Planning to Get a Holiday Job This Season? Here's Why You Need to Apply ASAP

There's a reason people tend to look at getting side hustles during the tail end of the year. The holidays can be an expensive period. Between gift-giving, decorating, and travel costs, a lot of folks inevitably wind up with debt by Dec. 31, even if they try their best to keep their costs down.

A side hustle, however, could prevent that unwanted scenario. If you pick up a seasonal side hustle, you can use the money to boost your savings account balance so you have cash to tap to cover those hefty credit card bills.

But if you're hoping to work for a local retailer this holiday season, you'd better get moving. Here's why.

Seasonal retail jobs could be limited this year

U.S. retailers are only expected to hire 410,000 seasonal workers this year, according to data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas. That might seem like a large number. But it's actually the lowest number of new seasonal hires since 2008. So if you want to secure a seasonal gig, you may want to get moving now, before all of those open positions fill up.

One place to start is to simply walk around your town's main street or shopping area, knock on doors, and see who's hiring (though chances are, small businesses in need of help will have signs in their windows). You could also check your town's social media page, as that's a place where some businesses might opt to advertise.

Another option? Put a note on your social media page that you're looking for seasonal work. Chances are, someone you know is aware of an open position or can at least forward your inquiry along.

What if you can't find a retail job this holiday season?

Working retail this holiday season might seem appealing. You might enjoy perks like steady hours, a generous wage, and an in-store discount you can use to offset the cost of your holiday shopping.

But if you're not able to secure a retail job during the holidays, don't stress. There may be other side gigs you can look into that put cash in your pocket.

For one thing, people tend to travel a fair amount from late November through late December, so it's a good time to moonlight as a pet-sitter. It can be difficult to bring a pet along on a trip, and people may be willing to pay a premium to have their pets looked after individually instead of boarding them.

You can also sign up for a ride-hailing service like Uber and shuttle passengers around when it works for your schedule. This is an especially good gig to consider if you happen to live close to an airport. An uptick in holiday travel could leave more people needing a ride to their destinations.

Working a retail job during the holidays could do some good for your personal finances. But put in that application ASAP if you want one of these jobs. And be prepared to consider alternatives in case all of the retail jobs in town are already filled.