Retailers bouncing back from the recession plan to hire more seasonal workers this winter, but Ohio University students wanting to make an extra buck may still have trouble finding a job because employment has not returned to normal.
During winter 2008, the number of seasonal retail employees dropped 68 percent from 720,000 in 2007 to 231,000 in 2008, according to the National Retail Federation. The 2009 holiday season brought nearly double the number of seasonal jobs, 453,000, and the NRF expects the 2010 season to mimic those numbers.
Many retailers such as Walmart and Best Buy say that they plan to hire about the same number of seasonal employees this winter as they did last winter.
In the last two years
our store has reverted back to the hiring process that it had four years ago said Vickie Perry, store manager at the Best Buy, 3840 Morse Rd., in Columbus.
Fewer people were hired at Best Buy during the 2008 holiday season because of financial strains, Perry said. But the store adopted a new policy last year to bring employment back to what it was before the recession, she said.
Perry said she plans to hire nearly 55 additional employees at her Best Buy store this winter, which is close to what she hired last year.
Although stores plan to hire additional seasonal employees, several OU students are struggling to find jobs during winter break.
Sarah Camloh, a sophomore studying exercise physiology, said she has been a seasonal employee for Hollister Co. at the SouthPark Shopping Mall in Strongsville for several years.
In the past I have just relied on being rehired for the winter
Camloh said, adding that she does not want to fall back on her Hollister position this winter and hopes to find a job elsewhere, but hasn't yet.
Camloh is not alone in her seasonal job hunt struggle.
Always and forever I have had a hard time finding a job
said Carolyn Williamson, a junior studying communications.
Although Williamson already applied for jobs at Gap, Old Navy and Hallmark at the Dayton Mall in her hometown, she said that she has not been hired yet.
With students such as Camloh and Williamson heading home for the holidays, Athens retailers also plan to hire seasonal employees to replace the student workers going home for winter break.
Keith Adams, store manager at Walmart, 929 E. State St., said he plans to hire 20 to 25 people this winter when some of his permanent employees go home.
Elder-Beerman, 1004 E. State St., is currently in the hiring process and plans to take on 10 additional employees, said Sherrie Norman, the store's manager.
Our number of holiday employees pretty much stays the same each year
Norman said. We like to accommodate the store with as many employees as necessary.
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Laura Service
