November 12, 2008 10:14 AM

A brutal year for holiday employment
Posted by Jesse Nunesat 10:14 AM

I wrote about this last month but it looks like the prognostications that the holiday hiring season would be a brutal one were right on.

A story by the Associated Press paints a particularly gloomy picture for those who rely on work in retail or other seasonal business -- as well those who are now looking for any kind of work due to losing their jobs. From the article:

The odds of landing a part-time job at department store operator Bealls Outlet Stores Inc. this holiday season are slimmer than getting into Harvard: It's one out of every 45.

From department stores and convenience chains to call centers, managers who only a year ago had to scramble to fill holiday jobs are seeing a surge in the number of seasoned applicants - many of them laid off in other sectors and desperate for a way to pay the bills.

The flood of job seekers comes even as the retail industry drastically cuts back on holiday hiring because of the drop-off in consumer spending, and the applicants - who differ from the usual pool, teens or stay-at-home moms looking for extra spending money - reflect the nation's fast-deteriorating job market.

"I thought it was going to be pretty easy, but I am not the only one looking for a job. There are thousands of us going for the same thing," said Kimberly Caparo of Chesterfield, Mich., who has applied for part-time jobs at Toys "R" Us Inc., Home Depot Inc., and Lowe's Cos. Inc. in recent weeks since she and her husband were laid off by auto industry supplier American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc.

A companion piece by the AP has some of the numbers associated with holiday employment, as well as a gloomy prediction for the post-holiday season:

Holiday hiring: Seasonal hiring is expected to be well below the levels of a year ago. A survey of 1,000 managers by SnagAJob.com found that on average, each plans to hire 3.7 seasonal employees - down from 5.6 last year. A survey of 20 retailers by management consultants Hay Group reported that in September, 75 percent were planning to hire the same number of seasonal workers from a year ago. In November, that figure fell to 53 percent, while 26 percent planned to hire 5 to 15 percent fewer workers.

Post-holiday opportunities: Even those who find holiday jobs folding sweaters or ringing a cash register may not be able to rely on them after the holiday season, since more stores are expected to file for bankruptcy. That's expected to further push up the overall unemployment rate, which could climb to 8 or 8.5 percent by the end of next year.

Are you trying to find a second job this holiday season? The Globe wants to hear from people who have applied to work in retail or in service to earn extra income this holiday season. Are you having trouble finding a second job? Or are there lots of offers out there?

Contact Globe reporter Jenn Abelson at abelson@globe.com to share your story.