Saw this in Saturday's Republic (Career Builder section) and couldn't help but think of the members of this site. It talks about the fierce competition for this year's holiday jobs and advises you "cast a wide net, use creativity and apply early."

Here's the article: http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2009/10/30/20091030career-retailjobs1101.html

good reminder. i need to get my app in early.

I don't know if this counts or not, but Frys and Safeway grocery stores are hiring due to an employee/union strike. If you are looking for temporary, hourly work, this could work out for you!

Be aware...hiring appears to be slow.

Holiday hiring starting slow
Phoenix Business Journal - by Lynn Ducey


Job-seekers hoping to find holiday positions may be disappointed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The government agency reports holiday hiring is off to a slow start, with employment in the sector experiencing a net gain of just 63,500

jobs last month. But those numbers are a bit higher than the same time last year, when retailers added 59,100 workers.

The 2008 holiday hiring scene was the worst since 1989 as retailers added just 384,300 employees between October and December, according to executives from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. In 1989, retailers added 380,500 holiday workers, the firm said.

Still, executives at the Chicago-based professional outplacement and consulting firm said all hope is not lost.

“There have been some signs that retail is picking up, so we could see a surge in November employment gains. If you are looking for a seasonal job, it would be wise not to give up the search. Retailers are taking a wait-and-see approach and could decide to bring in extra workers at the last minute,” said John A. Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

In addition, executives there point to the temporary job market.

Employment at temporary employment agencies grew by 33,700 jobs in October, the third consecutive monthly increase in this category and the largest since October 2007.

“This is significant because temporary employment is typically where we see the first job gains in a recovery. Cautious employers are reluctant to add too many permanent workers this early in the recovery, so they turn to temporary workers. As the economy improves, these temporary workers are converted to full-time, permanent workers. We are definitely headed in the right direction,” said Challenger.