11 Companies Hiring for the Holidays

Retailers and other businesses are beefing up their staff to deal with the holiday rush.

Author:: MainStreet Staff
Publish date:: Nov 9, 2010 6:00 AM EST

Retailers will add between 550,000 and 650,000 jobs this holiday season, according to a report from the national outsourcing firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas. Last year, 501,400 seasonal workers were hired in October, November and December, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a 30% increase from 2008, when holiday hiring fell to a 22-year low of just 384,300 workers. Still, the figure is nowhere near 2007 levels, when 720,800 jobs were added. While these temporary jobs probably won't be enough to significantly boost the nation's 9.6% unemployment rate, it could provide shoppers a little extra cash this holiday season, which in turn, could lift retail sales. Research firms are calling for holiday sales to come in about flat to up 3.5%. Read on to see which retailers will be hiring this holiday season. Photo Credit: bensonkua

The Internet retailer said on Friday that is searching for workers to fill 900 open positions at its Coffeyville, Kan., shipping center. Available positions include full-time and part-time roles in picking, packing and receiving and shipping. A high school diploma or GED and the ability to stand, walk and lift throughout the day are required. New hires will also have to pass a background check. Amazon previously said that it is also looking for seasonal employees at its facilities in Campbellsville, Kentucky, Lexington, and Las Vegas. Amazon outlined the qualifications for temp workers: "Candidates should be highly motivated with drive, ambition and a passion for providing customers a first-class shopping experience." Those interested in applying should contact Integrity Staffing Solutions at 859-963-3203 or online at www.integrityjobslex.com. Photo Credit: AP

Blockbuster will hire 4,000 seasonal employees to help with the holiday rush. The movie rental retailer, which filed for bankruptcy in September, has hired holiday staffers to help customers to find the right movie, game or merchandise for renting or gift-giving. "We know the holiday season is our busiest and we plan to hire thousands of new employees in preparation for another busy shopping season in our stores," said Craig Mabrey, director of recruiting, in a statement. This announcement comes after Blockbuster received court approval earlier this week to tap into a $125 million debtor-in-possession loan that it will use to pay employees and finance operations. Blockbuster typically staffs 25,500 employees during the non-holiday season. Photo Credit: parislemon

Craft store Jo-Ann Stores will hire 3,000 workers for the holiday season, a 15% uptick over last year. The company said it expects to see "positive" results for the holiday season, as more consumers make homemade gifts. "More and more of our customers are expressing an interest in making their gifts, not only because they enjoy the process but also because they believe these gifts have more meaning," Travis Smith, president and chief operating officer, said in a statement. In its second-quarter, Jo-Ann reversed its year-ago loss, with revenue increasing 5% to $439.3 million. Photo Credit: JoAnn

Toys 'R' Us plans on hiring 45,000 workers for the holiday season, as it opens 600 pop-up stores in malls and shopping centers. Last year the toy giant opened a much-smaller 90 Express locations, and employed 35,000 temporary workers. The company said jobs available range from managerial positions to sales. There may even be some opportunities for temporary workers to be hired full time once the holiday season is over, as some of these pop-up stores could become permanent. Toys 'R' Us has been eyeing an initial public offering that could raise up to $800 million. But reports surfaced earlier in the month that this offering could be postponed until 2011. Photo Credit: AP

Macy's (Stock Quote: M) will make a slight increase in its holiday hiring this year, with plans to employ 65,000 seasonal workers. Positions will be filled across the company, including in stores, call centers, distribution cents and online fulfillment centers around the country. The department store has already begun hiring and is currently accepting applications online at www.macysjobs.com. The uptick in hiring comes as Macy's predicts same-store sales will increase between 3% and 3.5% during the holiday season. In September, the company reported a 4.8% rise in comparable sales, better than the 3.5% analysts forecast. Photo Credit: Bloomberg News

Kohl's (Stock Quote: KSS) will hire 40,000 associates this Christmas, a 21.2% increase from last year. In 2009, Kohl's hired about 33,000 seasonal workers. The company plans to hire an average of 35 associates at each of its 1,089 stores. It anticipates employing another 2,260 workers at its distribution centers and credit operations. The value-priced retailer prides itself on being ranked on the National Retail Federation's list of retailers that offer the best customer service. Photo Credit: Bloomberg News

Best Buy (Stock Quote: BBY) will hire 29,000 employees this holiday shopping season, about flat with last year. The electronic retailer will also open up to 50 new Mobile stores before Thanksgiving and add used video games to up to 1,000 stores from 600. Smartphones, touch-screen tablet computers, e-readers and new video game platforms are expected to be some of the best-selling items at Best Buy, the company said. Photo Credit: Bloomberg News

Borders will open 25 pop-up stores this holiday season to meet demand of shoppers. The stores will be open from Oct. 25 through Jan. 31. Most of these stores will be located in malls where permanent Borders have recently closed. The bookstore, which has been struggling with sales, has shuttered hundreds of stores. "Where it didn't make business sense for us to operate stores on a permanent basis in these areas, we can open a seasonal store and serve the holiday shopping needs of our customers," CEO Mike Edwards said in a statement. As a result of these new locations, Borders will hire more season workers this year, but did not disclose just how many temporary workers it will employ. Photo Credit: AP

United Parcel Service plans to hireg about 50,000 seasonal workers this holiday, on par with last year. The majority of these jobs are part-time and include driver assistants and package handlers. UPS will begin hiring this month and continue until all positions are filled. The company also said that a "significant" number of temporary hires will be offered full-time positions post-January. Photo Credit: AP

Brookstone Inc. plans to hire 36% more temporary employees than it did last year, which means 2,000 openings. More than 150 Brookstone seasonal stores and kiosks will open this month alongside the company’s 310 year-round retail stores and key expansion areas will include California, New Jersey and Texas. “Obviously, this is a win-win for everyone,” Brookstone CEO Ron Boire said in a statement. "Brookstone is going to be the go-to place for stereos, stands, cases and all sorts of great accessories for iPad." The company is betting on strong demand for the video game Parrot AR.Drone and a host of other “wow factor” gadgets including the ePad Laptop desk and CandyMan Motion-Activated Candy Dispenser. Apply online here. Photo Credit: Sam Pullara

For Limited Brands Inc., hiring seasonal workers is back in vogue. The Columbus, Ohio mega-retailer, which owns big names like Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works, is rumored to hire more than 50,000 workers this Christmas. The Associated Press reported that the mega-retailer brought in big bucks in September, thanks to the lure of back-to-school discounts.Apply online here. Photo Credit: Getty Images

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'Tis the Season

Retailers will add between 550,000 and 650,000 jobs this holiday season, according to a report from the national outsourcing firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas. Last year, 501,400 seasonal workers were hired in October, November and December, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a 30% increase from 2008, when holiday hiring fell to a 22-year low of just 384,300 workers. Still, the figure is nowhere near 2007 levels, when 720,800 jobs were added. While these temporary jobs probably won't be enough to significantly boost the nation's 9.6% unemployment rate, it could provide shoppers a little extra cash this holiday season, which in turn, could lift retail sales. Research firms are calling for holiday sales to come in about flat to up 3.5%. Read on to see which retailers will be hiring this holiday season. Photo Credit: bensonkua