Howard wants full-time work. Mike Urban A tight job market has made it almost impossible to find much-needed seasonal employees. Store management has been forced to be more creative, raise pay and even offer benefits for part-time workers. Some retailers have resorted to stealing employees from their competitors or offering jobs to customers with pleasant personalities. Unemployment in the Seattle area hovered around 3.3 percent for more than a year.
Retailers hold job fairs, buy advertising and post openings on Web sites looking for employees.
Some offer commissions, higher pay, bonuses for staying through the holiday, discounts on merchandise and stock options to lure and keep good employees. Moore strolls through streets and malls handing out applications to shoppers. He has even offered jobs to Big 5 customers. We are looking for outgoing people with good math skills who can work at least five hours a day, and maybe a day on the weekend. Positions are available in stock rooms and for sales clerks and gift wrappers.