Nearly 3 in 10 retailers planning to hire seasonal help for holidays: Survey

Employers offering higher hourly wages

Nearly three in 10 retailers (29 per cent) plan to have extra hands on deck around the holidays, according to a survey by CareerBuilder in the United States.

Companies across industries expect to hire the most workers in customer service (30 per cent), followed by administrative support (16 per cent), shipping and delivery (15 per cent), and
 technology (12 per cent), according to the survey of 2,600 employers.

"Employers are keeping the status quo for holiday hiring as economic uncertainties shake consumer confidence," said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder. "While retail has the lion's share of seasonal jobs, you can also find opportunities in various industries and corporate roles. Hiring managers continually tell us that they will transition some seasonal workers into permanent employees, so you want to apply early and let the employer know up front that you're interested in long-term employment."

More than one-half of employers (53 per cent) reported they will pay $10 or more per hour to seasonal staff, up from 48 per cent last year. Fourteen per cent will pay $16 or more, up from nine percent last year.

While holiday jobs fill up quickly, 33 per cent of employers who are hiring seasonal staff reported they are still recruiting for open positions in November. Eleven per cent said they may still be recruiting as late as December.

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