Workplace

Winter is a great time to make a few extra dollars by picking up seasonal work, because a lot of businesses are gearing up for extra holiday customers. There’re the old stand-bys, like Department Store Santa or retail sales, but how about a few seasonal jobs you haven’t thought of? Here’s a list, courtesy of CareerBuilder.com.

• First, child-care workers are in huge demand. Students are on vacation but parents are still working long hours trying to deal with holiday rushes. You can make between $10 and $20 an hour just by stepping in while parents are at work, off buying gifts, or at holiday parties. To find available jobs check out ChildCareCareers.net and Care.com.
• This next seasonal job might even feel like a vacation. Try getting work at a hotel or resort. Many families take trips in the winter - either to visit family or just to get away - so resorts in warm climates are full this time of year and your local hotel is busier than ever. Desk clerks and bellhops start at around $10 an hour, but at higher end hotels, you can make well over that. Hotel housekeepers are also in demand.
• If you’ve got a little more technical know-how, check into temporary work as an HVAC mechanic and installer, making around $20 an hour. Most people wait until it’s too late to find out if their heater is working, so the repair business picks up when the weather turns. Also, the savviest customers decide to get air conditioning installed in the dead of winter when prices are low.   
• There’s always work during the winter months as a security guard. Stores want to make sure no one’s walking out without paying during the holiday rush, so they hire extra security for around $11 an hour. Be forewarned, tempers can heat up during holiday shopping, especially when stores run low on this year’s hot new toy! You may have to break up a few fights!