How To Find A Seasonal Or Temporary Job With No Experience was originally published on College Recruiter.
Finding any kind of job with no work experience is a bit of an uphill battle, but getting a seasonal or temporary job might not be as hard as you’d think. In today’s climate, you might have a better shot at finding some seasonal work than a long-term job, even remotely.
What is seasonal work? Essentially, a seasonal position means that it’s not meant to last past a certain amount of time. Typically, industries like retail often hire seasonal positions for busier times of year like the November and December holiday season. The hotel and restaurant industries will also bring seasonal staff on to fill positions when tourism is at a peak.
Even local delivery drivers for food or packages have a seasonal peak and need additional staff to keep up with the demand. Delivery services for groceries, fast food, and packages typically hire employees with little to no experience. All you need is a clean background check and a vehicle in most cases.
Seasonal and temp jobs don’t just happen on a local level, however. Companies like Amazon are always looking for temporary work, and others like Minted and Huckberry hire seasonally as well. While these might be more competitive and sometimes experience-based, it doesn’t hurt to try and make connections at companies like these.
If you’re struggling to figure out how to find a seasonal or temporary job with no work experience, you can rest assured knowing that there are ways to make opportunities happen, despite how difficult it might seem.
Finding temporary jobs often comes down to looking in the right place and keeping an eye out for positions that seem like good matches. Stay on top of job boards, look around in your town for places that interest you and see if they have any advertising for temporary work, and keep up with networking to make connections as much as possible. There are also plenty of resources online that specifically advertise seasonal and temporary jobs, so make sure to stay on top of those websites throughout your search.
When it comes down to hiring, many jobs will want to make sure that you have the work ethic and the personality to match the job.
“When someone doesn’t have experience and we’re hiring a seasonal position, dedication is a key trait that we look for. It’s easy to tell that they have personal skills that can translate to a retail environment. It’s also important to see if they’re good at working with people, and have the personality to mesh with staff,” Kennedy Harris, store manager of a major retail chain in Savannah, GA, says.
Another key aspect of finding a temporary job without experience is creating a resume that stands out. And yes, you can still put together a resume even if you don’t have any work history. Highlight your skills, or any type of work you’ve done that can point to what makes you valuable to the organization, and put it together in a cohesive and thoughtful way. As always, make sure to keep in touch with hiring managers and companies even if you don’t get the seasonal or temp job you were hoping for.
Ultimately, seasonal work can lead to bigger opportunities. Harris says she initially applied to her company for a seasonal position—a holiday season sales associate—and after some time was offered a full-time position because she made an impression on management. She left her job at the time, began working full-time for the store, and just about three years later worked her way up to the top management position at the store.
Put yourself out there, make yourself available as much as possible, highlight your attributes, and you’ll have no problem finding a fulfilling seasonal or temporary position, which could even lead to something long term.
— Article by Sean Kelly, an analyst researching the latest industry trends for College Recruiter
