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September 17, 2009
When it comes to the job market, there are many degrees of slow.
So when slow represents a "slight improvement" over 2008, that's positive news.
That's essentially the outlook for holiday season hiring this year, according to the job placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.
In its annual holiday hiring forecast, the firm said job opportunities "might improve slightly over last year, but only because 2008 saw the lowest seasonal employment growth in nearly 20 years."
Challenger said retailers are still wary of the economic outlook, particularly because consumers have cut back on much of their discretionary spending.
"Few retailers will take the risk of eating into slim profits with extra workers," said John Challenger, chief executive of the placement firm.
Last year, retail employment grew by 384,3000 from October through December, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That was nearly 50 percent fewer than in 2007, when retailers added nearly 721,000 holiday season jobs.
Last year marked the lowest holiday hiring figure since 1989, Challenger said.
Despite the forecast, Challenger said there are "signs of hope." He noted that retailers have slowed the pace of job cuts from the beginning of the year, and the latest data on retail sales were better than expected.
Continued sales growth heading into the holidays "could boost seasonal hiring above last year's meager activity," Challenger said. "But the hiring surge may come later than normal this year, as many retailers wait to see how holiday sales are going before adding extra workers."
The best opportunities for seasonal workers, according to Challenger, will be at large discounters such as Target and Wal-Mart. However, he said, job seekers may have to look beyond sales clerk positions. Stocking positions and warehouse work may be the best targets for job opportunities.
Earlier this month, Manpower Inc. forecast that holiday season hiring would be sluggish.
Here are some job tips for temporary workers:
-- Be flexible, whether it is hours or type of work.
-- Dress appropriately for the interview. Be on time.
-- Be prepared to be on standby, if openings come up late.
-- Start your search by contacting friends already working in retail establishments.
"The key is separating yourself from the pile of applicants the store will see between now and Halloween," Challenger said.
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