LAS VEGAS - If you're one of the many unemployed workers looking for a job, now might be a good time to land one. Retailers are already hiring for the holidays including Halloween.
Stores such as HalloweenMart near 215 and Decatur Boulevard are seeing more customers coming in and purchasing extra accessories and items for costumes - increasing the store's business from previous years. Customers are also opening their wallets earlier in the season.
"A lot more people are shopping earlier this year as opposed to maybe they wait a little bit longer, try to save some of that money as we get closer to Halloween," said Jason Edrick with HalloweenMart. "This year, it seems business is picking up earlier than it normally does."
Retailers are banking on better sales. They are successfully spreading out promotions to trigger more sales throughout the season. As a result, more than 30 percent of businesses around the country report they will start promotions earlier this year, potentially opening more jobs.
Stores like HalloweenMart are even looking to increase their focus on permanent workers. Each year, the business fills 60 to 70 seasonal jobs - many of which transition into permanent spots.
"We'll take the time. We'll find people that are good, whether they can work two days a week, whether they can work four days a week, five days a week. If they're good employees, you know, we want them," Edrick said.
Nationally, more than 40 percent of business owners say they expect to see an increase in the number of permanent workers.
Fifty seven percent of retailers plan to hire seasonal workers at the same level as last year. Thirty six percent say they will hire more.
These numbers are a shift from 2011 when 10 percent planned to hire more seasonal workers than the year before.
