Searches for seasonal retail jobs highest in five years

Recent data from the global hiring and matching platform, Indeed, reveals a surge in searches for Christmas jobs, with a 31 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The heightened interest in Christmas employment is primarily driven by businesses gearing up for the festive season. Prominent retailers like New Look, River Island, The Perfume Shop, and H. Samuel are among the top ten companies witnessing substantial volumes of Christmas job hires.

These seasonal job searches are currently at the highest level since 2018, just 3 percent below the levels recorded in October 2018. The pressures of the cost of living may be a contributing factor fueling the increased interest among job seekers to secure Christmas employment, as individuals seek opportunities to bolster their income during the holiday season.

As of October 13, approximately 0.6 percent of all job postings on Indeed in the UK pertained to holiday jobs. Comparatively, this share of Christmas job listings is higher than the same period in 2022, when businesses were already actively hiring as the economy rebounded from the pandemic. However, these job postings are still below the levels observed from 2018 to 2021.

High street retailers are the driving force behind seasonal job postings, with the top ten businesses for seasonal job listings encompassing retailers specializing in homeware, cosmetics, perfume, jewellery and fashion.

Jack Kennedy, Senior UK Economist at Indeed, said in a statement: "Seasonal hiring ahead of the festive period is well underway. Recruitment for Christmas jobs typically begins in August, gains momentum through September and October, and peaks in November, well before Christmas festivities commence. This year's hiring efforts are stronger than the previous year but fall short of levels seen in the years preceding 2022. There is still time for these numbers to catch up; however, the current trend suggests that employers may be exercising caution due to economic uncertainty and expectations of sluggish economic growth. Nonetheless, the high interest among job seekers in seasonal positions is promising for employers seeking to fill these roles as seasonal hiring accelerates."