Deciding when you’re ready to return to work or work for the first time is a deeply personal choice that depends on your goals, comfort level, and circumstances. Everyone’s path to employment looks different, and there’s no single “right” timeline.
If you’ve been thinking about taking that next step, the upcoming holiday season could be the perfect time to begin your journey toward financial independence. With seasonal opportunities, flexible schedules, and a surge in hiring, now might be your moment to start building the future you’ve been envisioning.
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 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.
How Can Ticket to Work Help
Social Security's Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI/SSI) and want to work. Through this free and voluntary program, eligible participants can work with service providers to receive the services and supports they need to find and maintain employment as they move toward financial independence through work.
The Ticket Program can support you with different forms of employment, including part time, seasonal, and full time. Through the Ticket Program, your employment team can help you:
- Identify seasonal job opportunities that fit your skills and interests
- Update your resume and practice interview skills
- Understand how seasonal work will affect your Social Security disability benefits
- Explore whether a short-term job could become a longer-term opportunity.
With guidance from Ticket to Work service providers, you can take advantage of seasonal jobs to gain experience, build confidence, and move closer to financial independence while getting expert help every step of the way.
Learn More
If you’re ready to explore how work can fit into your life, the Ticket Program is here to help you take that next step. Whether you’re curious about seasonal jobs or looking to build a long-term career path, you don’t have to navigate the journey alone.
Call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 to speak with a representative who can answer your questions and connect you with free resources. For callers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, call 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. ET; or visit choosework.ssa.gov.
Career fairs are an excellent way to start or advance your job search. Whether they’re in person or online, job fairs let you engage with potential employers and learn about job openings. If you’re aware of an upcoming job fair that our readers would find helpful, please email us at 
To help people keep up with the changing cost of living, Social Security beneficiaries often receive an annual 