The 2010 holiday shopping season is turning out to be most satisfying for retailers, who have posted stronger-than-anticpated sales throughout the period. Along with those happy figures has come a surge in hiring, with seasonal retail hiring for the holidays well above its 2008 trough, though not yet back to pre-Great Recession levels.
In October and November of this year, 433,000 people were added to retail payrolls, well above the 367,000 hired in the crash year of 2008 but still well below the 500,000-plus figures during the same two months pre-crash. 65,000 of those people were hired by Macy's, the nation's leading upmarket department store.
As the season winds down, no doubt some of those 65,000 are hoping their jobs will turn permanent after the decorations are put away. While it may be a bit late to pass it on to them, Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren has some evergreen advice on how to do it:
"Bloom where you are planted."
In other words, give the job you've got your absolute best. Go the extra mile to please your customer. Approach your work with enthusiasm and drive. Make every effort to shine, show initiative and creativity, and your managers will notice.
"If you really pour 100% of yourself into your job, people will notice. You will create your own opportunities for advancement," Lundgren said.
In an interview on the National Retail Federation blog, Lundgren noted that many seasonal Macy's sales associates do end up becoming permanent employees, and some even rise through the corporate ranks to senior management positions. I'd be surprised if other retailers failed to keep top talent in the same fashion, so Lundgren's advice is relevant for anyone who hopes to turn their holiday good fortune into something that lasts longer.
Shopping for jobs for the long run? Take a look at what's in store on RetailGigs.com.
By Sandy Smith
Sandy Smith is an award-winning writer and editor who has spent most of his career in public relations and corporate communications. His work has appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia CityPaper, PGN, and a number of Web sites. Philly-area residents may also recognize him as "MarketStEl" of discussion-board fame. He has been a part of the great reserve army of freelance writers since January 2009 and is actively seeking opportunities wherever they may lie.
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