Holidays bring surge in hiring for seasonal delivery jobs in Chicago area
CHICAGO (CBS) – It's almost time for holiday shopping.
If some extra cash for gifts sounds appealing, how about a job helping deliver presents? Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and the U.S. Postal Service are hiring for all sorts of seasonal positions. CBS 2's Lauren Victory reported on the training to learn what's needed for the gig.
The training wheels were off. It was the first time Joel Cruz would drive a UPS package car alone. His instructor stayed out on the street.
The Franklin Park practice course with plastic children and pretend dogs will be very busy over the next few weeks as seasonal drivers like Cruz prepare for holiday package runs.
UPS will host in-person hiring events this week. The company is looking to fill 3,500 temporary positions in the Chicago area from November to January. Applicants will need a commercial license to be a seasonal driver with a starting rate of $23 an hour. Driver's assistants can help out from the passenger seat and make at least $18.40 an hour.
"I'm excited, you know?" Cruz said. "The training is awesome."
CBS 2 was curious about the offroad skills UPS is looking for. As Victory suited up, training manager Julio Robles sprayed down a pretend pathway to simulate inevitable winter weather.
"We are gonna get snow," Robles said. "We got wet leaves on pavement right now, so you need to be able to observe the surface you're about to walk on."
Victory put on special shoes that are clipped in for safety and tried to make a delivery.
Carrying a box at a normal pace in wet conditions can be a struggle. UPS hopes training for that now will help drivers and their assistants remember later that it's important to take things slow, even if holiday deliveries are on a schedule.
"You are going to be walking a lot," Robles said. "You're going to be on your feet a lot, right? So, how do you handle? How do you navigate through those scenarios?"
So what if you're not interested in outdoor work?
UPS is also looking for seasonal package handlers this season. Starting pay for the position is $21 an hour, and while hoisting up to 70 pounds is part of the role, Alex Heppner from the recruitment team said she could complete package handler tasks with no issue.
The goal is to train and treat everyone so they're comfortable enough to stick around.
"While we need to hire people to help for the holiday season surplus and volume, there are opportunities, and we try to retain as many people after the season as we can," Heppner said.
That's good news for Cruz.
"Hopefully, it's not seasonal for me," he said. "Hopefully, you know, I get to stay and get a full-time position."
And he's hoping to unbox a new career.
UPS pays seasonal workers while they train, which takes five days, depending on the role.
Here is more information on each company's hiring for seasonal jobs:
UPS
Marking six years of UPS Brown Fridays, the hiring blitz begins Nov. 3, with more than 600 in-person and virtual events scheduled nationwide. Many applicants will have a job offer in less than 20 minutes. The company is filling full- and part-time seasonal positions – primarily package handlers, driver helpers and seasonal support drivers. Here are some details about local hiring events:
Friday, Nov. 3 and Saturday, Nov. 4 (from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.):
- 3740 South Morgan St. Chicago, Ill. 60609
- 1400 South Jefferson St. Chicago, Ill. 60607
- 6700 West 73rd St. Bedford Park, Ill. 60638
- 2050 North Hicks Road, Palatine, Ill. 60074
- 2525 Shermer Road, Northbrook, Ill. 60062
- 16328 John Lane Crossing, Lockport, IL 60441
On Thursday, Nov. 2, the CACH facility is getting a jump on the hiring blitz with an early event.
- Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; 7811 Willow Springs Rd. Hodgkins, Ill. 60525
FedEx
"Our employees around the world are ready to deliver for this year's peak season. We continue to hire for operational positions needed in certain locations and encourage anyone interested in a career at FedEx to visit http://careers.fedex.com to see the available positions in their market."
U.S. Postal Service
USPS is hiring for Seasonal positions, including over 100 holiday clerks for retail and delivery, 50 Holiday City Carrier Assistants for retail and delivery, over 250 Mail Handlers in plants, and 15 mail processing clerks. There are no qualifications needed for these jobs except a valid driver's license for Carrier Assistants. The pay ranges from $18 to $20 per hour. Applications are accepted online only at www.usps.com/careers. Click on "Search Now and Apply" and select Illinois to view current openings. Job postings are updated frequently, so check back often for additional opportunities. Job fairs are held every week in various locations in the Chicago area. Upcoming fairs are posted weekly on usps.com under "Newsroom" for Illinois locations. Applicants must be 18 years of age and be able to pass drug screening and a criminal background investigation.
Amazon
The company is hiring 360 seasonal employees in the Chicago area. A diverse range of roles—from packing and picking to sorting and shipping—are available to applicants from all backgrounds and experience levels. Customer fulfillment and transportation employees can earn, on average, over $21 per hour for those roles, and up to $28 depending on location. Interested candidates can see hiring locations and open positions at amazon.com/apply.