Target, other retailers hiring tens of thousands of seasonal workers

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS FAST APPROACHING.

IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF A JOB – IT MAY JUST TURN INTO THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR.

WITH THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT 4.2 PERCENT — SEVERAL COMPANIES ANNOUNCING THEY’LL BE HIRING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SEASONAL WORKERS.

BURLINGTON STORES — WHICH HAS OVER ONE THOUSAND LOCATIONS ACROSS THE US – IS LOOKING TO HIRE 15 HUNDRED FULL-TIME SEASONAL WAREHOUSE ASSOCIATES AND 23 THOUSAND PART-TIME SEASONAL EMPLOYEES INCLUDING CASHIER AND RETAIL ASSOCIATES.

BATH AND BODY WORKS IS RECRUITING MORE THAN 30 THOUSAND NEW SEASONAL WORKERS FOR ITS 18 HUNDRED RETAIL STORES AND 27 HUNDRED DISTRIBUTION CENTERS.

AND TARGET IS PLANNING TO HIRE 100 THOUSAND SEASONAL EMPLOYEES FOR ITS NEARLY 2 THOUSAND STORES AND OVER 50 SUPPLY CHAIN FACILITIES.

ACCORDING TO CONSULTANCY FIRM BAIN AND COMPANY – RETAILERS ARE PLANNING TO DO SIMILAR LEVELS OF SEASONAL HIRING AS LAST YEAR.

TARGET SAYS MORE THAN HALF OF ITS SEASONAL TEAM MEMBERS IN 2023 WERE OFFERED PERMANENT POSITIONS.

BUT WHAT’S DIFFERENT THAN LAST YEAR IS HOW MUCH SHOPPERS WILL BE SPENDING ON THE HOLIDAYS.

DATA FROM A RECENT DELOITTE  REPORT SHOWS U.S. HOLIDAY SALES ARE EXPECTED TO GROW AT THEIR SLOWEST PACE IN SIX YEARS.

HOLIDAY SALES PREDICTED TO RISE BETWEEN 2 POINT 3 PERCENT TO 3 POINT 3 PERCENT – FOR A TOTAL OF 1 POINT FIVE NINE TRILLION DOLLARS BETWEEN NOVEMBER AND JANUARY —

THIS IS DOWN FROM LAST YEAR’S 4 POINT 3 PERCENT GROWTH – WHICH TOTALED 1 POINT FIFTY FOUR TRILLION.

AS SHOPPERS TURN TO ONLINE DEALS — DELOITTE REPORTS E-COMMERCE WILL BE A KEY DRIVER IN OVERALL RETAIL SALES GROWTH THIS SEASON – EXPECTING TO BRING IN BETWEEN 289 BILLION AND 294 BILLION DOLLARS.

REUTERS REPORTS THE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON TYPICALLY ACCOUNTS FOR MORE THAN HALF OF U.S. RETAILERS’ ANNUAL REVENUE.

AND THESE RETAILERS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE ALL HOPING FOR A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON.