When to look



If you're shopping for a part-time holiday gig without any leads or connections, then the sooner you start looking, the better. That is, unless you you're prepared to wrap up and pass out TV dinners and paper towel greeting cards to your family and friends again this year. Trust us, frozen Salisbury steak makes a worse present than socks and David Hasselhoff CDs.

To beat the rush, start (and hopefully finish) your search before Nov. 1. Remember, if you're a high school student, hungry college students will be arriving home to snatch up jobs for Winter Break. And if you're a college student nervous that high school students will grab all the good jobs, it's best to rely on your connections. This advice actually works for everybody: Check in with some of your previous summer job and part-time employers to see if they can squeeze you in the schedule. Since you've previously worked there, they won't have to spend time and money on training, making you more attractive than a newbie employee.

Where to look

Not only are there more jobs during the November and December holiday season, but there is also greater flexibility, as holiday shopping hours have businesses opening earlier and closing later. Here are some of the industries that get hot when it gets cool outside:

Retail

This is a no-brainer. People buy more stuff during the holiday months. And they buy it at stores. Hence, more employees are needed. This is where you come in! Whether you want to refold shirts just yards from the mall food court or restock the aisles of your local toy store, the possibilities are endless. Stores such as Michaels, Party City, Toys ?R? Us, Target, Kohl's and Bed Bath & Beyond will all certainly be hiring extra workers this season. Be sure to ask potential employers if they offer an employee discount; you might be able to save on holiday shopping without having to be cheap!

Restaurants

Holiday foot traffic picks up at both fast food joints, such as Wendy's and McDonald's, as well as casual dining eateries, including Romano's Macaroni Grill and The Cheesecake Factory. Not only are people grabbing bites on-the-go between shopping stops, but they're meeting up with family and friends. And when you're spending days slaving in the kitchen on the year's most anticipated home-cooked meals, you need a break from the potato peeler and the turkey baster at some point. Since restaurants are open later than your typical businesses, there's added flexibility in the hours. And if you're eligible for an employee discount, free or discounted grub will help you afford grabbing gifts for the grandparents and second cousins on your list.

The North Pole

We don't mean this literally. But the truth is that the holiday season offers many rare job opportunities that aren't available the rest of the year; that is, unless we missed the shopping mall Santa fly fishing in the department store fountain in the middle of July. From the aforementioned Kris Kringle impersonators and his assistants to Christmas tree lot workers and gift wrappers, there's a veritable holiday buffet of unique jobs to try out. And don't forget Santa's real-world sleigh ? check out FedEx jobs and other couriers with extra hiring needs during the gift-giving season.

Will you keep the job?

When the Christmas trees hit the curb and the school starts back up, there's a decision to be made. Granted, some seasonal jobs are just that ? temporary gigs undertaken with mutual understanding that you'll be unemployed when the holidays are over. But with many jobs, you may have the opportunity to stay on the staff in some capacity. Here is some advice: No matter which of the two situations you find yourself in, and what decision you make, keep the door open for returning to the job down the road. Be open, honest and respectful of your employer. And the next time you're looking for a seasonal gig, you might be able to come back.