24th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I would suggest looking for mail order companies in your city who will need inbound order or customer care reps.
I worked as a seasonal temp at Omaha Steaks corporate headquarters for 5 years. I was in the customer care department, so there was no selling involved, I just got to make people happy by solving their problems. The pay was great (10 bucks an hour) with incentives for attendance. The first couple of years, they did giveaways and treats during the season also. The discount we got was substantial, and it lasted ALL year, which was a great perk. Another bonus was the rehire bonus, 100 bucks for each year that you came back! I know Omaha Steaks has retail stores all over the country, and they need holiday help at those also. Might be worth checking out.
Another place I might check with is a banquet hall or with a catering company who would be booking lots of holiday gigs.
October 24th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
I can tell you the worst part-time job for the holiday. Any retail job is terrible, angry customers, last minute shoppers, later hours and stressed managers.
October 24th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Try to find a job that pays hourly + commission. I worked PT at a camera store while going to University and managed to make some decent money over the Christmas season, it’s definitely their busiest time of the year and companies put on lots of promo’s for the employees encouraging them to sell their product. I knew a few employees who worked full time jobs but kept coming back for the Christmas season just to pick up some extra money. I’ve toyed with the idea myself, but I started working my full time job (as a Mech. Eng) a few months ago and don’t want to risk jeopardizing my performance by working extra hours and stressing myself out. But after working retail for the many years of HS and University, I can relate to people working those jobs a lot more.
October 24th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Working a part time job in addition to your normal gig, just to pay the utilities?
Let me be the first to suggest you are a Supersized American, living a life of extraordinary excess (air conditioning and/or heating - luxuries which only the very wealthiest human beings on the planet enjoy) pissing away precious natural resources of our planet, just so you can be comfortable in your gigantic, Supersized American house.
October 24th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
I’ve done the part-time retail thing before, but it always seems like I end up spending too much of the extra money on transportation, food, etc. And I’m worn out.
I’ve also done child care over the holiday break from school, which works out rather well, even though it’s not extremely lucrative.
As an educator, I do have extra time off over the holidays which I can use to do some extra freelance writing and blogging as well.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:19 am
My UPS delivery guy is always looking for help around the holidays - either on the delivery trucks or doing paperwork at the package receiving shop.
Since you’re an EE, have you considering doing freelance work? Perhaps through a site like Elance.com where you can apply your education and knowledge versus manual labor.
Best of luck.
October 25th, 2008 at 7:42 am
As an engineer myself, I first read this article and thought, great, some ideas to make extra money. I am trying to pay off debt and save for a down payment for a house so extra money always seems like a good thing. But as some readers have pointed out above, you might get yourself into trouble with your 1st job and pay more taxes than you would generally pay with a retail job because you are already in a high tax bracket.
Does you job allow you to work overtime for pay? Mine does, as long as there is project work available - so you might go this route. I imagine you are making $25 (or much more) an hour at this job and even straight time overtime pay (what I get) is MUCH better than working for $6-10 an hour retail. You might not have this option, but if you do, its a great way to make some extra money year-round.
October 25th, 2008 at 9:12 am
I’ve worked holidays at LLBean’s call center, several bookstores, and Macy’s
My best experiences with holiday seasonal work happened when I applied early September. Many companies hire as early as August. I was well trained by the time the craziness started in November in each case and had a great time.
Be available as much as you can, especially on nights and weekends and you can improve your earning potential. Expect at least a 20% discount and ask about hiring bonuses but in this environment I wouldn’t expect more than minimum wage.
Thanksgiving weekend, especially Friday and the weekend and week before Christmas in retail is generally required. Some hours may be cut if stores don’t make sales goals early in the season.
Special advice from a 10 year Macy’s employee:
I know Macy’s hires right up past Thanksgiving, but I wouldn’t recommend waiting until then because it is so frustrating to have to jump into the fray without much assistance. It’s horrible for you and customers. Also if you wait that late you don’t qualify for bonuses and you miss special double discount days usually held in early December. Introduce yourself to the markdown team if you are looking for special items. THey LOVE college students who come on for a few weeks in December and can stay through inventory. Jobs open up weekly according to a set schedule so jobs that weren’t there in early October may be there now.
