8 Great Seasonal Jobs and How to Get Them

Even though most hiring for seasonal jobs takes place during the months leading up to the holiday season and during the summer, they aren’t the only times that employers hire seasonal workers.

Peak hiring seasons vary, just like the weather does. Depending on the job, seasonal hiring can take place during any one of the four seasons—winterspringsummer or fall, and if you’re interested in working overseas remember that the timing of the seasons is different on the other side of the world.

The hours vary, as well. There are some full-time seasonal jobs, but many are part-time positions that offer a flexible schedule. The more availability and flexibility you have, the easier it will be to find seasonal work.

Seasonal jobs can be a way to earn extra money for holiday shopping or for school, to gain experience for a resume, to travel, take a break from the real world, or to work a schedule that fits your personal life rather than working 9 to 5 year-round stuck in an office.

Some people even make a career out of seasonal jobs—mixing and matching so they are working when and where they want to.

Here are eight great seasonal jobs to consider including holiday season positions, working abroad, summer jobs, travel and tourism, tax season positions, and more opportunities to explore.

01
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How to Get Hired for a Seasonal Job

Women job searching at cafe
 Westend61 / Getty Images

One of the most important factors in getting hired for a seasonal job is to start your job search as early as possible. Employers start hiring early in the fall for holiday season jobs. Summer hiring begins in winter and continues throughout the spring, so start that job search early, too.

If you’re interested in an overseas job, you will need to apply months in advance in order to get the documentation you’ll need to work internationally, a visa approved, and the logistics in order.

Regardless of the season, the earlier you apply, the more job options you’ll have and the easier it will be to get hired for the job that interests you the most.

Here are some of the best ways to find a seasonal job:

02
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Holiday Driver and Helper Jobs

package delivery
PeopleImages / Getty Images

Holiday helpers and drivers are in high demand. In fact, UPS may even offer to pick you up and drop you off if you’re hired for a helper job. You don’t have to be a driver to get one of the jobs package delivery services, like UPS and FedEx, offer during the holiday season, but you will need to be able to lift and work flexible hours. 

The easiest way to get hired is to go directly to the company website or search online using terms like "holiday helper" or "delivery." You’ll be able to apply directly online, and you’ll hear back quickly if the company is hiring.

If you enjoying driving, also consider taking on some side driving or delivery gigs to supplement your income.

03
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Retail Jobs

Christmas Decorations For Sale In Market
Alexey Ivanov / EyeEm / Getty Images

The busiest season for retail hiring is the fall, leading up to the holiday shopping season. Not all jobs include ringing a cash register.

Retailers hire for many different positions, including cashiers, customer service, stocking shelves, merchandising, ordering, baking, candy making, gift wrapping and more. Santa and his helpers are also in high-demand during the holidays.

Major online retailers, like Amazon, for example, also gear up hiring for the holidays.

In addition to accepting online applications, many retailers accept in-store applications,​ especially during the busy holiday season.

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Festival Jobs

people at festival
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Summer and early fall are the prime seasons for outdoor music festivals, fairs, and special events.

Whether you’re a rock or a classical music fan, or beer, wine, and food sound more appealing, if you’re near or willing to travel to a festival venue you’ll find plenty of opportunities to find a short-term or longer-term seasonal job. 

Check out 14 great jobs at festivals including music, yoga, dance, arts, food, wine, and beer festival positions you can get hired for.

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Resort Jobs

ski instructor
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If you live in a summer or winter resort community or are willing to relocate for the season, there are plenty of opportunities to get hired. 

You don’t need to be an expert skier to get hired at a ski resort. Options include just about everything you can think of including jobs on the slopes, retail, hospitality, food and beverage, concierge, customer service, social media, marketing, and many more different types of opportunities.

Take the snow out of the equation, and the same hiring takes place at beach resorts. Keep in mind that many resorts are now open year-round, so you may have the opportunity to extend a seasonal job into a longer-term position.

Visit CoolWorks.com Resort Jobs section for a list of current resort job openings or visit the website of the resort where you'd like to work.

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Summer Camp Jobs

camp counselors
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If you’re a teacher looking for a summer job, people with a background in education are in demand for counselor jobs. Summer camp jobs work perfectly into a college student’s schedule, too. High school students may be able to be hired as counselors in training or for one of ​the other positions camps offer.

In addition to counselors, camps hire activity coordinators, nurses, maintenance, food service, and administrative staff.

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Tax Season Jobs

tax form
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Tax season jobs aren’t just for accountants. Tax preparation companies hire thousands of workers to help prepare and file taxes. In addition to tax preparers, administrative staff, auditors, data entry workers, marketing, and other staff will be hired.

Then there’s always the job standing outside waving a signboard to try and drum up customers. The Internal Revenue Service also adds tax season workers to help process returns.

Tax season hiring starts in the fall, so get your job lined up early. 

08
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Tour / Travel Guide Jobs

Tourists with a guide in front of the Coliseum, Rome
Paolo Cipriani / Getty Images

Summer is the busiest season for tour and travel guide jobs. It could be a job touring visitors around a local historical site or national park, or a job planning, organizing or escorting tours. 

If you have great interpersonal skills, are detail oriented, and love to share what you know or have learned, this could be a great seasonal job option for you.

Search the top job sites for terms like "travel" or "tour" and the place where you want to work to find listings.

09
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Working Abroad

teacher with globe
Arthur Tilley/Photolibrary/Getty Images

One of the best ways to see the world is to work (or volunteer) abroad.  There are many programs that make working abroad easy.  Organizations that focus on work abroad options for US and international travelers make it simple to apply, handle the logistics for you, and help you get hired. 

Job options include teaching abroad (and you typically don’t need a teaching degree), resort and summer camp jobs, nanny and au pair positions, farm jobs, and many other positions where foreign workers are encouraged to apply.