Trying Work Through Seasonal Employment

Deciding if and when you're ready to try work is a very personal decision with many factors to consider. And each person's timeline for entering the workforce is unique. However, if you decide that this is your time, you may want to start your journey to financial independence during the upcoming holiday season.

Why? Because many employers are looking for additional end-of-the-year help that is seasonal or temporary. Seasonal work is a great way to try out a job or industry to learn whether it's the right fit for you without a long-term commitment. Seasonal employees also can sometimes transition to more permanent employment.

The Benefits of Seasonal Employment

In addition to being short term and a possible first step into the workforce, seasonal work has some other benefits that can help you on your employment journey:

• Flexible Schedules: Many seasonal employment opportunities like retail, customer service or warehouse work have flexible schedules outside the traditional 9-5 office job. This flexibility can give you time to adjust to working and time to meet other commitments you may have.
• Filling Employment Gaps: If you had to leave the workforce due to your disability and are ready to try working again, future employers may ask about employment gaps on your resume. Seasonal employment can bridge those gaps, showing interviewers that you're ready to return to work again.
• Developing New Skills: Seasonal work is a chance to try something new. If you think you're ready for a career change or want to apply your skills in a new way, seasonal work can let you try new things. New jobs let us brush up on skills we've already mastered, develop new skills we can apply to our existing careers or be the start of an entirely new chapter in our work history.
• Building Your Network: They say it's not what you know, but who you know. And seasonal work is a chance to meet new people in a professional environment. By growing your career network, you open the door to new opportunities. Former coworkers can become references and supportive members of your employment team.

Think Outside the Big Box Store

When people hear seasonal employment, they often think of retail employees for the holidays. That is one option you can explore as you look for work. However, if you think retail may not be for you, there are other industries hiring around the end of the year that may be a better fit. These include:

• Warehouse and Delivery Employees: Online shopping and holiday deliveries go up near the end of the year. Many companies try to meet the demands of consumers by having more order processors, stock clerks and delivery drivers around the holiday season.
• Customer Service: Like retail and warehouse demands, customer service professionals are needed to support companies through their end-of-year sales. From public-facing customer service positions to more behind the scenes logistical support jobs.
• Human Resources Administration: The end of the year means open enrollment season for many companies that provide health insurance benefits to their employees. Many HR professionals look for additional staff around the holidays to help with open enrollment, questions about benefits and the upcoming tax season.
• Seasonal Resort Employees and Tour Guides: If you live in or near a resort area, your local resort may be looking to hire for the upcoming season. While you may have missed hiring for the winter months, they may start looking for employees for the upcoming summer months. If you did miss winter hiring, don't give up, there may be last minute openings as people decline job offers due to various circumstances.
• Temporary Work Agencies: During the final months of the year companies may experience more long-term absences from their full-time employees due to holiday leave or seasonal illnesses. They sometimes hire temporary employees to fill in those gaps to keep things running smoothly. Temporary employment like this can allow you to connect with a company for future employment opportunities. Some agencies may even offer temporary to permanent employment positions.

Be Prepared

No matter the type of seasonal job you apply for, there are a few universal tips to help you make a great impression during your interview and possibly land the job. This job may be temporary, but being prepared for your interview, dressing professionally and respecting the process are always important.

Many seasonal jobs conduct open interviews. This means that instead of scheduling a one-on-one time to meet with you, they have a set time slot to meet with everyone who is interested in applying for a seasonal job.

Open interviews can be done individually or in a group setting. If you're going to an open interview, bring a few extra copies of your resume and references. You may be meeting with more than one manager. Be prepared to wait; open interviews can sometimes take the hiring manager the entire time slot to meet with everyone. Finally, even though it is an open interview, make sure to get the interviewer's information so you can send them a thank you note once the interview is complete.

About Ticket to Work

There's a lot to consider when job searching and it can be tough trying to do everything on your own. Social Security's Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI or SSI) and want to work. The Ticket Program is free and voluntary. It helps people with disabilities move toward financial independence and connects them with the services and support they need to succeed in the workforce.

By participating in the Ticket Program, you'll have access to a wide variety of services from service providers that offer free short-term and long-term supports to help you find and maintain employment.

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