Retailers could add over 500,000 holiday jobs

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- We're almost in the year's peak shopping season, but it's still not too late to start applying for a holiday job, according to an employment consulting group.

Retailers have already added 126,100 jobs for the holiday, and workers should expect over 500,000 new openings before the season is through, said global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Of the 692,800 retail jobs added in the last three months of last year, 56 percent were added in November, and 27 percent came in December.

"Retailers are constantly readjusting their staffing levels throughout the holiday shopping season," said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, in a statement.

"In any given mall across the country, you are likely to have a portion of stores cutting hours or workers if sales do not meet expectations while other stores are adding extra help because their shopping traffic is higher than their estimates," he added.

But most of the workers are let go immediately after the Christmas holiday.

"For those hoping to turn a part-time seasonal position into a full-time, permanent position, it is critical to use the short time available to prove your indispensability," Challenger advised. "Show up for work early, offer to work extra hours, do what is asked of you and more, and, most importantly, make sales."

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