October 25th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Best Buy or any technology/gadget store… awesome discounts and the work is really easy… as long as you can deal with difficult people and work quickly.
October 25th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Catering often pays $25-35 an hour, is seasonal and usually on-call. Work the shifts you want and eat well for free.
October 25th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Ditto jocelyn taijeron. I work part time at The Container Store and have a full time job. Really, I just love organizing that much and thought this would help facilitate my dream of becoming a professional organizer some day. It pays really well and we have a great hiring policy that attracts amazing people. If TCS doesn’t interest you, we are at the top of the Forbes list of best places to work. You might want to try that list for other possibilities. We’re hiring right now for the holidays so get started sooner rather than later. Good luck!!
October 26th, 2008 at 9:41 am
I worked at Sears for 7 1/2 years, and they were always needing help. My department was Merchandise Pickup, working in the stockroom, unloading trucks, and loading large items into small cars. I think it would make a great seasonal job. The receiving employees got paid more than the beginning cashiers, and I could always make my own schedule. I worked there while in college, and I could basically come in anytime I could. The stores get more trucks and are open later during the holiday season, so you are likely to be able to work as much or as little as you want. Plus, customers seemed to give larger tips during the holiday season. Just watch out for angry customers whose on-order Christmas presents have been delayed due to a shortage at the distribution center.
October 27th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Frugal Bachelor@62, this is not the first - nor the second - time I’ve seen you come down like a ton of judgmental bricks on someone who’s written in for help. First of all: Not helpful. Second of all: the hell? You know nothing about the person who wrote in except that she’s an electrical engineer and wanted to make more money. Where did she say she needed help to pay her utilities? And even if she did, how is it bad that she’s looking for a way to pay them herself? Maybe the writer wants additional money at Christmas time so that she can buy presents without going into debt, not because she’s a Supersized American. You don’t know – but it sure didn’t keep you from making assumptions and being nasty. Again.
If you don’t have something useful to say, why don’t you keep it too yourself? Damn.
October 27th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
If you live in a region with a cold climate and have access to a truck, snow plowing is an easy way to make a bunch of money. It usually pays around $50 an hour.
October 28th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
As a nanny I make mad money from around the second week of Thanksgiving up until New Years Day. I am already almost completely booked till the end of the year. If Kathy is good at all with kids she should get on a few neighborhood internet boards and post some flyers offering babysitting during the holiday season. She can ask her friends with kids to hand out her number to their friends or she can try going through a nanny service such as Friend Of The Family.
October 28th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
If you are a patient person and like high energy try retail or being a server.
When I was working as a manager at a high end department store, vendors hire a lot of freelance people around Christmas time.
Last time I checked they paid around $12 to $15 an hour to gift wrap items, spray perfume on people, make up artists, extra stock and display help and personal shoppers or assistant concierge.
You will get lots of overtime and since you freelance and handle your own taxes you can write off a lot of expenses.
If you are selling products sometimes the vendors will throw in cash bonuses or give away free stuff to the one with the most in sales.
Although I’ve never been a waitress get a job in a more upscale restaurant during November-December. You get tipped really well by shoppers who want to beat traffic and don’t feel like cooking. I know servers who work in mediocre establishments and trendy sports bars and hotel cocktail lounges and make $300 in tips part time on some days. If you don’t mind working Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve or New Years Eve if they are open, that is a good selling point.
November 10th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Since most retail jobs (especially the part time seasonal ones pay only minimum wage or just above, it’s hard to make much money. Your best bet would be to figure out where you’d like to do most of your holiday shopping and try to get a job there. The pay might be low but an employee discount of up to 50% could end up putting you pretty far ahead if you do all or most of your shopping with your employer.
November 28th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Hey, JD — I guess this explains the spike in traffic from your site. Thanks for the mention .Sorry I missed it when you first posted this!