How to Get a Seasonal Job This Holiday Season (and Stay On)

Seasonal hiring is already under way, which means the best time to apply is now, not in December. If you want to know how to get a seasonal job, the short answer is: apply early, keep your resume short, make your availability easy to see, and ask in the interview whether the role can continue after the season. This guide covers what the latest postings data shows, where to look beyond the sales floor, how to read the label on a listing, and how to give yourself the best chance of staying on.

Seasonal jobs 2026: what Indeed's data shows

The clearest dated read on this season comes from Indeed Hiring Lab. Every figure in this post is in the block below, so you can see exactly where it comes from and when it was measured.

As of Oct 15, 2026 (Indeed Hiring Lab, posted Oct 15, 2026):

• Indeed Hiring Lab reports that, as of September 30, seasonal job postings on Indeed were up about 10% from a year ago and roughly 7% above 2019.

• Indeed Hiring Lab also reports that desktop searches for seasonal and holiday work on Indeed were up about 28% year over year.

• Among a group of large employers, mostly retailers, Indeed Hiring Lab reports that the share of postings labeled seasonal fell from about 34% at the end of September last year to about 20% this year, while the share labeled part-time rose from 38% to 49%.

• Indeed Hiring Lab notes that the biggest rise in seasonal postings typically occurs between mid-September and mid-November.

These figures describe postings and searches on Indeed only, not all US jobs. Indeed counts a posting as seasonal when its job title has a holiday-related term, and it reports desktop searches only.

Refresh note: these figures are re-checked once a year, each autumn, when Indeed Hiring Lab publishes its seasonal analysis, and every figure and the as-of date are replaced.

Two things are worth taking from this. Searches are up, so applying early matters. And some big employers are listing these roles as part-time rather than seasonal, which changes how you should read a listing. Both points come up again below.

How to get a seasonal job: apply fast

Seasonal employers usually need people quickly and for a fixed stretch of weeks, so they care most about when you can work and whether you will show up. Make both easy to see.

• Put your availability at the top. List the days, shifts and dates you can work, and say whether you can cover weekends and holidays. This is often the first thing a hiring manager checks.

• Keep your resume to one short page. Lead with reliability and relevant shifts: retail, food service, stocking, delivery, customer support, or any role with a schedule you kept.

• Apply directly on employer career pages. Many large employers post seasonal openings on their own sites, and some still take applications in person at the store or site.

• Respond the same day. When an interview invite or a scheduling message arrives, answer it quickly. Seasonal roles can fill fast.

• Apply to several places at once. Don’t wait to hear back from one employer before applying to the next.

An availability line (illustrative). Jordan, an invented applicant, puts this one line under the name and contact details: “Available Nov 1 to Jan 10. Weekdays after 3 p.m., all day Saturday and Sunday, and holiday shifts.” A manager can see in five seconds whether Jordan fits the schedule.

If this would be your first job, the same approach applies, and here is more on how to get a job with no experience.

Holiday jobs: look beyond the sales floor

Indeed Hiring Lab describes the season “as holiday hiring shifts from the sales floor to the warehouse.” In other words, the cash register isn’t the only door in.

When you search, widen the net to include:

• Warehouse and fulfillment roles, such as picking, packing and sorting orders.

• Stocking and inventory roles, often early-morning or overnight shifts.

• Delivery and driver-helper roles, for people who prefer to be on the move.

• Customer support roles, including phone, chat and returns.

Read each listing for the physical demands, the shift times and the location, so you apply to roles you can actually do well.

Seasonal or part-time? Read how the listing is labeled

As the data block shows, some large employers are listing roles as part-time rather than seasonal. That describes how those listings are labeled. It doesn’t tell you how long any particular job will last, or who will be kept on.

So read the label, then read the rest of the posting:

• Seasonal usually means the role is tied to a busy period and has a planned end date.

• Part-time describes hours, not length. A part-time role may or may not have an end date.

• Full-time also describes hours. Check whether it is temporary.

If the posting doesn’t say, ask the recruiter or hiring manager directly: “Does this role have an end date?” It is a normal question, and the answer helps you plan.

Can a seasonal job become permanent?

Sometimes, but it is never guaranteed. Some employers keep a few seasonal hires on after the busy period, and many don’t. You can improve your chances without making promises to yourself:

• Ask early. In the interview, ask whether the role can continue after the season, and what that would depend on.

• Be reliable. Show up on time, cover shifts when you can, and learn the job quickly. That is what managers remember.

• Check in before the season ends. A few weeks before your end date, tell your manager you would like to stay on and ask whether there is an opening.

• Ask about other roles. If your own role is ending, ask whether there is a different opening you could move into.

The same habits help anyone in a short-term role. For the full playbook, see how to turn a temporary role into a full-time offer.

If the search takes longer than the season

A seasonal job can be a bridge while you look for something longer term. If your search runs past the season, it helps to know how long a job search takes and what the dated figures do and don’t tell you.

FAQ

Is it too late to apply for a seasonal job?

Often not. Look again at the timing note in the data block, and keep in mind that listings vary by employer. Some employers may still be hiring later in the season, so check career pages before you assume you have missed out.

Can I work a seasonal job alongside my main job?

Possibly, if the schedules fit. Be upfront about your availability, and check that the shifts don’t clash with your main job.

Conclusion: Apply now, ask about next

Apply now with a short resume and a clear availability line, read each listing carefully, and ask early whether the role can continue. That gives you the best chance at both the season and what comes after it.