Retailers like Target, Amazon, Macy's looking for thousands of workers for holiday help
MINNEAPOLIS — It's not even officially fall yet, but the countdown to Christmas is on — at least for retailers. They're already looking for holiday help.
Minnesota-based Target wants to add 100,000 employees to its payroll this holiday season.
"Hiring in the part-time sector might be a little softer than last year," said St. Thomas finance professor Dave Vang.
Vang says shoppers may spend less this year, meaning less opportunities for extra cash.
"We've actually rebounded quite a bit from the COVID crisis," Vang said. "It's going to be relatively flat here, maybe a percent or two of what we had last year, instead of a whole gangbusters kind of optimism that I think some of us were hoping we would have."
It rings true for Macy's. The department store is looking to make 30,000 holiday hires. It's about 10% less than its goal last year. Still, pay starts at $15 an hour, and includes merchandise discounts and unlimited referral bonuses of up to $500.
"Amazon and all these other firms, UPS, etc., they're probably going to be just as busy this year as they were last year," he said.
He's right — Amazon is moving full speed ahead. It's pushing to hire 250,000 employees during its holiday peak, with 2,100 positions available in Minnesota.
"We are still hiring more employees now than we were last year. That 250,000 number includes full-time, part-time and seasonal, and it is more than we hired even in just 2022," said Amazon regional spokesperson Kara Hille. "We are excited to welcome all of those employees to Amazon for our seasonal rush."
Last year, Amazon looked to hire about 150,000 employees. Amazon says it's hoping to draw workers in with its largest compensation investment to date; the average pay totals up to more than $20.50 an hour.
Amazon is hoping to draw workers in with its largest compensation investment to date. The average pay totals up to about $20.50 an hour.
"We want to make sure that we do have the staff to be able to meet customer demand, especially around the holidays," Hille said. "Definitely important for us to meet that hiring need."
Macy's is hosting a national hiring event Sept. 21 and Oct. 19. Kohl's is also hosting a national hiring event Sept. 21-23.
