Good news for holiday helpers
Retailers say they're seeking holiday helpers
AURORA -- Good news for job seekers: Retailers like JCPenney, Toys R Us, as well as Macy's and Sears at Westfield Fox Valley mall have all been hiring for the holiday season.
That news could be a swift change from last year, when retailers like Best Buy and others had scaled back on employment amid a recession.
(Steve Buyansky/Staff photographer)
The nearly 3-year-old JCPenney store in Montgomery, for example, added 35 seasonal workers, compared to about 10 workers last holiday season, said Minette Buchas, store manager.
"Last year was a lot more volatile for retailers simply because we didn't know (what to expect). Because of that, we were much more tentative," Buchas said.
"This year, we know what we need to do. That's how you survive in this economy; you make people want to come to see you."
While JCPenney stores nationwide were cautious in their hiring last year, the lack of staffing might have caught up with the store in the end.
"I don't think we had enough people to realistically handle it the way we wanted to," Buchas said. "It was the right decision last year, and it's the right decision we're making this year."
Buchas has also noticed other changes about this year's seasonal hiring trends. The candidate pool is highly skilled, and "probably overqualified," Buchas admitted.
The store also accepted considerably more applications for seasonal employment than in past years. But the volume of applications has been generally high all year long, also a new trend, she said.
Additionally, most candidates are seeking full-time work, which is unlike past years when most seekers simply wanted a holiday job.
"I hired all part-timers. I wish I could give people all the hours we can afford," Buchas said.
The store began hiring in September and is nearly finished with the process.
Other stores like Sears and Macy's at Westfield Fox Valley began hiring last month and will continue to adjust employment as needed.
Most Kohl's stores began hiring about 20 seasonal workers around September. Most jobs are filled by the third week of November, but additional hiring could continue in early December, said Vicki Shamion, vice president of public relations and community relations for the company.
Kohl's usually hires seasonal workers for unloading trucks, freight processing, stocking and cash register duties.
Another retailer, Toys R Us, plans to keep its seasonal hiring on par with last year's 35,000-employee level. The Aurora location off New York Street is currently hiring.
Westfield Fox Valley mall also added holiday concierge employees, particularly to sell mall gift cards, a mall spokesman said, but seasonal hiring appears to have ended.
Just last week, retailer GameStop Corp. announced plans to hire 15,000 seasonal workers, consistent with its 2007 and 2008 levels. Within days, the company stopped accepting applications because it had filled most positions and had enough applicants.
The dash to find employment comes at a time when nearly 16 million people nationwide are not able to find work. The unemployment rate spiked to 10.2 percent in October, the highest since April 1983.
Economists say the unemployment rate could reach 10.5 percent next year because employers remain reluctant to hire.
So how is one to find a seasonal job at this point?
The Web site SnagAJob.com recommends going back to where you've worked before because you will have an advantage over other applicants with no training. The site also suggests broadening your search across retail, shippers, portrait studios and tax companies.
The Associated Press and Chicago Sun-Times contributed to this report.
