Did you know that the average American salary is only $48,700? Or rather, it was $48,700. That estimate was taken in February 2020, exactly one month before the coronavirus pandemic economically crippled the business world. There aren’t any easily found updates to that average salary estimate now. Since then, 700,000 to one million people applying for weekly unemployment benefits is the norm and not something out of the ordinary. Now everyone is working remotely at home and looking for side hustles. What are the best seasonal jobs?
Best Seasonal Jobs Basics
Seasonal jobs are jobs that are relatively more plentiful relative to other industries during high consumer times of the year.
The holiday season, Valentines’ Day, and the winter holiday season are examples of seasonal periods where more workers are needed relative to other times of the year.
Here are three of the best seasonal jobs you should be thinking about.
Warehouse Worker
Even though the coronavirus pandemic traumatically crippled the business world on a global scale. Any business with a delivery component of its business operation came out relatively unscathed.
Take Amazon for example. Amazon, the online retail giant, actually doubled its profits in 2020 during the initial months of the pandemic when people where stuck at home during mandatory lockdowns.
Amazon spent over $4 billion on operating expenses during Q2. The same time period when the world was shocked by the onset of the pandemic. However, Amazon still made $5.2 billion in revenue for all of 2020. Amazon only profited $2.6 billion in 2019.
And Amazon had to hire over 175,000 warehouse workers and delivery drivers between March and April 2020 to keep up with pandemic-induced delivery demand.
The point of all of this information is that Amazon and any company whose business operations depends on deliveries also depends on warehouse workers.
This information is not meant to trivialize the seriousness of the pandemic, only that warehouse work is one of the best seasonal jobs out there now.
Warehouse Work Basics
Warehouse work is one of the best seasonal jobs out there because warehouse operations are the backbone of almost every business that sells products.
In most business supply chain hubs, warehouse workers are responsible for receiving, unpacking, sorting, warehousing, and inventorying supplies and products shipped in cardboard boxes.
Warehouse workers deal with delivery trucks, receive shipments, and then carefully take and handle shipments.
As a warehouse worker, you may be responsible for unpacking, sorting, and repacking items in new boxes. Then you may have to ship them and track them.
Warehouse workers perform a vast variety of activities. Many of which may include intense physical labor. If you opt to work in a warehouse. You may have to spend a lot of time lifting, carrying, and unloading large, heavy items.
Warehouse workers also have to organized, coordinated, able to work under stressful conditions. They must also value teamwork, and know-how to document work activities.
A typical warehouse worker salary can range between $14 to $18 per hour.
You will need a high school diploma, or a G.E.D., and possibly certifications or training to operate heavy machinery to work as a warehouse worker.
Delivery Driver
You can be a delivery driver any time of the year, right? So, why is delivery driving one of the best seasonal jobs?
Let’s think about times of the year when consumer activity is at its highest. The holiday season between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years is very profitable for businesses that depend on deliveries.
The first two weeks of February is a good time to be a delivery driver because of Valentines’ Day.
It’s a good time to be a delivery driver during the summer months because so many stay inside with air conditioning to beat the heat. Many people order food, pizza, and products during the summer.
The delivery driver is one of the best summer jobs, but frankly speaking, it’s basically a recession-proof vocation.
Also, as long as you wear a mask and gloves and maintain social distance during deliveries. This is one of the best seasonal jobs to have during the pandemic.
All you need to become a delivery driver is a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record, and adequate auto insurance for yourself separate from your employer’s policy.
The average delivery driver can make anywhere between $9 to almost $23 per hour.
Retail Sales Associate
If there is one industry that federal and local governments want to thrive during the pandemic, it’s the retail industry.
Retail is one of the best seasonal jobs to have because retail sales associates are always in demand during high consumer traffic periods of the years, like holidays, summer sales, and clearance sales.
A retail sales associate is responsible for greeting consumers in a retail business space, answering their questions, assisting with refunds and returns, and resolving basic complaints.
Retail sales associates are also responsible for preserving the aesthetics of the sales floor. So, they may be responsible for product displays, arranging signs, and placing products on shelves.
Retail sales associates also have to know how to handle stress under pressure, like dealing with multiple customers at once or politely dealing with impolite customers.
A retail sales associate also must know their company’s store policy, be good at math, and know how to use all of the proprietary equipment in the workplace to transact and finalize sales.
All you need for a retail sales associate position is a high school diploma, G.E.D., or prior experience in related industries.
The average retail sales associate makes about $13 per hour.
Best Seasonal Jobs
The three best seasonal jobs listed here do not require a lot of specialized training. But here is a longer list of seasonal job opportunities for those with specialized skills and certifications.
Still, these seasonal jobs are just suggestions. If you are looking for seasonal work, network with friends and search for positions online that cater to your skills.
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Allen Francis was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years with no money, no financial literacy, and no responsibility when he had money. To him, the phrase “personal finance,” contains the power that anyone has to grow their own wealth. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including focusing on your needs instead of your wants, asking for help when you need it, saving and investing in your own small business.
