Does anyone have or plan to get a seasonal retail job?

[SunflowerMama]

So I've never had a seasonal job in my life but will be home through both major holidays this year and am really considering it.

I think it'll be a great way to meet some new people (adults), learn something new and of course make a little extra holiday money.

I was just wondering if anyone has every done this and if you have any advice, positive or negative.

I actually applied online to a local Target and have a phone interview today during nap.

I have no real retail experience but years of customer service experience before starting childcare.

Thanks!!

[itlw8]

no because taking care of the 2 grandkids most evenings ds is a single father, taking night classes works some evenings.

but bunch of my friends are doing a temporary computer job at some business every evening. they have paid for their Christmas and vacation

[NeedaVaca]

I consider Ebay my "seasonal" job. I sell stuff like crazy between November and mid December! I generally make around $1000-$1500 and it pays for my Christmas I mostly sell the "hot" toys so it does take some time to shop for them, list them, etc but those toys sell great.

[youretooloud]

I have a friend who sells "Thrive" food. (for storage in case of emergencies)

I was almost considering joining her, but I don't think i'd be good at selling things. I'm so complacent that I doubt I would be very successful.

I might consider doing something else though.. I hadn't thought about it.

[Willow]

I never worked seasonal but I did have jobs in retail sales and retail management for a number of years.

Hated it


Well, overall anyway. I helped set and open a Sportsmans Warehouse here in MN and that was an awesome experience, but other than that the general public has long since lost it's manners and that just drove me to madness some days.

Unless you're working for a mom and pop shop where flexibility and being treated like a human being are still the standard, working for a corporate business is not likely to net you the same warm, friendly and pleasant atmosphere you may be seeking (unfortunately - ie. Target). I worked in a mall for many years (in a Wilson's Leather) that had a Target attached. To call their employees who come out into the mall to eat and such "disgruntled," is an understatement. I heard plenty of stories about them having ridiculous rules as in who you can speak to and what you can say, mandatory overtime, sexual harassment issues, scheduling issues (you interview to work M W F and when they schedule you for T, TH you best be there regardless or be fired) and you were supposed to put up with anything and everything from the customer.

Looking back, and comparing to now - if you think you've seen horribly behaved kids in daycare, guaranteed you ain't seen nothin' yet ha! I do think that's one of the reasons I'm on the more tolerant end of the spectrum as far as my daycare "customers" go. When you've seen all the way to the other side of extreme you're quite a bit more forgiving

[canadiancare]

I worked Saturdays and Sundays from October-Christmas at Toys R Us one year. I think it amounted to 1200$ after tax and I will never do it again for how exhausted I was, how much extra housework it added to my family etc. My youngest was 5 then and she's 15 now so the dynamics would be different but my weekends are too precious for that small amount of money broken down over that time period.

[tenderhearts]

I don't think I could personally do it, I'm so exhausted each night plus I get migraines and my weekends are really spent with my husband and son.

[nanglgrl]

I worked as Santa's elf at the mall for a couple of years on weekends. It was fun and paid for our Christmas vacation but I quit doing it the second year when they got a Santa that was absolutely horrible. As a lover of kids and Christmas it's no fun seeing a kid go to sit on Santa's lap with a look of disappointment in their eyes. The Santa was a tall lanky kid, he had tattoos up and down his arms (nothing against tattoos, I have 3) that would show when he reached out because his arms were so long and their was no amount of stuffing that could make him look jolly.

[Country Kids]

I miss my retail job but it didn't work with kids-would never see them.

I have thought about getting a weekend job to help get our debt down but I don't want to work 7 days a week and miss out totally on life (I'm already 80% doing that now).

If I didn't work 70 hours a week now I might consider it.

[alaskanmomma]

I'm thinking of applying to Toys R Us for the holiday season, would be nice to make extra cash for presents + have that discount.

[daycare]

I dont do seasonal retail, but I do work for myself and a private gym as a personal trainer.....bad part is that the thanksgiving and christams holiday I am always dead..........BUT come new years, I need to clone myself.

Wish it was busy before that, but the holidays really have people all over the place and it always seems to be everyone's new years resolution to get into shape or lose weight!!!!

[kathiemarie]

I have. I worked for World Market/Cost Plus and Macy"s. If I did it again I would work at a smaller store. I think they can be more flexible. At Macy's I had to be avalible to work every night plus weekends. A computer did the scheduling where as at Cost Plus the manager did the schedule so I was able to request time off as needed. It was nice to get out and talk to adults but only do it if your husband is on board because a lot of family stuff will fall on him. You also might miss out on some Holiday fun too.