Five Holiday Retail Jobs That Might Be Worth Your Time This Winter

Holiday retail jobs are not what Christmas dreams are made of. Overly packed stores, what feels like millions of shoppers all fighting for the last 3 *insert name of hottest toy of the year right here* and the true grouchy holiday spirit in action, and being the person at the receiving end of everyone’s holiday shopping frustration does not seem like a dream come true. However, holiday retail jobs are actually sometimes worth your time. You might not love the idea of dealing with customers upset because that dress says $108.99 on the rack but it rang up $109.99 at the register but if you can get past the barrage of not-so-pleasant shoppers, some holiday retail jobs might be worth checking into if you need to make a few extra dollars this holiday season.

It’s a common occurrence to find that many people take on a second job during the holidays to help offset the cost of Christmas shopping and travel. Millions of Americans with office jobs take on these holiday retail jobs during evenings and weekends for a month or two to make up for their income enough to afford Christmas, and that is perfectly fine. These holiday retail jobs are not forever jobs; they are for a month – two max – and they are just so that you bring in a little extra bacon for the holidays. That’s why we want to help you find the best holiday retail jobs available so that you are able to make the most of your holiday without doing too much suffering in the process. So, why would you want a holiday retail job this year?

The Pay is Better

Recently, a number of retail super giants have made public their bribes holiday incentives for seasonal holiday retail job workers. For instance, retail giant Target has offered to pay holiday workers an additional $1 per hour for all holiday hours worked on holiday weekends such as Black Friday and Christmas Eve. It sounds great, right? I mean, who wouldn’t want to work an 8-hour shift on Christmas Eve for an additional $8 instead of spending the day with the family?

Toys R Us is offering their holiday workers double the hours this season to ensure they always have enough staff on hand, and a number of other retailers are offering similar pay raises and hourly benefits.

More Positions Available

In the past, holiday retail jobs have been linked to a lot of negativity. No one wants to work at toy stores or large retail giants such as Walmart where crazed shoppers looking to spend nothing are everywhere. Now that the economy has recovered and more people are able to find better jobs elsewhere, you have a better chance of finding a holiday retail job in a better store. For instance, you might not want to work retail at Walmart or Target, but working retail for a few hours a week at Nordstrom might seem a bit more pleasant. Now that those jobs aren’t filling up so quickly, you might be able to find a holiday retail job in a more desirable location for the next few weeks.

Highest Paying Retail Positions

If you are serious about holiday retail jobs this season, you’ll want to know which retailers are paying the most money to their seasonal employees. Remember; this is not your forever job.

• Safeway Groceries – Checkout cashiers at Safeway earn more than cashiers at almost any other grocery story or supermarket in the country. The average hourly rate here is $16.34, which means you can earn double what most other clerks make. The good news here, too, is that being a retail worker in a supermarket is often far less stressful than being a retail clerk at a department store.
• Ann Taylor Sales Associate – If you love Ann Taylor, or the Loft, you’re going to love the hourly wage. These sales associates earn $11.74 per hour, which is a few dollars higher per hour than most other sales associates in the business. It makes for a great holiday job this season.
• Bloomingdales Sales Associate – If you choose one of these holiday retail jobs, you are going to earn $12.25 per hour this holiday season. Bloomingdales is a favorite department store for many men and women, and holiday retail workers here are going to make a nice salary for a few weeks.

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