Christmas seasonal jobs

Employers usually recruit for seasonal Christmas jobs from September right into December. Start here for Christmas job ideas.

A Christmas job is an ideal way of getting that all-important work experience.

A Christmas job could lead to longer lasting or even permanent work in some cases.

Being flexible and adaptable is key. In some Christmas jobs, shifts are long and busy. You might be working on days like Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and possibly even Christmas Day.

On this page, you can find links to some great Christmas job ideas across a wide range of job sectors.

When searching an employer's website for jobs, try adding Christmas or festive into the employer’s search engine.

Check job websites regularly as new vacancies can appear daily. Some Christmas seasonal jobs are advertised for a short period of time.

Sector specific websites to start searching for your Christmas seasonal job

Catering jobs

Hotels, restaurants, pubs, parks, and cafés often recruit extra staff in the run up to Christmas.

The larger companies advertise vacancies on their own websites, and many employers use catering and general websites such as Caterer.com
Approaching local restaurants and pubs and handing in your CV is also a good way to find work
Companies may often recruit in their windows, so keep a look out when you are passing by

A few of the major restaurants/pub chains to get you started:

Other catering outlets include:

Delivery

Delivery companies often need more staff in the run-up to Christmas to cope with demand.

Delivery of letters and parcels around the UK and beyond can require a mix of full and part time staff as well as shift work
Companies often recruit on their own website

Hotels

Hotels recruit through general job sites like Indeed, Reed and Find a job.

Here are some ways to find a Christmas job in a hotel:

Approach hotels and ask about vacancies
Check out hotels own websites and social media accounts as many advertise this way

Listed are some hotels in Wales as a starting point:

Hotel job sites include:

Find hotels near you by searching hotel listings. You can then contact the hotels or find vacancies on their websites.

Examples of listings include:

Retail

Some shops get busier during Christmas. Examples of stores that might get busier and need Christmas staff could include toy stores, supermarkets, clothing and health and beauty stores.

Look for vacancies on online job sites, or approach local stores near you to find out more.

Examples of stores include:

Recruitment agencies

Recruitment agencies advertise a wide range of seasonal jobs including catering, waiting on, bar staff and much more.

Contact recruitment agencies in your area or use Agency Central to find a recruitment agency near you.

Safer job searching

Watch out for job scams when you search for jobs on websites. More people are being targeted by online job scams. Find out more about how to avoid the job scams on JobsAware.