Making the Most of Winter Break

The long-awaited holiday break is almost here. With finals wrapped up and a couple of open weeks before the semester starts again, it’s time to consider how to spend your time between now and then.

If it’s been a tough semester, your first thought might be one of taking it easy, catching up with friends and spending time in a leisurely manner with no plans. While that’s great for a bit, it can quickly become boring, especially after the hustle of the end of the semester. Finding a temporary holiday job or a winter internship can be a great way to keep your brain engaged and put a little extra cash in your pocket when you need it most.

Building Blocks
A temporary job can also be a stepping stone toward a desired career in the future. The short-term aspect of winter work makes it a great time to try out something new, whether that’s a role in an area of interest or a way to take on a challenge by trying something totally different. These positions are a method to build skills. This could include enhancing customer service-related skills like assisting customers in-person or online or providing back-of-house support. Depending on where you end up working, there may even be a possibility of a staff discount.

Transferable Skills
No matter where you find employment, you can be sure the opportunity will include learning transferrable skills. These include team work, time management, leadership, work ethic, listening, written and verbal communication, data analysis, research, and analytical and numeracy skills. Employers value transferable skills because they come into play in so many ways in the workforce. They will be useful at school, too.

Learning also comes in the form of seeing the inner working of a business or industry or possibly an opportunity to shadow a professional in their role. Because this is a busy time of year, shadowing opportunities may be less available during the winter break than at other times.

Where to Start
Considering the window of work opportunities during winter break is short, it’s helpful to have a resource where you can find a variety of options in one place. Staffing firms like Staffing Kansas City offer opportunities including administrative, clerical and customer service positions or helping with fun holiday events around town. These are a great way to gain experience, meet new people and add some extra funds to the bank account for the next semester. Short-term jobs are also a great booster to a resume and LinkedIn profile and the portability of transferable skills help demonstrate your flexibility and employability.

This article is brought to you by Staffing Kansas City, a full-service Kansas City employment agency that provides contract-to-hire, direct hire and contract employment placement services.