A new Express Employment Professionals survey finds 38% of hiring managers plan to add more seasonal workers than last year, and 87% see seasonal jobs as a path to full-time hires.
That holiday job could turn into something bigger.
More companies plan to hire seasonal workers this year, and most see those jobs as a tryout for full-time roles, according to a new survey from Express Employment Professionals released Wednesday, Oct. 28.
The staffing company said 38% of U.S. hiring managers plan to hire more seasonal employees than a year ago.
Can a seasonal job turn into a full-time job?
It often can. 87% of hiring managers said seasonal roles are a way to find future full-time employees, according to the survey. And 44% said they hire seasonal workers hoping to keep some of them on full-time.
Express CEO Bob Funk Jr. said seasonal hiring can help companies meet “today’s workforce demands with an eye on the future.”
Are more companies hiring seasonal workers in 2026?
Yes, slightly. 15% of hiring managers said they plan to add seasonal workers this fall, up from 12% in fall 2025, according to Express.
In the service industry, 45% expect to hire more seasonal workers than last year.
The fall and winter holidays are the most popular time for seasonal hiring. 64% of hiring managers who have hired seasonal workers did it then, followed by summer at 60%.
Why do companies hire seasonal workers?
Mostly for busy stretches. Hiring managers listed these top reasons:
58% need help with short-term workloads
44% hope to find future full-time employees
43% need coverage for workers on leave
42% want to spread out work more evenly
36% need work done outside normal hours
28% want to save money
Why do people take seasonal jobs?
Money comes first. 72% of job seekers who have worked seasonal jobs did it for financial reasons, according to the survey. That includes 43% for everyday bills, 43% for savings and 25% for holiday gift shopping.
But 54% also said they took the work to grow their careers. 29% wanted experience for future jobs, and 27% wanted to learn new skills. Millennials were the most likely to say they took a seasonal job to build skills, at 37%.
Overall, 45% of job seekers have worked a seasonal job, and 33% plan to in the future.
Who’s hiring for the 2026 holidays?
Amazon plans to hire more than 300,000 people for seasonal, part-time and full-time U.S. roles, its biggest holiday hiring goal ever, GeekWire reported. Seasonal workers earn an average of about $20 an hour.
UPS plans to hire about 100,000 seasonal workers, according to Reuters. Michaels is hiring more than 10,000 people in the U.S. and Canada, and Dick’s Sporting Goods and Foot Locker plan more than 11,000 hires combined, TheStreet reported.
Macy’s is holding hiring events, including one on Thursday, Nov. 19.
Is holiday hiring up or down overall?
It’s mixed. Retailers added the fewest seasonal workers since 2008 last holiday season, and Challenger, Gray & Christmas expects even fewer this year because of automation and uncertain holiday spending, GeekWire reported.
Target and Walmart haven’t announced national hiring goals for 2026.
Do seasonal jobs really become permanent?
At some companies, yes. Michaels said nearly half of its 2025 seasonal in-store workers moved into regular jobs after the holidays, according to TheStreet.
How was the Express survey done?
The Harris Poll ran two online surveys for Express. One polled 1,006 U.S. hiring decision-makers from May 13 to June 1, 2026. The other polled 1,000 U.S. adults who were looking for work from May 19 to June 8, 2026.
Tips for landing a seasonal job
Apply early, since holiday roles can fill up fast as the season gets closer. Be flexible about nights and weekends, and let your manager know if you’d like to stay on after the holidays.
Showing up on time and learning fast can help you stand out when full-time spots open.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
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Hat Tips:
Express Employment Professionals via PR Newswire (Oct. 28, 2026), the survey findings, methodology and Bob Funk Jr. quote
GeekWire, Todd Bishop (Oct. 20, 2026), Amazon’s hiring plan and pay, the Challenger outlook and the UPS figure via Reuters
TheStreet, Daniel Kline (Oct. 18, 2026), the Michaels, Dick’s, Foot Locker and Macy’s hiring details
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