Temporary Opportunities in Retail

1. Introduction

Retail is a seasonal industry. Temporary jobs encompass the entire field. Target stores that interest you.

Take a look at these stats:

The national annual staff turnover for retail companies ranges from 60 to more than 200 percent of their payroll.

Selling merchandise is highly seasonal and is influenced by weather, tourism and holidays. Retailers often boost their staffs by about 30 percent between November and January for the holidays.

The current retail job market is tight. Retailers often post job openings for all their store tenants at a central bulletin board. Many retail chains set up booths at job fairs and take out ads online, in the classifieds, on billboards and on the radio. Gift certificates and cash bounties are among the incentives offered to employees who bring in qualified friends or relatives to work.

What this all adds up to is the retail job market being ripe with opportunities for temporary workers. Whether you're a student, a mother or need a change of pace, this is a viable and lucrative option.

2. What's available?

Temporary retail openings are available in more areas than cashiering and sales. During the holiday rush, large retail stores also need people for stocking, pricing, tagging, driving and cleaning.

If you have experience in more technical or professional areas, there are temporary positions in marketing, advertising, management, administration, information technology, public relations and accounting.

The Pros and Cons Remember that turnover factoid above? It's no secret that retail jobs have always had their drawbacks, especially on the sales floor: long, weird hours, comparatively low pay, customers with bad attitudes and working conditions that change from pandemonium to boredom in minutes. So is it for you?

3. The Good

By temping in retail, you gain:

• A foot in a particular company's door, letting you research a company up close.

• Insider industry knowledge and personal contacts.

• A sense of what it would be like to work there without having to make a long-term commitment.

• An opportunity to strengthen your skills and update yourself on the latest in retail technology.

• Greater confidence in back-to-work transitions and career changes.

• Experience and skills to put on your resume.

• A way to pay bills with the flexibility to manage personal or family responsibilities.

• A chance to earn some cash or get a staff discount on your shopping.

• The possibility of a permanent job.

Monster Worldwide Limited. Registered in England and Wales with number 0188381.
Registered office: Chancery House, 53-64 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1QS