Christmas 2021 will be here before we know it – and with food shortages in the UK, people have already been stocking up for the festivities on December 25.
With all the chaos of this year, there’s also a major seasonal staff shortage in the UK, which means there are plenty of temporary opportunities for jobseekers.
Perhaps your former job has been affected by Covid and you’re on the lookout – or you’d like to earn some extra cash so Christmas on a budget isn’t too tight.
Whatever your situation, it’s a good idea to start applying soon – as roles can begin as early as right now!
Here are 2021’s top seasonal job opportunities…
Seasonal Christmas 2021 jobs to apply for right now
Royal Mail
With a rush of Christmas cards coming in December, it’s little wonder that Royal Mail are searching for new Christmas colleagues.
‘A few thousand’ Seasonal Mail Sorters will be needed in warehouses across the UK to keep up with the deluge of festive post – and this year, Royal Mail are also looking out for temporary Christmas drivers, too.
Where to apply: Royal Mail Jobs
Tesco
As many as 15,000 new workers are being recruited by Tesco on a temporary basis, to ensure families are well-fed this Christmas.
Shelf-stackers are needed, as are people to pick out online shops ready to be delivered.
Where to apply: Tesco Careers
Boots
Boots Christmas customer advisors are in demand to help shops run smoothly over the festive period.
You could be on the tills, fulfilling online orders or stocking shelves with beauty products, hair styling tools, gifts and essentials like toiletries, plasters and medicines.
Boots promises weekly pay, as well as ‘flexible’ part-time and full-time opportunities.
Where to apply: Boots Christmas Jobs
John Lewis & Partners
Applying to work at John Lewis or partner site Waitrose during Christmas is fairly easy.
Simply submit your application to your preferred location and position. A variety of temporary roles are on offer, including working in shops as a retail assistant, assisting the ‘replenishment’ department and working in catering.
While you’ll need to be super flexible from now until December 31 in terms of when you work, one perk of the role is free meals during shifts.
Where to apply: John Lewis Partnership Christmas Jobs
Sainsbury’s and Argos
A whopping 22,000 seasonal jobs are up for grabs at Sainsbury’s and Argos across the country.
In-store jobs are the most-needed, with 14,500 vacancies on the go. Meanwhile 3,000 delivery drivers are needed to help fulfil online orders, and 4,500 people are needed to support warehouses. Contact centres are also recruiting.
To incentivise delivery drivers to work the least-sociable shifts, a bonus of £500 on top of your agreed pay is on offer.
Workers are needed on a temporary basis, with contracts as long as three to 12 weeks, until January 8 2022.
Where to apply: Sainsbury’s Careers
Aldi
If you’d like to work at Aldi, you’re in luck: 1,500 temporary positions have opened up.
As there are fewer jobs available than there are at major supermarkets Tesco and Sainsbury’s, you’d better get moving with your application.
Where to apply: Aldi Careers
Amazon
Like just about everywhere, mega online retailer Amazon will need extra hands on deck to deal with the Christmas rush.
Warehouse and ‘sortation’ operatives make around £10 – £11 an hour, depending on location. And their job website promises employees ‘flexible working’, ‘work life balance’ and ‘great benefits’.
Amazon doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to good working conditions, but its Glassdoor reviews currently average at an acceptable 3.7.
Where to apply: Jobs At Amazon
HGV driving
It’s no great secret that the UK is currently experiencing a serious lack of HGV drivers.
These specialist lorry drivers earn an average full-time salary £32,500 a year, according to Total Jobs – usually varying between £27,000 and £37,500.
Full-time roles aren’t the only option, as part-time drivers and contract workers are in demand, too. You could earn up to £17 per hour.
You’ll need to allow some time for training (usually five days) and a special licence to come through, so you perhaps won’t be ready by Christmas, but it could make a great temporary position for someone looking to pick up a new skill.
Learn more: Metro
Fruit and vegetable picking
It might not seem so Christmassy, but someone has to prep the fruit and veg we’ll be eating during the holiday season.
That starts with the pickers on farms across the country. Many of these roles were previously filled by Eastern European workers, but it’s become more difficult due to immigration laws.
One Suffolk farm offered up to £30 an hour for local pickers to come on board, with a promise of work all-year round, not just at Christmas.
Where to apply: Jooble
Retail roles at Lush, TK Maxx and more
So far in October, we’ve seen temporary retail roles advertised at TK Maxx, Lush, River Island, Matalan, LEGO, Hotel Chocolat, Urban Outfitters, Whole Foods Market and Smyths Toys.
Just to name a few! It’s almost certain that more shops will be hiring to keep up with demand this year.
Visit the official website of the retail store you’d like to apply to, in case they’re advertising – or search all job opportunities in your area via a website like Indeed Jobs.
Where to apply: Indeed
MORE : Hunt for 100,000 workers as labour shortage threatens to ruin Christmas
MORE : How to get ready for Christmas without spending a load of money
MORE : 8,000,000 people unable to buy essential food as Christmas stockpiling starts
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