How a Seasonal Retail Job Can Boost Your Career

Seasonal employees keep stores functioning during their busiest months by filling in the schedule and providing a few extra hands. These temporary roles are great opportunities for gaining skills and getting your foot in the door – even without retail experience.

What Is a Seasonal Job?

A seasonal position is a temporary role that a company fills around the same time each year. Seasonal retail jobs usually open around October and November in preparation for holiday shopping. On the other hand, pop-up and seasonal stores only hire employees for the months they’re open.

Unlike most positions, seasonal roles feature estimated start and end dates. However, your employer may invite you back next season or hire you permanently, depending on your work ethic and skills. So, you should still take seasonal jobs as seriously as any other retail position, as they may be stepping stones to better retail opportunities.

What’s the Point of Seasonal Jobs?

Most seasonal retail jobs fill the staffing gaps during peak shopping months to avoid overworking the current employees. Black Friday and the Saturday before Christmas are the busiest shopping days, so most stores need all hands on deck. Extra staffing keeps the lines shorter and schedules flexible. This way, employees can take particular days off for holiday gatherings without impacting the rest of the team.

Seasonal positions also ensure the store doesn’t have to pay for extra staff throughout the entire year. While Black Friday may require every cash register to be open, an average spring afternoon may only need one or two.

How Long Does a Seasonal Job Last?

The duration of your seasonal job usually depends on the particular “season.” For most retailers, peak shopping months occur during the holidays, so seasonal positions may last from October until January.

However, different stores’ best seasons vary by what they sell. As a result, their seasonal jobs may last several months or only a few weeks. For example, many tourist shops hire seasonal employees throughout the summer, while hunting retailers hit their peak in early autumn.

Most seasonal jobs will specify your end date in your employment contract, though these aren’t always exact. For instance, stores may keep you onboard if their peak shopping season goes longer than anticipated. Alternatively, they may keep you on permanently or cut your employment short.

6 Transferable Skills for Seasonal Positions

Working retail during peak shopping seasons helps you develop different skills than working the rest of the year. For example, cashiering on Black Friday can help you work faster and in large crowds.

Fortunately, many hiring managers see seasonal positions as entry-level. So, even with limited retail experience, you may still land a seasonal job if you highlight your transferable skills and qualifications. Then, you can include these skills on your resume to be considered for more positions.

Explore this list of transferable skills to learn how seasonal retail jobs can broaden your career opportunities.

1. Adaptability

Unlike permanent positions, seasonal retail jobs give you limited training time before the crowds hit. So, you must adapt quickly to your new work environment, including the procedures, codes, devices, and social dynamics. Some seasonal positions require you to train in various roles to cover multiple departments, giving you even more opportunities to demonstrate your adaptability.

Today, industry shifts have made adaptability a highly desirable soft skill to most employers. Highlighting the adaptability skills you’ve acquired from retail jobs will make your application more appealing for both seasonal and full-time positions.

2. Customer Service

Customer service is one of the most essential skills for all retail jobs, especially for cashiers and front-end employees. Even if you only stock shelves or collect carts, customers will still flag you down. You must be able to answer their questions or point them in the right direction with a polite smile and tone that makes them happy to shop there.

Customer service skills can be easily transferred to other job duties, such as assisting visitors, answering the phone, or meeting with clients. Additionally, most retail job interview questions focus on helping customers. Whatever job you apply for next, your customer service experience will surely come in handy.

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3. Time Management

Holiday retail jobs require you to work quickly yet effectively. Otherwise, you risk your checkout line piling up or your department’s stock falling behind. Therefore, most positions require essential time management skills. For example, you should be able to stock a shelf without wasting work hours or cluttering the aisle.

While they can be demanding, peak shopping seasons make the months in between feel less stressful. More importantly, they prepare you for busy workdays in the future.

4. Teamwork

Many seasonal jobs ask you to join teams of employees who have worked together for months. Nevertheless, you must be able to cooperate and communicate with your coworkers as if you’ve been building rapport year-round.

Retail teamwork skills are also transferable. From assisting different departments to helping cashiers, retail employees often have the same goals when working together. This can give you experience in working with a team so you can excel in collaborative environments.

woman checking out at a department store

5. Multitasking

Busy stores often require you to juggle multiple customers’ needs at once, along with other responsibilities. For example, if you work electronics at a department store, you may be tasked with stocking a shelf, unlocking items for customers, and answering the phone all at once.

This multitasking experience looks great on your resume. List every department and role you helped out in under your seasonal job description. Then, prepare some multitasking stories for your next job interview.

6. Scheduling Flexibility

While it’s not really a skill, working a flexible schedule is a significant qualification that seasonal and full-time employers look for. In fact, many recruitment managers won’t even consider your application if you can’t work on Black Friday or the week of Christmas. Including seasonal positions on your resume will demonstrate that you are flexible and dedicated to meeting the needs of your employer.

Find Resources for Your Job Search

A seasonal job can be an exciting opportunity for your career, letting you gain new experiences, skills, and connections. The position may be temporary, but you should still take it seriously, especially if you want to be considered for future openings.

Explore iHire’s Job Seeker Resource Center for additional tips, tricks, and templates for landing your next seasonal – or permanent – job.

By iHire | Originally Published: November 14, 2023

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