Happy Holidays! New Seasonal Jobs Available
NEW YORK (CBS 2) -- Here's some news that may change some of that consumer confidence pessimism.
Toys R Us is nearly doubling its work force and hiring 45,000 employees to cope with demand during the holiday season. Just Monday Macy's said it planned to hire 65,000 seasonal workers.
So how do you land one of these jobs?
Susan Chambers is a registered nurse who's been out of work for six months, ever since Saint Vincent's Hospital closed its operating room. She used to make $90,000 a year, but now said she's open to anything.
"If they had a part-time holiday job, it might be enjoyable, just for a change of pace. So while out of work, it'll give me some structure," Chambers told CBS 2's Magee Hickey.
Chambers is among the more than 385,000 New York City residents currently unemployed. She and many others were working on computer skills and resume-building at the state Department of Labor offices on Tuesday and were directed to a website where more than 1,100 employers -- most of them retail -- are beginning to list thousands of seasonal jobs. Many are minimum wage-- $7.25 an hour -- and will last only through the holiday shopping season.
Once you find that seasonal job page on the Labor Department website, the next step is the interview and we turned to an expert for some tips.
"I think it's about being positive, upbeat, sell your skills, what you have to offer, what you bring to the table. Smile a lot," Labor Department regional representative John Moye told Hickey.
Labor Department officials say the job market is steadily improving -- with 24,000 fewer people out of work this year in New York State compared to last year. Simon Matthews was trained in telecommunications but said he'll try something seasonal.
"You got to be optimistic, stay focused, be motivated," Matthews said.
With the hopes it eventually turns into something permanent with higher pay.
