Holiday-job hunt hindered by weak economy

Click here: Consumer 10 Report: Holiday-job hunt hindered by weak economy The Columbus Dispatch

Sunday, October 4, 2009 3:21 AM
By Jeff Hogan
WBNS-10TV

Christmas is just 82 shopping days away.
If you're counting on a seasonal job, now is the time to get your, uh, resume together.
A few retailers are already hiring, and many experts suggest that in this economy, people seeking temporary employment will have to be more nimble than ever.
Typically, in the fourth quarter, U.S. retailers boost staffing by up to 10 percent, thereby creating about 700,000 temporary jobs. This year, with the nationwide unemployment rate hovering near 10 percent, the demand for seasonal employment is likely to be particularly heavy.

Those who traditionally seek seasonal jobs -- college students home for the holidays, teachers looking to supplement their incomes, stay-at-home moms eager to make use of stores' employee discounts -- will find themselves competing with laid-off workers scrambling to make ends meet.
Nearly two-thirds of U.S. retailers have seen a surge in applications for seasonal positions this year, according to the Hay Group, an HR consulting firm that regularly surveys 25 of the nation's largest chains, including American Eagle Outfitters, Best Buy, Saks Fifth Avenue and Target.
Unfortunately for would-be workers, 40 percent of this year's respondents said they plan to hire fewer temporary employees than they did last year. Some chains expect to cut seasonal hiring by as much as 25 percent.
Things might not be quite as bleak in central Ohio.
Ken Lazar, local managing director for Manpower Professional, said the placement firm expects retail activity to grow in the fourth quarter. And because of Columbus' standing as a banking and distribution hub, even a modest uptick in sales could have indirect benefits for seasonal hiring in this market, he said.
Temporary workers would be needed to get merchandise into stores or, in the case of online retailing, directly into customers' hands, Lazar said. Similarly, he said, someone would have to process all the resulting credit-card transactions.
Lazar said applicants for seasonal employment should also consider the hospitality industry, which, like the retail sector, traditionally does well in the fourth quarter.
"The next three months are our busiest time of the year," said Libby Haag, general manager of the Hoggy's in Grandview Heights.
Haag said the Columbus-based restaurant and catering business just hired 15 temporary workers to handle increased traffic associated with seasonal events.
"We do a lot of carry-outs, a lot of turkeys, a lot of holiday meals for people, and we need extra help," she said. "Our catering department needs four times as much help as I do."
Even there, though, the competition for jobs might be unusually fierce this year.
Haag pointed out that one recent opening drew more than 25 applications -- the first day.
jeff.hogan@10tv.com