Seasonal work is an attractive option to a wide range of people at various points of their life. Aside from the lure of working in a new place, seasonal jobs allow you to learn about new things and meet new people. Additionally, for some, seasonal jobs have the added benefit of being an opportunity to earn some money on a temporary basis.
There are all kinds of seasonal jobs out there, from manual labour to customer-facing roles. Learn more about the best kinds of seasonal work, and how to go about procuring one.
• Weather
• Holiday dates
• Length of harvest
• Estimated length of a project
What is a Seasonal Job?
The term ‘seasonal work’ refers to jobs that only last for a certain period of time. How long a seasonal job lasts depends entirely on the demand for a specific role. This could be determined by a range of factors including:
The people who apply for such roles will only be seeking temporary opportunities, rather than full-time work. However, many seasonal workers do opt to return to the same position whenever it’s available, such as annual placements on a farm or ski resort.
Having said this, many applicants for seasonal work seek to take a position for the purpose of learning a new skill, which could then lead to fulltime roles. For example, at Hall Hunter, many of our managerial staff began their careers with us as seasonal fruit pickers.
Learn more about the training opportunities that are made available to our teams to help them progress within the company.
What Are The Best Seasonal Jobs in 2020?
There is a range of seasonal work to choose from, so those looking for this kind of position need to determine what they are looking for, as well as their priorities. For example, those looking to simply earn some money during a gap year will likely be looking for something different to those who wish to learn a new skill in a specific sector.
Farm work
Farms all over the world call upon seasonal workers during harvest time, generally for help with picking and packing fruit and vegetables. Depending on the position and the type of farm, work can run for anything from a month or two to six months.
At Hall Hunter, we grow strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. Learn more about the seasonal work involved on our farms.
Vineyard Work
In wine regions across Europe, Australasia, and the Americas, many vineyards advertise for seasonal workers for help picking and processing grapes. These roles are especially popular among young people looking to travel, because many of the opportunities are in temperate countries with exciting tourist attractions. For example, it’s common for gap year students traveling in Australia to take up seasonal work on a vineyard while they’re there.
Activity resort work
Many would say that some of the best kinds of seasonal jobs are at adventure centres, where you can turn a hobby into paying work. This could include things like:
• Skiing and snowboarding
• Canoeing
• Rafting
• Sailing
• Archery
• Fishing
… and many more outdoor activities that are common in holiday resorts, for which instructors are required.
Hospitality Work
Similar to activity centres, businesses in the hospitality sector often advertise for temporary workers during the high tourist season.
These kinds of roles are suited to those looking for temporary work that is sociable, however they often demand long hours with low pay. Accommodation is often included though.
Retail Work
A large number of retailers look for seasonal workers during the run up to Christmas. This can involve a mixture of work, such as running the tills, restocking shelves, gift-wrapping, or even dressing up as Santa or his helpers.
• Seasonal work in retail can be found in a wide variety of shops, such as:
• Supermarkets
• Department stores
• Confectioners
• Cards and gifts shops
• Delicatessens
• Garden centres
This is often one of the better paying seasonal jobs, particularly in countries where staff have the opportunity to earn commission on their sales, such as in the US.
Au Pairing
Au pairing generally involves working for a private family to take care of children and potentially carry out a few household chores. It’s popular in Europe, Australasia and North America among both workers and their employees.
While au pairing can often lead to a more permanent position, many families seek temporary workers for help looking after children during school holidays. The work generally isn’t paid significantly well, however, meals, accommodation, and sometimes the use of a car is included.
Is It Easy to Get a Seasonal Job?
An attractive aspect of working a seasonal job is that they don’t often demand a large skill set. In fact, many positions don’t require workers to have any experience or qualifications whatsoever. While such accolades can be advantageous to applicants, it’s unlikely to damage your chances during the search for temporary work if you don’t have any.
The main demands requested generally include enthusiasm, willingness to work hard and for long hours, and the ability to start work at short notice. It’s usually quite easy to get a seasonal job which is one of the reasons why these roles remain so popular.
Seasonal Work in the UK
While it’s possible to procure seasonal work in the UK in a variety of sectors such as these, the most common type is farm work. Depending on the produce grown, harvest season in the UK usually runs from spring to late summer; April through to October. Throughout this time, seasonal workers are needed for picking, preparing, and packing fruit and vegetables.
Seasonal work with Hall Hunter
At Hall Hunter, we advertise for seasonal staff to work on our farms in the UK from April to November. In return for hard work picking our berries, we offer a fair wage and accommodation that includes bills, Wi-Fi, and the use of our facilities. Many of our seasonal workers return every year to enjoy the social scene at our farms. That is, if they haven’t decided to stay to make the most of our training opportunities, with which many have progressed to managerial positions.
Find out more about working at Hall Hunter, and how to apply for seasonal work with us.