Christmas jobs: How are postings and searches faring this season?

Christmas markets are buzzing across Europe, drawing in crowds with their cozy lights, mulled wine, and festive treats. But behind the scenes, these winter wonderlands need plenty of helping hands to keep the magic alive. That’s why seasonal job postings soar as Christmas approaches, peaking in November across the UK.

Observing Christmas-related seasonality in continental Europe is not as much of a labour market phenomenon as it is in Anglo-Saxon countries, according to Indeed data.  “There may still be some element of short-term staff hiring to deal with seasonal variations around the holidays,” Jack Kennedy, Indeed’s senior economist, told Euronews Business.

Holiday hiring typically starts in August, accelerates through the autumn, and reaches its peak in November as employers prepare for the busy Christmas season, he says.

What does “seasonal jobs” mean?

Indeed defines seasonal job postings as those with one or more holiday-related terms in the job title, including, but not limited to, “holiday”, “seasonal”, and “Christmas”. In the same way, seasonal job searches refer to those containing one or more of the same list of holiday-related terms.

Data from 2018 to 2024 reveals that job postings and searches on Indeed in the UK highlight seasonal hiring as a significant trend.

Seasonal postings consistently accounted for less than 0.2% of all job postings between January and August across all those years, with no significant variation in the monthly averages during this period.

In September, seasonal postings begin to rise significantly. In 2019, they reached 0.5%, while the lowest was recorded in 2020 at 0.19%. However, due to pandemic-related labour market distortions, Jack Kennedy advised excluding the covid year of 2019 from the analysis.

In October, seasonal postings as a share of all postings approach 1% and even exceed 1% in some years. Before the pandemic, seasonal postings in October accounted for around 1.2% of all job postings. This figure dropped to 0.92% in 2023 and further declined to 0.74% in 2024. 

November has consistently been the peak month for seasonal postings over the years. Between 2018 and 2021, the share of seasonal postings was above 1.1%. However, it dipped slightly to just below 1% in 2022 and 2023 and, this year, it has fallen further to 0.77%, marking a continued decline in seasonal hiring trends.

In December, seasonal postings have typically remained above 0.5%, with 2023 being the only exception. No data for 2024 is available yet.

When seasonal job postings as share of all postings are indexed to 100 as of 1 January, 2018, a similar seasonal hiring trend emerges, consistently peaking in mid-November across the years. 

This chart displays daily postings, as opposed to the monthly averages shown in the first chart.

Seasonal job searches align with posting trends

Seasonal job searches as a share of all searches on Indeed in the UK follow a clear seasonal trend, with slight upticks observed in May and June. Based on monthly averages, searches start to rise in September, gain momentum in October, and peak in November.

Who is interested in Christmas jobs?

People seeking to supplement their household incomes often show the most interest in seasonal jobs. But who are they? “People who want flexible, part-time work, eg. young people, students, people with caring responsibilities or other personal commitments”, says Jack Kennedy.

Top sectors and companies hiring for seasonal jobs

Indeed’s methodology predominantly tracks seasonal hiring in the retail (physical/in-store) and to a lesser extent hospitality sectors. Here are the top 10 companies for seasonal hiring in 2024:

1. Card Factory
2. Boots
3. Dunelm
4. EXPD8
5. M&S
6. Costa Limited
7. JD Sports
8. The Perfume Shop

2024 November: Lowest postings, highest searches

Seasonal hiring in 2024 has been weaker than in previous years, yet jobseeker interest in Christmas jobs remains exceptionally high. “This combination of softer hiring demand and strong jobseeker interest suggests filling these roles may be easier this year,” says Indeed’s Kennedy.

Based on monthly averages of seasonal postings as a share of all postings, 2024 recorded its lowest figure at 0.77%.  “Cost of livingconcerns continue to weigh on households ahead of the festive period and retailers appear to be cautious judging by their seasonal hiring intentions,” Kennedy explains. 

In contrast, this year marked the highest level of searches at 0.91%, edging just slightly above 2023. 

The data for November 2024 is current as of the 29th, with monthly averages calculated by Euronews based on the daily shares of seasonal postings as a percentage of total postings, rather than total figures.

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Why searches peak in 2024?

Although inflation has eased from its peak in the UK, rising energy bills drove it to a six-month high in October. Jack Kennedy noted that household finances remain stretched following substantial increases in living costs over the past couple years. “These pressures may be pushing more people to consider temporary holiday work to earn some extra money to help them through what is typically an expensive time of year,” he added. 

Other countries?

What about other European countries? Although no systematic data is available for these regions, several news reports suggest that Christmas job opportunities increase significantly during the festive season.