BackPre-Christmas recruitment – when and who are companies looking for?
The holidays are fast approaching, and for many companies, it’s a time of increased activity and additional orders. What does pre-christmas recruitment look like, and who are employers most often looking for during this period?
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Why does the pre-holiday season mean increased recruitment?
- When does pre-holiday recruitment begin?
- Who are companies looking for in the pre-holiday season?
- How to prepare for pre-holiday recruitment?
- Seasonal recruitment with the help of an employment agency
Why does the pre-holiday period mean increased recruitment?
Pre-holiday recruitment is one of the busiest times of the year for companies and employment agencies. December sees a sharp increase in demand for additional workers—in stores, warehouses, manufacturing, and service companies. This is when many companies conduct large-scale recruitment, with job offers appearing almost daily.
The reason is simple: increased shopping traffic. The retail, e-commerce, logistics, and warehousing industries are experiencing a tremendous burden related to preparing and processing orders. Companies must react quickly, so they hire additional staff, most often as seasonal or temporary workers, to maintain process continuity. As a result, pre-holiday recruitment includes positions such as salespeople, warehouse workers, packers, couriers, and operators in the manufacturing sector.
This is also a period when numerous opportunities for candidates arise. Candidates for seasonal work can expect a dynamic recruitment pace, quick decisions, and the ability to adjust their hours—companies are increasingly offering flexible work arrangements, including flexible hours and even flexible hours tailored to the employee’s needs. Many companies are seeing rising wages as they strive to attract and retain the best candidates—this also impacts seasonal workers’ salaries.
Employment agencies also play a significant role, supporting companies in quickly finding the right employees. This allows companies to effectively fill staffing shortages, including by hiring foreigners, which is particularly noticeable in sectors with high turnover.
As a result, pre-holiday recruitment means a fast process, a large number of offers, and a real chance of finding a job even within a few days. This is a time when job openings increase, and those interested in additional work or short-term employment have a much wider selection.
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When does pre-holiday recruitment begin?
Pre-holiday recruitment doesn’t begin in December—companies prepare for the peak demand much earlier. The first job offers appear at the end of September, with the peak recruitment period occurring in October and November. This is when companies plan to increase headcount, analyze sales forecasts, and decide to recruit additional employees to meet the peak shopping season.
Seasonal workers are most often hired to support industries that are most stressed during this period—primarily retail, e-commerce, logistics, and manufacturing. Demand for staff is growing rapidly, so employers are posting new job openings even several times a day. By far the most job openings are for positions such as salespeople, warehouse workers, packers, couriers, and shipping clerks.
It’s worth remembering that pre-holiday recruitment is also a time when many companies collaborate with employment agencies. This makes the recruitment process faster, and companies can count on support in acquiring candidates, including temporary work or flexible employment models. This is especially important in sectors where there is high demand for employees and rapid change.
For candidates, this means one thing: if you’re interested in additional work or short-term assignments, the best time to apply is in the fall. Companies then intensively seek available candidates, and the recruitment process is fast, as companies want to ensure adequate resources for the crucial weeks before the holidays.
Who are companies looking for in the pre-holiday season?
During the pre-holiday season, companies primarily need workers—in various areas. The greatest demand is generated by industries experiencing a surge in orders and customer traffic during this time. This is why the number of job offers targeting individuals willing to take on short-term assignments, flexible schedules, and additional work is increasing.
The largest number of vacancies appear in sectors that support increased demand: retail, where customer service representatives, product preparation workers, and shelf replenishment workers are needed. In logistics and warehousing, companies often expand teams responsible for receiving deliveries, order picking, and shipping. Meanwhile, the e-commerce industry is actively strengthening its packaging and order processing departments to cope with record-breaking shipment volumes.
The service sector is also significant—restaurants, cafes, and catering companies are creating new positions due to the growing number of holiday gatherings and corporate events. The manufacturing sector is also generating increased traffic, particularly where seasonal products and gifts are produced.
Many companies are eager to partner with employment agencies during this period, helping them quickly add people available and willing to work non-standard hours. This allows them to efficiently respond to the surge in orders and focus on customer service.
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How to prepare for pre-holiday recruitment?
The pre-holiday period is one of the busiest times on the job market, so proper preparation can significantly increase your chances of finding a job. Companies conduct faster recruitment processes during this time, and candidates who can be efficient and flexible are in a winning position.
It’s worth updating your CV to match the types of positions typically associated with seasonal work—especially if you’re interested in temporary or seasonal work. Recruiters during this period are more likely to focus on availability, the ability to quickly onboard, and a willingness to work flexible hours, so these are key factors to highlight.
Intensified recruitment affects many industries—from trade and manufacturing to logistics, catering, and services. For this reason, it’s a good idea to review new job postings, which often appear several times a day, as the number of job offers is rapidly increasing. Those who want to actively search for a job should set up alerts on job boards or seek help from employment agencies, which typically publish seasonal offers the fastest.
It’s also good to remember that competition in the job market during this period can be intense, especially in popular positions and locations. Therefore, systematic searches and a quick response to job postings will significantly shorten the time it takes to find a job.
Seasonal Recruitment with the Help of Employment Agencies
The fall and winter seasons are a time when pre-holiday recruitment gathers momentum. Companies across various industries prepare for increased activity, so recruitment of additional employees begins earlier and proceeds more quickly than during other months of the year. Needs in trade, logistics, warehousing, manufacturing, and services are growing, and with them, the number of job postings and available positions.
This is when employment agencies play a crucial role, connecting companies with candidates ready for seasonal or temporary work. Thanks to their extensive candidate databases and ongoing collaboration with employers, they are able to quickly fill staffing gaps, especially where companies are hiring additional staff for intensive, multi-week periods.
The highest demand is for positions such as salespeople, warehouse workers, packers, couriers, logistics operators, and order processing support—especially since e-commerce and retail industries experience peak turnover during this period. Many companies are also increasing their employment of foreigners, especially where large numbers of workers and rapid onboarding are necessary.
For candidates seeking seasonal work, working with an agency is a real advantage. Agencies tailor job offers to availability, offer flexible working hours, and often also provide accommodation, transportation, and full administrative support. Many employers also offer flexible working hours and various flexible work arrangements, making it easier to combine employment with home responsibilities or study.
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