The Christmas period is the ultimate time to find temporary work due to the increased demand that most businesses face during this time. Delivery workers and hospitality, retail and warehousing jobs are usually all highly sought after during this time.
With temporary contracts ranging from late October to early January, it is always a good idea to try and secure a temp job early on. However, as many places have a high turnover of staff, there will likely still be places recruiting well into December.
Seasonal work is great for students as it is not a year-long commitment so there is no need to sacrifice your studies. However, there is sometimes the option for a permanent job on completion if you should wish.
Progress Careers have collated a list of some of the most in demand jobs roles for temporary workers around Christmas time – keep reading to find out more about them.
Retail Assistant
The infamous Black Friday and Boxing Day sales call for increased staffing around this time of year. With the additional pressure of everyone looking to frantically secure presents for their loved ones, this is a sector that will always be in need of staff at Christmas. With sociable hours, retail assistant positions are great for those who don’t want to sacrifice their evenings spent merrily with family and friends. Whether you prefer to work in a department store, a clothes shop, on a beauty counter or in a supermarket, there are endless options. Some ideas of places to look for Christmas temp jobs are; Argos, Next, Primark, Sainsbury’s and Aldi.
Waiter/Waitress
The hospitality industry can be an exciting and challenging place to work over Christmas. Morale is undoubtedly high as customers bring their festive spirits through the door, however the demand for fast, efficient and cheery service is higher than ever. As families, friends and colleagues gather for their end-of-year Christmas meals, an influx of waiters and waitresses are essential in ensuring businesses can keep up with the demand. No experience is typically needed in most places to work in this position however a friendly, approachable and positive attitude is essential – so as long as you can provide this, you have a good chance at finding work. Another benefit of working in hospitality is the tips, which over Christmas can be especially generous!
Bar Staff
Working in nightlife comes with its ups and downs. With the right team of people this sector can provide a highly enjoyable and fun working environment, ideal for those who are particularly sociable and outgoing. However, unsociable hours mean workers can often not leave work until 5am on the weekends which can provide logistical difficulties and also leave staff feeling tired. For those without bar experience you may be asked to start out as a Glass Collector or a Barback. These roles mainly involve supporting the experienced bar staff to ensure they have clean glasses at the ready.
Warehousing Operative
Warehousing Operatives are the behind-the-scenes heroes of Christmas time. Responsible for ensuring that most things you consume and receive over December are prepared and ready for you, this is undoubtably a crucial role in demand of workers during this period. Although the work can be somewhat monotonous, the pay can certainly be more generous, with the average job for those with little to no experience starting at £10 per hour and going up to £20, depending on the shift pattern. Early morning and late-night shifts typically earn more as they are the least sociable hours. Amazon and Hermes are both amongst the top recruiters currently advertising for staff.
For further advice from one of our specialist careers advisors, please get in touch today via our website contact form or social media channels.
