We know what you're thinking.

Christmas? Already?

It feels like summer has only just packed its bags, the big coats haven't quite made their annual comeback and we're still a little way off hearing Christmas songs everywhere we go.

But while you might not be thinking about putting the tree up just yet, plenty of businesses are already thinking about Christmas.

And, more importantly, they're thinking about the people they'll need to get them through it.

Every year, the festive season brings a huge increase in activity for businesses across the UK. More orders. More deliveries. More products to make, pick, pack and send. And behind all of that? People.

Which means if a Christmas job is on your radar this year, now might be a very good time to start looking.

A Christmas job doesn't have to mean working in a shop

When someone says "Christmas job", it's easy to picture busy high streets, Christmas jumpers and a very long queue at the till. And yes, retail is a big part of seasonal recruitment.

But it's only one part of the story.

Behind those busy shops and next-day deliveries are warehouses, production sites, logistics teams, drivers, customer service departments and plenty more.

You could find yourself picking and packing orders in a warehouse, helping a production team keep up with demand, supporting deliveries or speaking to customers during one of the busiest times of the year.

Some roles will need previous experience. Others could be the chance you've been waiting for to try something completely different.

Need a job for Christmas?

Perhaps you're a student coming home for the holidays and want to earn some extra money. Maybe your current contract is coming to an end. You might be between jobs, looking to get back into work or simply thinking, I'd quite like a bit of extra money before Christmas.

So, a temporary seasonal role can make a lot of sense.

But sometimes, what starts as "just for Christmas" can become something more.

Imagine you start in a warehouse for a few weeks. You turn up, get stuck in, learn the role and become someone the team can rely on. January arrives. The decorations come down. Everyone starts talking about New Year's resolutions.

And the employer needs someone to stay.

There's no guarantee that a temporary role will become permanent, of course. Seasonal jobs are temporary for a reason, and businesses' needs can change once the Christmas rush is over. But you've had the chance to show what you can do.

And even if your role does finish after Christmas, you've still gained experience, met new people, learnt new skills and added something else to your CV.

That's not a bad way to start a new year.

Don't talk yourself out of applying

Here's another scenario.

You find a Christmas job that looks ideal. It's close to home. The shifts work. The pay works. Then you read the job description.

"I've never worked in a warehouse."

"I've never done production work."

"I don't have exactly the same experience."

And you close the tab. Sound familiar?

Before you rule yourself out, look again at what the employer is asking for.

Maybe you've worked somewhere busy before. Maybe you're great at working as part of a team. Perhaps you're organised, reliable, comfortable speaking to customers or quick at picking up new things.

Experience matters for some jobs, but so do transferable skills and attitude. Your next opportunity doesn't always have to look exactly like your last one.

So, is September too early to look for a Christmas job?

Not at all. We aren’t saying you need to buy the turkey. You don’t need to put the tree up (we will be judging if you have your Christmas Tree up in September…)

And we'll leave the debate about when it's acceptable to start playing Christmas music for another day.

But you can start thinking about what you want the next few months to look like. If earning some extra money, gaining experience or finding your next opportunity is part of the plan, starting your job search now means you'll be ready as more seasonal vacancies become available.

And who knows?

The job you take "just for Christmas" might end up opening a door you weren't expecting.

 

Ready to see where it could take you? Explore the latest opportunities with Acorn by Synergie.