The holiday season may be two months away, but local business are getting ready now, opening their doors to potential candidates who are looking for employment. The good news is there's lots of opportunity.
Mike Taylor has been using the resources at Workforce Solutions to land his next job.
"Take advantage of resume workshop, the interview workshop," he said.
Taylor, among the many others, are either looking to bring in extra cash during the holidays or something more permanent.
"There are many more positions available now," said Brenda Woods with Workforce Solutions.
Woods says local companies are looking to increase productivity with new hires. She helps them by matching the right candidates for the job.
"FedEx, UPS, also your Home Depot. And we are expecting to hear from many, many employers very soon," Woods said.
Places like Radio Shack have already started hiring.
"But we also have permanent positions and often seasonal positions lead to permanent positions," said David Brod with Radio Shack.
Brod says a sales associate works off of a base salary, plus commission, and has the opportunity to bring in some good money.
"We have people who can make anywhere between $12 to $18 dollars. And that number tends to increase during the holiday season," he said.
Also in retail...
"We're looking for highly motivated, energetic candidates to come and work with us this holiday season," said Maribel Jacques with JCPenney.
Jacques says there are 20 stores in the Houston area that looking to increase staff by approximately 20 percent in each store. Plus, there are perks.
"If you like to shop and like discounts and like savings and you like good quality clothes and great style, we have it all here at JCPenney," Jacques said.
JCPenney also tells us they have a wide variety of positions available. And as time gets closer to the holiday season, expect longer shift hours to keep up with the demand of consumer spending.
Looking for holiday employment?
- Where are you applying? Is it in retail? Be sure to know the products you're selling, so you can address any questions potential customers may have.
- Bring your customer service A-game to the table.
- Wear appropriate clothing to your interviews.
- Start looking for a seasonal job NOW. Don't wait till November.
- Show potential employers you can work flexible hours/days.
- Many places are hiring during the holiday season. Apply at restaurants, home improvement stores, delivery companies, etc…
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