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Major retailers and shipping services like Target and UPS are beginning seasonal hiring sprees ahead of the holidays, when they'll need all the help they can get. Looking for a job? Companies that are hiring in a major way include Amazon, which recently announced it needs a battalion of up to 150,000 new workers to see it through the holiday rush.
Amazon is hiring in a big way ahead of the holidays — which comes as a bit of surprise given a reported slowdown in revenue growth and plans to close all but one of its U.S. call centers. Still, the Bellevue, Washington-based company said it plans to hire 150,000 employees nationwide for seasonal, part- and full-time positions. Wages start at $19 an hour, and openings include a variety of operational roles, such as packing, picking, sorting and distribution. Interested candidates can apply online.
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The Minneapolis-based retailer says it plans to hire up to 100,000 seasonal workers this year, the same number it recruited last year. About 30% of workers hired for seasonal positions stay on after the holiday season ends, Target says. Starting wages are $15 to $24 an hour, with the highest wages aimed at workers in competitive labor markets.
Walmart says it's looking to hire 40,000 workers for the coming holiday season. Available jobs aren't limited to seasonal work; the company said it's also hiring permanent staff. The positions include store associates, full-time truck drivers, and call center employees. Walmart notes that its average wage is more than $17, but its starting wage is $12 an hour, less than the $15 hourly rate other big-box retailers offer.
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The department-store chain is ramping up hiring for holidays, looking to fill part- and full-time associate roles at its 1,100 stores, in addition to warehouse positions. While there's no word on the number of positions Kohl's is looking to fill, last year it sought to recruit 90,000 seasonal workers. Kohl's is hosting a nationwide job fair Oct. 13-15. Candidates can walk in and interview on the spot, although the company encourages those interested to apply ahead of time and schedule a phone interview.
Hate the rigamarole of long job interviews and waiting to hear back from a company afterward? UPS claims you could have a job offer in as little as 25 minutes thanks to its streamlined hiring process. The parcel-delivery company wants to hire more than 100,000 workers this year in time for the hectic holiday season. Package-handler positions typically pay $15 to $21 an hour, depending on location, while drivers can earn up to $35 an hour. UPS says plenty of seasonal positions have the potential to become permanent.
The U.S. Postal Service is gearing up for the holidays by hiring for more than 28,000 seasonal positions. Open jobs include mail carriers, mail handlers, and drivers, and job seekers can apply online. More than 40,000 part-time workers who started at the beginning of the year are now employed full time, the Postal Service says, suggesting that those interested in a more permanent position may have a shot at it.
For crafters, there’s nothing quite like the holidays, and Michaels says it plans to hire 15,000 seasonal workers to handle the rush in stores and distribution centers. While a hiring event has already come and gone, interested candidates can view open positions online. The chain says more than half of its holiday hires went on to accept permanent roles last year.
Party City hopes to add 20,000 seasonal workers in advance of its busy season: Halloween. The positions — which include team leaders, supervisors, cashiers, sales and stock associates, and operations assistants — span over 750 retail stores and 150 Halloween City pop-up locations nationwide. About 10% to 15% of hired seasonal employees will be offered full-time roles at the end of the season, the company said. Though there were hiring events at the end of August, you can still check out the company's hiring website or text PARTY to 51893.