As we approach the holidays, many employers, particularly those in the retail sector, ramp up their hiring because of the season and the increase in sales. This means opportunities for employment for many people. To get one of these positions, you want to approach employers the right way. There will be competition for these positions, and everyone will have their own agenda.
The strongest competition you will face in the retail industry for holiday employment will come from high school and college students. Aside from the fact that they are young and friendly, the most attractive feature that employers love about them is that they go back to school after the holidays, which eliminates the battle the employers know they will have to face in January when sales go way down and the people working the holidays usually expect they will get still get a decent amount of hours.
So how do you increase your chances of getting a retail job in the holiday season? There are several things you need to keep in mind:
Apply early. Many of the best jobs that are added for the holidays fill up early. Also keep in mind that aside from the interviews, Human Resource managers also need to have time to do background checks(especially if you applying to be a cashier) Waiting until the week of Thanksgiving will not work since the store’s management will be too busy to prepare for the start of the season.
Understand you might miss your holiday family meal. Many years ago, the holiday shopping season started very early the morning after Thanksgiving, but things have changed over time as stores started opening earlier and earlier in a competition to get shoppers in the door. This has brought much criticism, but since the stores have jobs, you pretty much have to go along with it if you want to work for them – especially during the holidays.
Don’t negotiate right out of the gate. The only two things most people want from a holiday job is money and a generous employee discount.
Mention your retail experience. If you do not have any, try to list any experience that shows dealing with crowds. The atmosphere during the 4 to 5 weeks of Christmas shopping will be intense, and if your job experience demonstrates that you have dealt with something to similar to that, you have a better chance of possibly selling them on the idea that you would be a good fit.
Arthur Johnson is a volunteer writer focusing on finance and economic issues in his column Moving Up. He has two Bachelor’s Degrees in Sport Management and Economics. Arthur has substantial experience working with the homeless as a Volunteer Financial mentor at The Salvation Army shelter in Minneapolis. If you have questions about a specific article he has written or suggestions for topics you would like to know more about please email him [email protected].
