Christopher Briwder plays in the Lord's Tabernacle Church band and works in The University mailroom.
Briwder, a freshman nursing major, won't be working in the mailroom over the semester break, but he plans to stay busy with his job at church.
"I'll probably be playing a lot more music with all the holiday programs going on at church," Briwder said.U of M students hoping to make some extra money or stay busy after exams are trying to pick up seasonal jobs and extra hours with their current employers.
"Some of the companies we work with will call and ask if we can get their college-age kids jobs over the holiday break," said Debbi Beadles, senior agent with Randstad Work Solutions in Memphis. "We can always tell when it's getting close to Christmas because there is an increase in applications for temporary work."
She said a lot of people start looking for work this time of year in hopes of making extra money for the holiday season, but others come to her office out of desperation or the desire for indoor work as the colder months approach.
Ayesha Pegus, a freshman business finance major, already has two jobs in addition to her schoolwork.
"I plan on picking up as many hours as possible," Pegus said. "I expect to be working more, especially in my retail job."Business will pick up significantly for her at the Reebok retail outlet, she said.
Many students look to past employers to let them pick up hours between semesters.
"I'm from Boston, so I'll be going back there for the holiday break," said Mario Ovelar, a freshman sports management major. "I'm going back to work for a car dealership where I was employed this summer."
Ovelar said that a lot of people want to relax over the holidays, but for some, making extra cash is more important.Employment in retail sales may be the most viable option for students looking for work over the holiday season.
In a report released earlier this month, the National Retail Federation (NRF) projected strong sales over holiday season. The NRF is the world's largest retail trade association.
The industry group is predicting a 4.5 percent increase in holiday sales, according to the report released Nov. 12.
"We are estimating that U.S. consumers will spend $220 billion this holiday season," said Ellen Tolley, director of media relations for the NRF.
Staffing professionals say that college students will find the most options in retail sales over the semester break.
"I spent two years in a retail staffing role," said April Smith, operations manager with Snelling Personnel Services in Memphis. "The open job availability makes it a good option for students."Smith recalled a former job in retail that routinely filled positions with students.
"I used to work at Target," Smith said. "During the holidays, we staffed exclusively from a pool of high school and college students."Students may also want to look for an employer who can offer them work after the holidays.
"I did not get the opportunity to have an internship while I was in college," Smith said. "I'd encourage students to look at holiday employers who might offer them work during the semester."
