Tis the season for Holiday shopping, pumpkin spice lattes, a big fat man in a red suit and shopping centers filled at their full capacity. Children are crying after sitting down on Santa’s lap and women are looking for those gifts that they will wrap and give to their cousins, parents, children and people they met yesterday.
Yet, in all that chaos and commotion, there is hope for us pleading college students who need some extra money for college loans, gas, everything. And what perfect timing! Finals are around the corner, and with more free time and options at every retail store hiring for the busy holiday season, it’s the perfect time to apply!
According to Forbes, stores plan on hiring about 46 percent of their staff for customer service. Places such as Target, Macy’s, Walmart, Gap and Toys R’ Us have thousands of positions open for seasonal and non-seasonal employees and many times, a seasonal position may lead to a permanent one.
Melissa Barraza, a former manager for New York and Company, said “It gets super busy during the holidays. Everyone is trying to get all those Christmas gifts; get the good deals so people go more to the stores. Having more associates helps to give all the customers the best service, to get what they want and when they’re in line to get them checked out as fast as possible.”
But the real question is, what do you as a student need to get hired? “They have to have experience in retail, that way we don’t have to train them too much,” Barraza said.
So what are you waiting for? If you need a few more bucks and have some retail experience, then go and apply! Many companies are hiring online, so you don’t even have to drive for an application.