My SD Moms (StatePoint) The holiday season helps put millions of people to work in jobs that may begin as temporary employment, but often turn into permanent employment, according to Express Employment Professionals, which having employed
nearly 400,000 people in 2013, is the largest franchised staffing company and second largest privately held staffing company in the United States.
Last year, online superstores hired thousands of temporary workers to meet the demand of the millions of shoppers who visited Internet storefronts for their holiday purchases. Express Employment Services expects the 2014 holiday season will be no different. Many retirees, teens, stay-at-home moms and others find seasonal temporary employment ideal. Additionally, employed people often take on temporary seasonal work as a second job to earn extra holiday cash.
But temporary holiday employment is only part of the story. While seasonal employment is nothing new, what is unique about recent seasonal hiring is a growing trend of temporary holiday work becoming permanent. According to a recent study on seasonal employment by Express Employment Professionals, 39 percent of survey participants foresaw their desired seasonal work as being a potential avenue for a permanent position. Major companies agree that seasonal employment is a good entry point for permanent workers.
As any shopper knows, the wallet doesn’t feel the holiday hangover until after the Christmas tree hits the curb. That’s when many Americans will find value in working seasonal jobs.
“Employers will be looking at their temporary employees this holiday season to see which ones merit a full-time, permanent position. In many ways, a seasonal job is like an extended interview. So, if you have any interest in becoming a permanent worker, take advantage of your holiday job and show how hard-working and committed you really are,” says Bob Funk, CEO of Express Employment Professionals and former chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
Funk adds that while hours may vary for those hired through a staffing company, an Express associate works an average of 37 hours a week, with 60 percent of them hired for a full-time position following the initial assignment.
“With over 19,000 open jobs available, the kinds of positions we find vary considerably. In addition to our current holiday openings, we consistently are hiring for industrial, retail and fulfillment, office services, engineering, manufacturing, information technology, accounting, and sales-based positions,” Funk said.
Through the years, the term “holiday temp jobs” has also changed. What used to mean a little extra cash at Christmas has turned into opportunities for workers to be hired in fall through New Year’s.
For more information about seasonal work opportunities, visit ExpressPros.com.
“There are many great ways to earn cash this year and possibly a permanent job. I encourage job seekers to take advantage of these opportunities,” Funk says.
