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Hark! Holiday hiring begins; Retail and customer service sectors ramp up for busy season

By Emily Hughey Quinn, Source: Tribune Media Services

The gift-giving time of year is nigh, and extra throngs of shoppers mean retail stores and delivery companies will beef up their staffs in preparation for holiday shopping hysteria. Toys “R” Us expects to hire 35,000 seasonal workers, JCPenney Portraits is hiring team members to take holiday photos and UPS is hiring thousands of package sorters and driver helpers.

Nonetheless, as America’s pocketbook remains tight, so might American companies’ plans for holiday hiring. Two national hiring surveys revealed that most retailers are planning to hire the same number of workers or fewer compared to last year.

Aon Consulting, a global human capital consulting firm, surveyed more than 100 of the nation’s leading retailers and found that 44 percent are hiring fewer holiday workers this year than they did last year.

CareerBuilder’s “Seasonal Hiring 2009″ survey of more than 2,900 hiring managers indicates that 18 percent of hiring managers plan to take on seasonal workers to meet business needs associated with the holidays and end-of-the-year wrap-ups, on par with 17 percent in 2008.

“Competition for seasonal positions will be intense as the job market is flooded with qualified candidates vying for a smaller number of open positions,” said Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America.

Joining the reindeer games

As such, college students on winter break, out-of-work jobseekers and even the gainfully employed who are looking to make some extra cash for the holidays should start their search now. UPS, for one, begins holiday hiring in November for jobs that last through December 24, and still others began hiring in October. Allen Chen, who has a full-time job working at a university and also has worked part-time in a retail store for the past four years, says he thinks retail jobs are ideal for college students, especially those interested in fashion.

“Candidates need to be personable and able to deal with a fast-paced work environment,” he says. “Typically, students who like the clothing of the specific store or are into fashion make good employees at retail stores.”

However, while a penchant for fashion is a good foot in the door at clothing stores, the biggest trick to getting hired in this tough market is much less glamorous. According to the Aon Consulting survey, the most important qualities retailers are looking for in candidates this holiday season include customer service skills (83 percent), a positive attitude (60 percent) and availability (55 percent).

Jingle around the clock

UPS agrees. Michael French, UPS public relations supervisor, says that, while applicants are required to be able to lift 70 pounds, UPS really looks for those who are interested in serving others.

“We tend to look for people who display a willingness to work in a fast-paced environment and who are able to do physically demanding work,” says French. “Our work is centered on providing service, so that attribute is something we are very keen on — serving others, whether it’s sorting packages or loading trucks. And much of our work takes place at night and in the early morning hours, so a flexible schedule is also important.”

In Chen’s experience, hours for retail jobs include morning shifts, which range from about 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., mid shifts from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. or closing shifts from 5 p.m. to close.

Home for the holidays

If retail or delivery hours keep you out of the holiday hiring circuit, don’t forget the home office. Some staffing firms offer temporary work-at-home options. For example, Alpine Access, a home-based customer service provider, is hiring 150 part-time and full-time customer service professionals for the holiday season to take in-home calls on behalf of retail clients. Employment seekers are required to have high-speed Internet access, a dedicated landline (no cell phones), a headset and a quiet place to work — no barking dogs, doorbells or crying babies allowed. Pay ranges from $9 to $14/hour to start.

Richer than Scrooge

Regardless of your choice in hourly holiday work, if you are hired, you may be paid more than in previous holiday jobs. CareerBuilder’s survey revealed that 44 percent of hiring managers expect to pay $10 or more per hour; 12 percent expect to pay $16 or more per hour; 34 percent plan to pay between $8 and $10 per hour and 20 percent expect to pay between $6 and $8.

If retail or delivery doesn’t work out, don’t count yourself out of the game.

“According to our survey results, there are a number of qualified candidates who will not find a retail job during this holiday season,” says Bob Lopes, executive vice president with Aon Consulting. “Those individuals should also consider the travel, hospitality and food service industries. While these industries don’t receive the same type of attention as retail during the holiday season, they typically increase their hiring this time of year.”

© 2009, Tribune Media Services