We all could use a little extra spending cash around the holidays. Luckily, the holidays are a wonderful time to land a seasonal job, whether you’re a senior or a college student. The benefits of seasonal work are plenty, including flexibility, variety, built-in discounts, and the chance to buff up your resume. If you’re looking for some part-time work during the holidays (or even the summer), Ready to Go Resumes shares what you need to know.
You’ll Want to Give Your Resume a Refresh
Dust off the editing skills, because it’s time to give your resume a refresh. A good resume is descriptive without being long-winded, properly formatted, and accurate. Writing and/or updating your resume is easier when you have some good examples to reference, so it’s smart to look for quality examples online before you get started.
Also, you’ll want to stylize and structure your resume to fit the job for which you’re applying. Make sure you have the right resume for a seasonal job (it may look a bit different than your generic resume). Be honest. It’s a resume mistake to lie and say you always wanted a career in shipping products, for instance. It’s okay to say you want the job to make some extra cash. To ensure your resume looks polished and professional, consider working with Ready to Go Resumes. With several styles to choose from, they will provide you with a stellar resume you’ll be glad to hand out.
Apply Early or You’ll Get Left Behind
Seasonal work is popular, and that means positions fill up fast. In fact, most businesses will hire their full quota of holiday workers well before the season begins. That means it’s imperative that you apply early. Another great tip is to return to the same well — apply at places you’ve previously worked. You’re much more likely to get hired by people who know and trust you.
You’ll Find More Opportunities If You Know Where to Look
Not every company increases hiring during the holidays. In fact, some slow it down. You’re going to find more opportunities if you think smart about what kinds of places would increase seasonal hiring. For example, the holidays are a time for travel, hosting, eating, and family fun, so that means service industry jobs will likely exist. ZipRecruiter says to think like Santa. What happens during the holidays? Lots and lots of shopping and shipping, which means companies like Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and the like are great options for seasonal work. Consider also jobs that can transition from seasonal work to regular work. This could be tutoring, customer service work, writing, editing or even dog walking.
Being Flexible Is Key
Since competition for seasonal jobs is very high, you must stand out to any potential employer. You can do this by being flexible around the holidays. This means working late, early, weekends, and actual holidays. Many applicants will block out time they can’t work, but you can get ahead by being extra flexible with your hours. If you’re a senior with a lot of extra time on your hands, this can make you a very compelling candidate.
Know How to Ace an Interview
Fun fact: Most people have no idea how to give a good employment interview. It’s just unnatural for a lot of applicants. However, you can put yourself in a good place to land a competitive seasonal job by doing a little bit of interview prep. As Monster.com notes, you’ll need to know how to answer questions that could trip you up like “Why do you want a job for only a few months?” (Answer: “Because it’s a win-win. I get to learn the business and you get qualified help meeting your holiday goals.”)Another part of acing an interview is doing some research on the company beforehand. If you know what you’re talking about, it’ll show.
Start Your Own Business
This may sound like a difficult undertaking, but starting a business can be fairly simple, especially if you focus on skills you already have or if you launch an ecommerce store and use dropshipping. Shopify outlines all the necessary steps to start an ecommerce business. To generate interest for your business, you’ll need to tap into quick and easy marketing techniques. This starts with creating a logo for your business. A free logo design tool can help you make short work of this task. The right tool will offer customizable options and typography features that allow you to build a unique and eye-catching logo. In addition to a logo, turn to digital marketing through social media platforms to generate interest. And who knows? This little side hustle could turn into a great source of income!
While a seasonal job is a temporary thing, it can often springboard into a more permanent thing. Not only can seasonal work help you make extra cash and build your resume, but it also gives you business contacts who can help you land full-time employment at the company or even somewhere else (there are a lot of cross-referrals within seasonal employers). And seasonal work doesn’t have to be low-paying drudgery. There are plenty of higher-paying seasonal jobs out there — so apply now and apply often!
