Why it could be harder to find a holiday season job this year

"The holiday job market is looking more like a strand of burned-out Christmas tree lights. A new Indeed report using data through September showed a disconnect between job seekers and employers.On the job seeker side, there are more searches for holiday work and indications that searches are starting earlier. Meanwhile, employers have posted fewer urgent roles than in the red-hot labor market of 2021. The job-search platform also found that seasonal postings are relatively flat from last year, although down from earlier years."

"The report adds to Challenger, Gray & Christmas' findings published in September that there have been "limited" US announcements for seasonal work. The outplacement firm expects retail hiring to be weak, potentially hitting its lowest level since 2009. "Seasonal employers are facing a confluence of factors this year: tariffs loom, inflationary pressures linger, and many companies continue to rely on automation and permanent staff instead of large waves of seasonal hires," Andy Challenger, a senior vice president of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said in the report. The US job market has been frozen, with millions of unemployed Americans actively seeking work at a time when hiring has cooled. A job during the holiday season could help them earn some income, even if they still want to look for a permanent job."

Indeed data through September shows a disconnect between job seekers and employers for holiday work. Job seekers are searching earlier and in greater numbers for seasonal positions. Employers have posted fewer urgent seasonal roles than in the peak 2021 market, and overall seasonal postings are flat versus last year but down from earlier years. Challenger, Gray & Christmas projects retail seasonal hiring could fall to its weakest level since 2009. Employers cite tariffs, inflationary pressures, automation, and reliance on permanent staff as reasons for fewer seasonal hires. Holiday jobs could provide income for many unemployed Americans.

Read at Business Insider