How to get a job at Christmas

The demand for extra employees during the Christmas period is huge, and if you’re looking for some part time festive work – you’re not alone. With the increase in demand comes the increase in supply, and a record number of applications will be received during the busy Christmas period.

If you want to get ahead of the competition and snag yourself a part time job over Christmas, here’s our advice on how to be successful…

Plan ahead and apply early 

‘The early bird catches the worm’ – which has never been so true when it comes to getting a job over the Christmas period. Employers are looking to get workers in and trained as quickly as possible ready for the busy shoppers, so a late application probably won’t even get looked at.

Our advice would be to consider looking in September with the thought to sending your CV at the end of the month and no later than October. If you don’t hear anything back for a little while, a follow up is always a good idea to ensure your details are kept to the top and are fresh in the employers mind.

Get out and about 

Although searching for a job online is a great place to start, you’ll often find that jobs available over the festive period are advertised in the window of the shop due to the amount of people who will walk past and see it.

Most of the time employers don’t need to even advertise for jobs as they know the amount of applications and enquiries for jobs will come flooding through the door without it!

So if you want to snag a part time job at Christmas, you need to get out and about and visit the places you are interested in to see what’s available. Print yourself off a few CVs and hand them personally to the manager or supervisor and let them know you are available for anything they may have.

Don’t forget that this is kind of a mini interview, so dress appropriately and make sure you are presentable. You want to be remembered for the right reasons when giving out your CV in person, so don’t undervalue the importance of making a great first impression.

Research the role 

Although most part time jobs won’t require any special qualifications or experience, it’s still important to remember that you need to understand what the employer is looking for. Don’t just read the job title and assume you know what’s required.

Many candidates will underestimate the importance of research and will fail during the interview to convince the employer they are the right person for the job. An employer is looking for someone who can learn quickly, is passionate, hard working, and reliable. They will also be looking for someone who is aware of what the role requires, and has fully read and researched the tasks and responsibilities.

Focus on what you have achieved 

Most applicants who apply for a part time position during Christmas are young and have little to no experience. This is expected by the employer, so there is no need to panic if you are a school leaver or have just the one previous job on your CV.

However, it is vital that your CV focuses on what you have achieved so far and what skills you have acquired. Your CV should showcase and highlight all of the positives, like successful school projects or volunteer work.

No matter how small or insignificant it may seem, you should turn everything into a positive and build upon what you have to offer – and make sure it fills out those two pages!

Use a CV template 

The best way you can impress an employer is by using a ready made professional CV template. Not only will it look amazing, it will also free up your time and allow you to spend it on writing a great CV.

Gone are the days when you would sit and spend hours trying to align the margins and find the right font. All of this has already been done by a professional, so the only time you need to spend is choosing the right CV template for you. 

Check out our CV template collection and kick start your Christmas job hunt!

Be professional – expect more 

Many part time positions have the opportunity to lead onto something more permanent, and whilst you may think it will end after Christmas, it could however be the start of something much more.

This is why you should always remain professional and work as hard as you can, as you never know what might happen when a permanent position is up for grabs after Christmas. You want to be the first one considered for anything that might follow after Christmas, and make a great impression during your short time.

Even if you don’t get offered a permanent position, having a great reference will be important for your future career. To put it bluntly –take it seriously! Give it everything you’ve got and perform like you’re after a promotion.

Find out more

In this video, experts explain why Christmas time is a good time to be a job seeker. They share expert tips on leveraging a job hunt during the festive season as well as advice on settling into a new job during this fun time of year.

Christmas job ideas (UK)

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