Survey: Retail holiday hires grow

Chicago – More retailers are hiring extra holiday staff this year. According to a new annual holiday hiring survey from CareerBuilder and Harris Interactive, 39% of retail hiring managers reported that they plan to hire seasonal workers this year, up from 36% last year and 29% in 2011.



Some employers will hire seasonal employees in November (27%) and December (10%), the majority of employers stop accepting applications by the end of October. Popular holiday positions include customer service (33%), shipping/delivery (18%) and inventory management (17%). Half (51%) of employers hiring seasonal staff will pay $10 or more per hour. A majority of employers who hire holiday staff (67%) say they typically rehire some of the same people every year.



"Seasonal employment is expected to be somewhat better than last year, and can lead to more than just extra income for workers," said Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America. "Nearly half (49%) of U.S. employers who are hiring seasonal workers plan to transition some into full-time, permanent staff. This is up ten percentage points over last year and indicative of a growing trend where employers are test-driving candidates before committing to a long-term hire. Seasonal work is a good way for job seekers to network, showcase their abilities and secure a permanent position in a variety of industries."