Temporary Opportunities in Retail
Page 1 of 1
by Valerie Lipow
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.
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?
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 résumé.
- 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.
The Bad
The drawbacks of a temporary retail job include:
- Very little advancement. You’re only hired for a specific length of time or to work on a special project -- and that’s generally where you’ll stay.
- Your assignment may end abruptly due to management changes, canceled contracts or slumping sales.
- During holidays, you’ll inevitably experience more customers, more merchandise, more hours and more pressure. You’ll have to be full of holiday cheer, even if the customer is being rude and difficult.
Getting the job you want
If you are interested in temporary opportunities in retail, you should get out there and track down the right one for you.
Here are a few suggestions for securing -- and keeping -- your perfect temporary retail job:
- Try stores that interest you. If you like a store and that doesn’t have a sign up, go in and ask anyway. It can’t hurt.
- Choose an area within a reasonable commute from your home.
- Dress sensibly when you’re out looking for work.
- Be polite, friendly and honest.
- Have a résumé with you that you can leave with the manager.
- Pay attention, work hard and try to get a handle on what’s expected of you as early as possible.
- Use your initiative and be energetic.
Succeeding
These positions offer opportunities for you to build on your network, attend training events, conduct informational interviews and even, when appropriate, enhance your social life with all the new coworkers you meet. Approach your experience as an opportunity to shine. Many regular employees see temporary workers as people who don’t really care or who may even make their jobs harder. Show that you are willing to go above and beyond to get the job done. Offer to assist with projects to demonstrate your skills. This will help if you are later being considered for a permanent position.
