Sometimes you need a little more money. When your regular job isn’t covering what you need, you turn to other opportunities. This is especially true if it’s the holiday season and you want to stay out of debt but still spend money.
Today there are a crazy number of ways to make different types of income. Whether you take on a traditional side job, start your own gig, or use one of the many ways to prove that success is the best revenge, we’ve got you covered!
Let’s dive into the best seasonal jobs for anyone below.
What Is a Seasonal Job?
A seasonal job is a short-term position. Companies hire seasonal positions during their ‘busy times,’ such as Christmas for retailers and restaurants and summer for landscaping companies and pools.
You can find seasonal jobs at your local stores, online, or even at larger corporations who need temporary help during busy seasons. Temporary jobs are a great way to increase your disposable income or even create generational wealth.
Benefits of Seasonal Jobs
Most people take on a seasonal job to temporarily boost their income. The holiday season is a great time to make a little extra money for holiday spending, for example. You’ll make money that you can put towards gifts, travel, food, and get-togethers.
Some people enjoy seasonal positions for flexibility. They know when they’ll work more and when they’ll have some much needed time off. It offers more flexibility than a ‘regular’ job while giving you extra income.
Seasonal positions are also a great way to try a company out and see if it’s something you’d like to do long-term. Many companies say a position is seasonal but keeps several employees on past the season, hiring them full-time employees.
Finally, seasonal jobs offer the opportunity to learn new skills. If you’ve been thinking of changing industries or trying something new, trying it out at a temporary job while keeping your full-time gig isn’t a bad idea.
Tips for Getting Hired at a Seasonal Job
If you have your heart set on getting hired at a seasonal job, use these tips.
Start Your Search Early
If you’re looking for a job during the holidays or busy summer months, remember so will thousands of others. Start your search early and pick out your favorites. Be one of the early applicants to increase your chances of getting hired.
Be Professional
Even though it’s a seasonal job, you’re still representing the company you may work for. Show up to the interview on time and dressed professionally. Even if your interview is via Zoom, act as if it’s in person.
Know Your Limits
Before you interview, know what you want out of a job. This includes the salary, benefits (if applicable), and what position you want. If you have your eyes set on working for the company full-time after the season, make sure to mention that in your interview.
Show Flexibility
Don’t go into an interview saying you can only work Mondays or only at 5 PM each day. Be as flexible as possible. Remember, the company has a need to fill, and if your availability is too restricted, they won’t choose you.
The 11 Best Seasonal Jobs
1. Retail Associate
Large and small stores increase their staff around the holidays. If you love working with people, apply at your favorite stores around the holidays. Many stores hire cashiers, sales personnel, and stock employees.
2. Customer Service Representative
If you’d rather work from home, consider working as a customer service representative. Large and small companies need people to answer phones and emails or be on the other side of an ‘online chat.’
3. Warehouse Employee
If you’d rather be on the other end of purchases, work as a warehouse employee filling orders. With the increase in e-commerce today, many companies need to order fillers and shippers. If you don’t mind spending time on your feet, this could be a great way to make extra money.
4. Personal Shopper
Do you love to shop only when it’s other people’s money? Apply to be a personal shopper.
Bigger stores like Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s have personal shoppers who help people find the perfect gifts. You could even start your own gig doing this too.
5. Holiday Driver
Consider applying to be a holiday driver if you don’t mind fighting traffic and hustle packages to doorsteps. If you don’t have your license or don’t want the driving part’s pressure, UPS and other delivery companies also hire holiday helpers (the people who jump out of the truck and get the packages to the doorstep).
6. Summer Camp Counselor
If you love kids and love being outdoors, apply to be a summer camp counselor. You may have to start as a counselor-in-training your first year unless you are a teacher or have a teaching certificate, but it’s a great way to make money doing something you love.
7. Tax Preparer
If you love working with numbers, you can get certified to be a tax preparer and work at one of the large tax firms, such as H&R Block. Even if you can’t be a tax preparer, these firms always need administrative help or even marketers.
8. Social Media Marketer
The holiday season is a great time to pick up a few clients who need social media marketing help. Whether you start your own gig or sign on with a company, most companies ramp up their advertising efforts around the holidays, so it’s a great way to make a little extra cash.
9. Dog Walker
If you love your furry friends, make money walking them for people in your area. Join an app, such as Rover, and get matched with pet owners in your area. You set your rates and hours, and Rover does the administrative work for you.
If pet sitting isn’t your thing, check out the other highest paying apps available today – there’s bound to be something for everyone on this list.
10. Brand Ambassador
If you love social media and have a decent following, brands may pay you to be a brand ambassador.
In other words, they pay you to talk about their product, typically on social media. Sometimes you get paid cash and other times in free product, but it all works out to extra money one way or the other and all for just talking to people you would normally talk to.
11. Freelance Photographer
If you love taking pictures, why not get paid to take them? Whether you work for a photography company or set up your own gig, people will pay you to take pictures.
You can choose your own niche, whether it’s family photos, wedding photos, or even corporate headshots.
Other Ways to Earn Seasonal Cash
If you don’t want to ‘work’ for your increased earnings, consider trying one of the many gigs available to just about anyone. If you have a little free time, you could find ways to increase your income from the comfort of your home.
Earn Rebates for Shopping
Who wouldn’t love to get paid to shop?
The holidays are the perfect time for this too. Sign up for a rebate app, shop through the app, and earn cashback. It’s that simple. Let your earnings add up, and then pay yourself via PayPal or choose gift cards to your favorite stores.
Use an Ibotta referral code to start your cashback shopping journey.
Earn Money for Filling up Your Tank
It doesn’t get any easier than getting paid to fill your tank. Getupside is an app that pays you to get gas, and you can use it to supplement your holiday travel.
If that’s not enough, if you share your Getupside promo code with friends and family, and they sign up, you earn even more money. It’s a win-win for everyone, and you don’t have to do anything that you wouldn’t already do.
Get Free Stocks
Even if you’ve never invested before, you can earn free stocks just for signing up for some of today’s best online stockbrokers. They aren’t as intimidating as you think, and many are great for beginners. You won’t get experience unless you start.
Now’s a great time to jump on board and earn yourself some holiday cash.
Get Paid to Read Books
If your favorite pastime is reading, get paid to do it! Many companies pay people to read. Some require a review of the book; others give free early access to new releases.
Either way, you’re making money because you’ll spend less on books too. Whether you earn cash or free books, curl up by the fire with a book this holiday season.
Are Seasonal Jobs Worth It?
If you’re looking for a way to bring in more income, seasonal jobs are a great way to do it. There’s not a long-term commitment, and who knows, you may find something that you love to do beyond what you already know.
It’s a great way to have some fun, add to your wealth, and even meet new people too. Not to mention, you’ll be able to cover all of your spendings during the holiday season without going into debt.
This article originally appeared on Your Money Geek and has been republished with permission.
