Why You Should Get a Seasonal Job

Although I’ve been pursuing a full time career as a freelance writer and blogger, last night I went through an excruciatingly long application to be a seasonal sales associate at BevMo. It’s funny, it was the first time I actually went in a BevMo, since I’m now 21, but I loved the atmosphere and I was fascinated that there was so many products to choose from. Don’t worry; I don’t plan on becoming an alcoholic by any stretch of the imagination. However, I know that with the holidays comes being merry, and that usually comes with buying lots of drinks, so I figured, why not apply?

A lot of places ramp up the hiring this time of year. You’ll see a lot more retail positions open since people are shopping for the holidays. You also have a good chance finding a seasonal position at restaurants, hotels, and even warehouses, as things pick up between November and January. Many of the jobs will be taken by college kids home for the holidays, but it’s still worth it to nab a seasonal position.

You Can Make Some Extra Money

Of course, the number one reason people are getting seasonal jobs is to have some extra money on hand. You can use the money to buy your Christmas gifts, pay down your debt, or pad your savings account a bit more. The only person I really plan on buying gifts for this year is my cousin who’s turning 3 this week. This will be his first Christmas that he actually gets what’s going on. So if I were to get this holiday position, I’d use the money to pay down debt, and bulk up savings.

Improve Your Resume

Is your resume lacking diversity or additional experience? Even a seasonal job looks good on your CV. My resume has a lot of social media and executive assistant experience, but almost no retail and cash register experience. It’s a lot easier to get a job in these departments now than it is any other time of year. People will be shopping and stores will most certainly be busy. If you have some extra time on your hands, add another position to your best selling point.

Employee Discount

One of the best reasons you should get a seasonal job is to capitalize on employee discounts. Between 10 and 50% off at your favorite store on products or services you were going to pay for anyways is enough reason in itself. Maybe you want free nights at a nice hotel or a complimentary meal at your family’s favorite restaurant. Inquire within and see if they’re hiring for the holidays. Just be sure not to spend your entire paycheck at the store, unless that’s your goal.

Gain a New Skill Set

If you’re thinking about venturing into a new industry or career path, a temporary seasonal position can give you just enough time to learn new skills, software and operations without a lengthy stint at the company. Maybe you’ve always wanted to work with the public, or possibly there’s a particular software you want to learn about hands on. A seasonal position will usually provide training and open the door to a new qualification you can say you have.

Start applying for seasonal positions at your favorite places today! While most are part time, if a store is really busy, you may be able to work a full 40 hour week with opportunities for overtime. That will give you much more experience, money, discounts, and skills.