5 steps to find a Christmas job

Whether you’re a student, out of work, or simply looking to make extra money, a Christmas job can be the ideal solution. Seasonal work might be full-time or part-time and is available across a wide range of roles including retail, supply chain, and events. This means that there’s sure to be a job to suit your needs.

So why do companies want extra staff at Christmas?

• increased trade, for instance, the onslaught of Christmas shoppers on the high street
• extra hands to make sure that deadlines are met before the end of the year
• to cover staff holidays
• to cover for sickness absence caused by seasonal illnesses like the flu
• to find fresh talent for the new year

The benefits of working a Christmas job

The obvious benefit of working a Christmas job is to earn money. For a student, that might mean funding yourself for the next term at university. For someone else, the money earned through a Christmas job could pay for the festive holiday or provide a financial buffer in January. Beyond the extra money though, a Christmas job can provide other benefits:

  Populate your CV

A Christmas job can also be an ideal way to bolster your CV and fill gaps in your work history if you’re unemployed. Seeking Christmas work also demonstrates that you’re a proactive candidate who is actively looking to…

  Gain work experience and skills

Even if this isn’t the job you want to do forever, a Christmas job can provide valuable work experience and transferable skills. This can be especially important for students, first-time job seekers, and the unemployed.

  Introduction to a new employer

A Christmas job may provide a route into permanent employment. By working for an employer on a seasonal basis, you become a known quantity. The employer has proof of who you are as a worker, how you fit into the rest of the team, and how well you perform in a work environment.

What type of jobs are available over the Christmas season?

There can be an increase in staffing needs across all kinds of business over the Christmas period but the most common sectors recruiting festive seasonal staff are:

• retail – sales assistants, cashiers, gift wrapping services
• supply chain – warehouse staff, pickers and packers, delivery drivers
• hospitality – hosts, bar staff, catering, waiting staff

And yes, there are elf and Santa jobs in big store Christmas grottos too.

You’ll find plenty of Christmas work with the big names in retail, like M&S, Amazon, Tesco, H&M, Morrisons, Boots and H Samuel, but don’t forget to ask your local stores and businesses too.

How to find a Christmas job

Now you know the benefits of landing a Christmas job and the type of work that’s available, here are our five steps to find a Christmas job.

  Identify when you can work over the festive season

When are you available to work? For instance, can you only work evenings and weekends? If you’re a university student, you might be looking for Christmas work while you’re back in your home town which would limit your availability to a few weeks. Do you want full-time or part-time work?

  Decide on the type of Christmas job you want

What kind of Christmas job are you interested in? If money is the only factor, then it might not matter what you do for a short period of time. Alternatively, you may wish to develop certain skills, like customer service or teamwork, or gain a specific type of work experience, such as retail or catering.

  Start your search for Christmas work early

Long before the festive season begins, employers advertise their seasonal vacancies. Christmas jobs are popular, especially with students, so improve your chances of success by starting your search and making applications in the autumn. Don’t leave it until the last minute.

  Brush up your CV

Make sure your CV is up to date and relevant to the type of Christmas work you’re interested in. It can be helpful to include keywords that will appeal to the companies you’re applying to and match the requirements for the job.

  Start your search for Christmas work

A good place to start your search for Christmas work is always with a trusted job board like Joblookup. Use search filters to focus in on the right job title, location, and working pattern.

This can be especially helpful when you don’t know what type of Christmas job you want to do or where to look in your location.

If you know who you’d like to work for or which local employers offer Christmas work, visit their websites, check their social media accounts, or contact them direct.

Don’t be afraid to ask your friends and family if they know about local Christmas work opportunities too.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a student, unemployed, or just want to earn a little extra money, Christmas work can be the perfect solution because it offers more than financial reward. Festive work can be an excellent way to build your work experience and skills, bolster your job confidence, and demonstrate your worth as a candidate.