“Looking for Santa Claus”. Beginning in November, casting sessions took place in shopping malls throughout the country to choose their official Santa Claus. It is a temporary job during the Christmas holidays, where you pose with children, share sweets and take a few pictures. But it’s not the only job that opens up at Christmas time. Opportunities and announcements increase in various sectors when a vast number of companies begin searching for staff to help with growing sales and bookings. With two conditions of course: the work is seasonal (temporary) and, often, you have to work on public holidays, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
The period between November and January is a very busy time for shops, malls, food/confectionery companies and tourism, as well as restaurants, bars and entertainment venues. A lot of people go on holiday during the festive period, and the gift-purchasing period is followed by sales that boost retail consumption.
Soft skills are essential during the Christmas period. You need strong interpersonal skills to support customers and knowledge of the English language is a basic requirement
Some companies display signs advertising work opportunities, while others go through temping agencies. And advertising websites are full of typical Christmas jobs. “Gift wrapping staff", "Christmas promoters", "sales staff for the Christmas period", "staff for Christmas arrangements", "shop assistants" and even "fish market staff"—given that fish shops are inundated with lunch and dinner requests—are all sought after. And then there’s receptionists, tourist guides, porters, dishwashers, waiters, pastry chefs, cashiers and even cinema ushers. Because, as we all know, whether it’s Christmas comedies or other festive films, the big screen attracts more people during the festive period than any other time of the year. Supermarkets, the food industry, catering and tourism are the main sectors here.
Although temporary, jobs like these still enable you to increase your work experience and get in touch with the world of work (which isn’t guaranteed throughout the rest of the year). Obviously, those who wish to apply for open positions at this time of year must be willing to work on public holidays, respect tight shifts and keep their nerves steady even when work is very busy. Because of this, soft skills are fundamental...You need strong interpersonal skills to support customers and, especially in big cities, knowledge of the English language is a basic requirement.
This year, there is another new development. With mandatory electronic invoicing coming into effect from January 2019, many companies are seeking new data-entry and IT professionals in November/December (in addition to gift-wrapping staff). It’s not just the perfect time for aspiring elves, Santa Clauses and entertainers, but also accountants and electronic engineers too.