Teachers don’t have time for some crappy part-time job that’s going to add a bunch of stress. We’re stressed enough, thank you. But making ends meet (especially at the Holidays) is difficult. An easy way to do that is by adding in a part-time job. So I have taken the best paying part-time retail gigs who hire seasonal employees, and rated the companies so that you can make the best choice this Holiday season.
Below are 10 retails companies who have a good track record for hiring seasonal workers (2019). I found their data on seasonal retail positions on both Glassdoor and Indeed. Then averaged their numbers together. These numbers are also averages, so keep in mind there are a variety at each location and that local locations may be worse or better.
To rank them I simply gave 10 points for the best score, 9 for the next best, and so on. If there was a tie, I gave them both the higher number, and then removed the number next on the list. (for instance if they both were in spot 7, both received a 7 and then the next score would be 5). Then I added their points together to find the best place to work. Low scores on this list are relative. I didn’t pick any companies that were terrible to work for.
A Quick Look
And the quick line up is:
- Costco Wholesale
- Target
- Kohl’s
- JCPenney
- Williams Sonoma
- Walmart
- Sam’s Club
- Macy’s
- Michael’s
- Burlington
The Breakdown
Costco Wholesale
- Pay: $13 – 10 points
- Seasonal Reviews: 3.95 out of 5 – 10 points
- Overall Review: 4.1 out of 5 – 10 points
- Hiring Process: 72% positive experience – 9 points
Total: 39
Costco blew the other retailers out of the water! Not only did Costco score the highest in pay and seasonal worker reviews, they are known to keep on anywhere from 20-40% of their seasonal workers after the Holidays. Check out more of their reviews from Glassdoor and Indeed.
Target
- Pay: $10.83 – 7 points
- Seasonal Reviews: 3.7 out of 5 – 9 points
- Overall Review: 3.55 out of 5 – 8 points
- Hiring Process: 66% positive experience – 6 points
Total: 30
I wasn’t surprised when Target came up in second. Target has a loyal following of shoppers and I think that culture can be found in its employees too. Make sure to check you local Target. There were several specific locations that seemed to be struggling a bit. Also keep in mind that Target’s pay is a little less than a few other retailers. Check out more information on them at Glassdoor and Indeed.
Kohl’s
- Pay: $9.72 – 5 points
- Seasonal Reviews: 3.55 out of 5 – 7 points
- Overall Review: 3.6 out of 5 – 9 points
- Hiring Process: 70% positive experience – 8 points
Total: 29
Kohl’s high score in employee satisfaction kept it much higher on the list. While they might not pay quite as high, they are a positive company to work for. Look more at their reviews here: Glassdoor, Indeed.
JCPenney
- Pay: $9.69 – 4 points
- Seasonal Reviews: 3.35 out of 5 – 6 points
- Overall Review: 3.4 out of 5 – 6 points
- Hiring Process: 72% positive experience – 10 points
Total: 26
JCPenney was the leader for best interview process and had actually won some awards from Glassdoor a few years in a row. Actually working for JCPenney was about an average experience. Check out their reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed.
Williams Sonoma
- Pay: $11.54 – 9 points
- Seasonal Reviews: 3.6 out of 5 – 8 points
- Overall Review: 3.2 out of 5 – 2 points
- Hiring Process: 58% positive experience – 1 point
Total: 20
Williams Sonoma suffers in its overall work culture, but pays very well for retail. Employees also receive 40% off which is a very generous discount compared to other stores. It’s also interesting to note that the seasonal workers ranked their store much higher… that leads me to believe that a different position in the company is suffering. Their full reviews can be found on Indeed and Glassdoor.
Walmart
- Pay: $10.50 – 6 points
- Seasonal Reviews: 3.1 – 3 points
- Overall Review: 3.4 – 6 points
- Hiring Process: 63% positive experience – 4 points
Total: 19
Walmart was an easy retailer to put on this list. They do a lot of seasonal hiring! Also, I happened to work at Walmart once upon a time. I had no qualms with them either. Consider their reviews at Glassdoor and Indeed.
Sam’s Club
- Pay: $11.20 – 8 points
- Seasonal Reviews: 3.1 out of 5 – 3 points
- Overall Review: 3.35 out of 5 – 3 points
- Hiring Process: 63% positive experience – 4 points
Total: 18
Sam’s club was really middle of the pack in the retail world. Although they’re lower on this specific list, they really are a decent place to work at. The two most important things to consider for Sam’s Clubs is that the pay is high, and they are not open 24 hours a day (could be good or bad for you). Read more here: Glassdoor and Indeed
Macy’s
- Pay: $9.50 – 3 points
- Seasonal Reviews: 3.3 out of 5 – 5 points
- Overall Review: 3.45 out of 5 – 7 points
- Hiring Process: 62% positive experience – 2 points
Total: 17
Macy’s is another retailer that is middle of the road. Not the best, not the worst. Check your local Macy’s for a better idea if this is a fit for you. Read their Glassdoor and Indeed reviews.
Michael’s
- Pay: $9 – 1 point
- Seasonal Reviews: 2.9 out of 5 – 1 point
- Overall Review: 3.4 out of 5 – 6 points
- Hiring Process: 68% positive experience – 7 points
Total: 15
The chief complaint at Michael’s was that the seasonal workers were treated like work horses. However I know a few friends who loved working for Michael’s. Could be worth looking into more at Glassdoor or Indeed.
Burlington
- Pay: $9.22 – 2 points
- Seasonal Reviews: 3.25 out of 5 – 4 points
- Overall Review: 3.2 out of 5 – 2 points
- Hiring Process: 66% positive experience – 5 points
Total: 13
I was surprised to see this so far at the bottom! But with mediocre scores all around, Burlington just didn’t score high enough in any area to move ahead. Nothing too bad about them, nothing too great either. Read their reviews at Glassdoor and Indeed.
Conclusion
If you are looking for the best retail jobs simply based on reviews, check out this list from Business Insider. Make sure to check those lists if they are hiring seasonally. Good luck finding the seasonal and part-time work that works for you!