Finding seasonal jobs in Chicago will likely be more difficult this year. Prior to Thanksgiving many retailers begin bulking up their staff in hopes of meeting the needs of a large shopping crowds, but this year few employers are expecting to have customers beating down their doors in search of the right gift.
Throughout Illinois unemployment is up in comparison to last year. In the Chicago metropolitan area the jobless rate was 6.4 percent this September, whereas only 4.8 percent of residents without work during the same time last year, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Despite showing a year-over-year rise, joblessness fell from 7.1 percent in August, which is due in part to school year related hiring.
With a larger portion of residents without work, there will be more competition for seasonal jobs in Chicago. Where as many individuals usually search for such employment as a means of paying for their Christmas shopping list, this year more people are looking for any kind of work they can get. Low level seasonal jobs will likely be filled quickly by individuals who are trying to pay rent, not buy a tickle-me-Elmo.
Since the portion of the population that can afford to be extravagant in their purchases this Christmas is down, employers will probably be offering fewer seasonal jobs in Chicago. There simply won’t be as many customers to help out this year to justify hiring a large number workers for holiday help.
Because of this, those that hope to find such employment should probably start looking now. Bigger retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target are good places to start because they have large budgets and have many loyal shoppers.
Even though employers may not have put on notice that they are looking for seasonal help, many will take application. Applying for any open shifts may get you on the list to be interviewed when positions become available.
Those who expect to look for seasonal jobs in Chicago should also consider asking their acquaintances who work in retail to put in a good word for them. Many employers enjoy hiring individuals who someone already on the staff can be a reference for.