Check out Holiday job search is unlikely to be jolly | The Columbus Dispatch

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Holiday job search is unlikely to be jolly Sunday, November 8, 2009 3:38 AM By Tracy Turner THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Sarah McCann has a tough choice to make. The manager of Silver Mountain jewelry store at Polaris Fashion Place mall has three holiday jobs to fill and, because of the state's high unemployment rate, a mountain of applications. And they're among the best and most highly skilled prospects she's ever seen. "In previous years, the applicants haven't been as impressive," McCann said. "Now, I've got too many good people to choose from. "It's making my hiring decision so much harder than it's ever been." Competition for seasonal jobs is fierce this year, industry observers say. The U.S. jobless rate for October hit a 26-year high of 10.2 percent. Ohio's rate for September, the most recent data available, stood at 10.1 percent, with 594,000 people unemployed. Add to that the number of people who seek seasonal employment to supplement their income or to pay for holiday purchases, and the job hunt has become much more competitive, according to Challenger Gray & Christmas, a Chicago-based employment-consulting firm. "Holiday hiring might improve slightly over last year, but only because 2008 saw the lowest seasonal employment growth in nearly 20 years," John Challenger, the firm's CEO, said in a statement. "With millions of Americans out of work and many more simply cutting back on all discretionary spending, few retailers will take the risk of eating into slim profits with extra workers." While Ohio's employment environment isn't as bad as in some states -- Michigan's jobless rate was 15.3 percent in September -- it's still "likely to be a bit of a challenge" to find a seasonal job this year, said Bill LaFayette, vice president for economic analysis at the Columbus Chamber. From the time the recession started until now, central Ohio has lost 1.9 percent of its total employment, compared with a 5.2 percent loss of jobs nationally, he said. In the retail sector, the region lost 4.5 percent of its jobs, compared with 5.6 percent nationwide. A recent Manpower Employment Outlook Survey found that only 8 percent of Columbus area employers plan to hire employees during the fourth quarter, while 9 percent expect to reduce their payrolls. The majority -- 75 percent -- expect to maintain their current staff levels, and 8 percent aren't certain of their plans, the survey found. Employers seem "to be really jittery still, and consumer confidence is down," LaFayette said. "That doesn't bode well for hiring anywhere. "It'll likely be less challenging here (to find a job) than in other areas, but that's not so comforting for someone looking for a job." Locally, help-wanted signs hang in the windows of several retailers, including Williams-Sonoma; Christopher & Banks; J.Jill; D&D Sports; Macy's; GameStop; Bed, Bath & Beyond; CoCo & Lilly; Yankee Candle; and Victoria's Secret. GameStop plans to hire 15,000 workers companywide, spokeswoman Marissa Andrada said, about the same number of workers the Texas-based company hired last year. The company operates 6,100 stores worldwide. "The end of the year historically represents a large part of our company's annual sales, and 2009 is not expected to be any different," she said in a statement. "The recent price reductions for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii gaming consoles are expected to create a lot of store traffic from customers." LaFayette advises job seekers to also look beyond standard retail companies for seasonal jobs. "People should be a little creative in looking for holiday employment," he said. "There are likely to be jobs at transportation firms as more people use the Internet to shop and send goods, thus making that a stronger possibility" for work. Shipping giants FedEx and UPS have numerous job openings throughout central Ohio, according to both company's Web sites. Emily Kleier has been looking for a job for a couple of weeks. The North Side resident said she's applied for several positions and so far has gotten a "no," "nothing so far," and one interview offer. Kleier's goal, she said, is to gain a seasonal job as a way to "pad my savings to start 2010 on the right foot." She noted in an e-mail that "2009 drained it a bit, so I'm hoping to sock it all away." "It seems like everyone is looking for seasonal help these days, so that leads me to believe that there are jobs out there to be had." tturner@dispatch.com