Orange County Register

By Bill Quinnan
For O.C. Register Special Sections

For some, taking on a seasonal job can be a great way to earn extra income to balance out the extra expenses that that come with the holidays. For those who are currently looking for long-term employment opportunities, a seasonal job can help pay the bills in the mean time until something steady turns up. Students often find seasonal jobs as to be a great way to gain experience in the workforce. In some cases, seasonal jobs can lead to long-term employment.

The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages indicates that there were more than 8,900 retail establishments in Orange County in the fourth quarter of 2008. This includes 1,412 clothing and clothing-accessory stores; 590 sporting-good, hobby, book and music stores; and 338 general-merchandise stores.

That’s a lot of ground to cover. The occupations in which it will be easiest to find temporary employment are those requiring the least training, such as retail salesperson, cashier or stock clerk.

Obviously, a good place to start is by looking in The Register’s Jobs section under “Retail, Sales.” Or, visit OCJobFinder.com and search for “Seasonal.”

Personal references are a great way to get your foot in the door. If you have a friend working somewhere that sounds promising, ask your friend for a recommendation.

Another way to find opportunities is to simply show up at places that seem like good bets and ask if you may speak to a manager about applying for seasonal work. Be sure to dress professionally as you do this – first impressions count. Be prepared to fill out an application on the spot – that means having a résumé, along with names, addresses and phone numbers of past employers and references, on hand. On-the-spot hiring is not uncommon in retail.

Bill Quinnan is a freelance writer who lives in Orange County. Readers can send e-mail to him at bquinnan@sbcglobal.net. Bill cannot provide job leads.

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