Spring Fling: Season Brings Tens of Thousands of Temporary Jobs
Feb. 21, 2011 — -- Most people think of seasonal jobs as part-time positions during holidays.
But just as Christmastime is a traditional retailer's busiest time, spring is the hottest season for many industries. Look at some obvious clues for where the jobs are.
Nice weather. As the weather improves, everyone wants to get outside, which means we spend money to make our yard useable and beautiful.
Home improvement companies need workers to handle the rush. Home Depot announced that it will hire 60,000 seasonal workers, and Lowe's will bring in some 50,000 seasonal hires.
In both cases, the positions last about 90 days, depending on region, and some people will be able to stay on based largely on performance -- the store's and their own.
Those are national chains, but you can take that as a sign for other opportunities.
If Home Depot needs workers for its garden departments, it's a sure bet that local businesses -- from nurseries, lawn care and landscaping business to stores selling and servicing barbecues -- are ramping up, too, and will need seasonal employees.
Be creative in your thinking. If a landscaping business is hiring gardeners, it will also need support help in the office to book clients and handle the orders.
Check with local companies and national chains such as TruGreen for such positions. Additionally, suppliers such as Scotts Company, makers of Miracle Gro, need people to sell and deliver their products to retailers.
To help identify what opportunities exist, go to Monster.com and search for "seasonal jobs." You'll see thousands of positions; some you can apply for now and others that will help you with your research as you identify the local employers in your area.
