Things can get pretty busy at the office before and after the Christmas holidays.There are many opportunities for both seasonal hiring and post holiday hiring. It is obvious that for retailers, Christmas is the busiest season of the year and employers are used to seasonal hiring to meet demands at the cash register, at the sales floor, for delivery drivers and inventory control.  According to a national survey by Harris Interactive that appeared on career builder.com; 39 percent of retail hiring managers reported that they plan to increase their seasonal hiring, up from 36 percent last year and 29 percent in 2011. What is interesting too is that employers in the sectors of information technology (18%), leisure and hospitality (16%) and financial services (16%) are also planning on seasonal hiring.

There are many opportunities for seasonal hiring and post seasonal hiring.

There is a wide range of opportunities in corporate settings as companies wrap up the year.  According to the survey, popular positions companies will be recruiting for are:

· Customer Service – 33 percent

· Shipping/Delivery – 18 percent

· Inventory Management – 17 percent

· Administrative/Clerical – 15 percent

· Sales (non-retail) – 12 percent

· Marketing – 9 percent

· Accounting/Finance – 6 percent

Companies target certain workforce segments more often to fill these seasonal roles. Nearly half of employers said they tend to recruit a higher proportion of college students for holiday jobs while 17 percent hire more retirees. Here is a breakdown of the most targeted seasonal workforce segments:

· College students – 45 percent

· Experienced workers who are not retired – 34 percent

· High school students – 23 percent

· Retirees – 17 percent

With online marketplaces such as www.workhoppers.com , companies can now easily and directly access these specific workforces to fulfill their needs for seasonal workers.

According to Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America, “Nearly half (49 percent) of U.S. employers who are hiring seasonal workers plan to transition some into full-time, permanent staff. This is up ten percentage points over last year and indicative of a growing trend where employers are test-driving candidates before committing to a long-term hire. Seasonal work is a good way for job seekers to network, showcase their abilities and secure a permanent position in a variety of industries.”

The holiday season is often considered not the time that companies do much hiring outside of these seasonal positions. Unless you are looking to hire some adorable little elves, the thought of hiring before Christmas for post holiday projects or  projects that need to be completed after the holidays can make some of you want to run and hide. What a conundrum! You have so much on your to-do list after the holidays but the idea of posting jobs, going through resumes and conducting interviews can seem daunting.  One myth is that good candidates are not even looking for jobs in December, so isn’t it best to grab a nice cup of cocoa and put the task off until the New Year?

Wrong!  Hiring in December has many advantages. That myth that good candidates are not looking for jobs in December could not be further from the truth. As we approach the New Year many are evaluating their current situations, finishing up a term contract or looking to make a change. They may even have some free time set aside for the search process. [Or after all the Christmas shopping, they might realise that they need an extra job!].

By beginning the hiring process, and posting jobs in December, you will at least be ready to start interviewing in the New Year.  Just make sure to indicate that deadlines are in early January so as not to deter those from applying who will be visiting family during a winter break.  Quiet workdays in the office during December are a great time to sort through and short list candidates so that you are ready to interview after the holidays. Take your time to look through on line databases. If you are looking to hire for a project or a part-time position visit workhoppers.com to see profiles, pictures and resumes. Then contact interesting candidates directly to set up an interview.

Coming back from the holidays and being ready to hire for that new project in January is a very motivating way to start the New Year.

Happy holidays…..