(NAPSI)—With historically low unemployment and a strong economy,
retailers are expecting a huge shopping season this year, with the National
Retail Federation forecasting holiday retail sales in November and December—excluding
automobiles, gasoline and restaurants—to increase between 4.3 and 4.8
percent over 2017. That compares with an average annual increase of 3.9
percent over the past five years.
If you’re looking for a full-time or part-time job with flexible
hours for the next few months, that could mean great news for you.
Where The Jobs Are
For one thing, there are plenty of seasonal job openings in shops—about
650,000, according to the National Retail Federation. That’s in
addition to the estimated 15 million already holding retail jobs.
Another seasonal position you may care to consider: store Santa Claus.
Some can earn as much as $20,000 during the holidays. But it’s a
sedentary job.
Another more active option: There are 100,000 good jobs now available at
thousands of UPS locations around the country.
That’s because, to support the anticipated increase in package
volume it sees in November and through January, UPS is looking to hire
seasonal employees. What’s more, over a third of them can expect to be
offered permanent jobs once the season is over.
“Every year, we deliver the holidays for millions of customers,”
said Jim Barber, chief operating officer. “In order to make that
happen, we also deliver thousands of great seasonal jobs at our facilities
across the country.”
Jobs To Careers
The full- and part-time seasonal positions—primarily package
handlers, drivers and driver-helpers—have long been an entry point for
permanent employment at UPS. Many senior UPS executives, including Chief
Executive Officer David Abney and other members of the company’s senior
leadership team, started their UPS careers as part-time employees.
Big Benefits
Permanent UPS jobs—including part-time jobs—come with great
pay and benefits, including health care and retirement benefits. Many part-time
employees are eligible to receive up to $25,000 in tuition assistance through
the company’s Earn and Learn program.
For example, there’s Kevin Whitehill. He
was a college student when he started a seasonal job as a part-time package
handler on his 19th birthday—Nov. 19, 1996. He worked
part-time for several years and took advantage of UPS’s tuition
reimbursement program to get his degree. Twenty-two years later, he’s
an on-road supervisor managing tractor-trailer drivers. “I never
intended UPS to be a career,” he said. “I took a job for
Christmas. As I moved along, the opportunities were just too good to pass up.”
How To Apply
Interested job seekers can easily apply for holiday season opportunities
by visiting www.UPSjobs.com. Applicants
must apply online. Videos featuring employees describing their work
experience at UPS are also available at the UPS jobs website.
“UPS is looking to hire 100,000
seasonal employees and over a third of them can expect to be offered permanent
jobs. http://bit.ly/2qJes3b”
On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)