It’s not too early to look for holiday jobs

It’s getting to be that time of year: over the next few months, retailers and other employers are expected to hire nearly 700,000 holiday helpers.

That’s not a big change from years past, but there are three new trends that aspiring holiday workers can take advantage of.

Holiday job openings aren’t just in shopping malls

Holiday gift-shopping, decorating and entertaining remain the biggest drivers of the holiday job boon. But as our shopping habits continue to move from the traditional bricks-and-mortar venues to what some call “click-and-order,” the need for holiday help evolves as well.

This year, we can expect to see many temporary job openings in these three places:

• Call centers (employing the people who take phone calls and process all those online purchases)
• Warehouses (employing the people who locate, pack, and prepare to ship those items)
• Transportation companies (employing the schedulers and drivers who deliver those packages to destinations across the country)

Not interested in those? There are plenty of other seasonal job openings, such as:

• Ski instructors and other winter recreation helpers
• Tax preparers and other financial associates who help people plan for year end
• Temporary office help to cover for people taking time off over the holiday season

Employers are starting to hire earlier this year

Although the number of openings isn’t predicted to be larger than last year, many retailers have announced that they are trying to lock down their new hires earlier this year. The Associated Press reports that large retailers Macys and Target are already holding recruitment fairs across the country. Other retailers have made it easier to apply online—even on your smartphone—and earlier this year.  And CheatSheet offers this list of 11 companies already hiring for the holidays.

With a tighter labor market, pay and perks are better

The unemployment rate is down slightly from last year, and wages are up slightly, meaning fewer people may be looking for holiday work. The Associated Press notes that more retailers are offering perks such as extra pay, higher discounts, and more flexible schedules to attract workers.

What do these three trends mean for you? They mean that whether you’re interested in getting your foot in the door at a new company or simply adding a second-job paycheck to your holiday season, it’s time to get going on your holiday job search. CareerOneStop can help you brush up your resume, find openings, prepare to interview, and more.