The holiday hiring season is off to a strong start, as major announcements from Macy’s and FedEx can attest. Retailers and logistics companies are gearing up for a huge shopping season in light of a solid economy and high consumer confidence. This will translate into more jobs added for seasonal hiring, according to a forecast released Thursday from global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
Yesterday, Macy’s announced it will hire 80,000 seasonal workers, the same number as last year. Macy’s eventually hired another 7,000 seasonal workers in December. FedEx likewise announced it is looking for 55,000 workers, 5,000 more than last year.
“Retailers have been aggressively hiring seasonal workers since July to combat the tight job market. This holiday season will be a good time for workers who have had trouble finding employment or those who are discouraged or marginally attached to the labor force, as retail, transport, and warehousing jobs will be plentiful,” said Andrew Challenger, Vice President of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
