Interview & Resume Tips: How to Gain the Best Seasonal Employment Opportunities

1. Begin with a strong resume. List all employment (most recent first) and all other relevant employment that may assist you in the job. All experiences are worth something. There is no bad work experience – just opportunities that may not have taken you as far as you wanted in your career.

2. List an objective. Many people ask me ‘what is an objective?’ An objective is simply what type of job or career you are seeking. Being on target with your objective is very important because it shows not only your focus, but also what areas of employment are of special interest to you.

3. List all seasonal employment on you resume. The more experience and references you have showing this type of experience the better chance you will have of obtaining the job.

4. Be persistent. If you cannot get one type of seasonal employment then go on to the next opportunity. Do not have your heart set on one particular place of employment – they may have all of the workers they need. Move on to the next possibility.

5. Go beyond retail. Look into catering jobs as well as package delivery. Usually they pay very well at this time of year and the work is endless.

6. In person. Visit hiring managers in person if they are available. Making face to face contact is best and will often lead to a good first impression with your potential hiring manager.

7. Follow up. Follow up your interview with a short note or email thanking the potential boss for their time – it will show your eagerness for wanting the job and impress your future boss.

8. Apply at major theme parks for character roles. Theme parks often have holiday parades or shows may need someone who can play the part. Malls often seek ‘Santa’s Helpers’ when setting up holiday photo sessions. The jobs may not pay a whole lot, but can bring in some extra spending cash and also get you in the holiday spirit.

Finding seasonal employment can be an adventure, but it does not have to be impossible. When seeking temporary employment it is good to have some experience in the career area you are applying for as things are usually hectic around this time of year. Employers do not have the time to train individuals most of the time. The earlier you begin looking for temp work the better off you will be. Don’t give up – the next holiday is always just around the corner. To learn more about temporary and seasonal work go to www.hound.com for the most updated jobs and career advice.