Need some extra cash for holiday gift giving? Or, are you currently looking for a job? Whatever the reason, pursuing a temporary job during the holidays can have many payoffs. Read on to learn how temporary work can make your holiday season a little bit brighter.

Soon we will enter the busiest retail season of the year. Experts say between 25% and 50% of total annual retail sales take place during the holidays which, in turn, requires retail employers to increase their workforce, some by at least 4%. And nearly all of those companies will turn to temporary workers to help fill that need.

Approximately two million people per day are employed by staffing agencies. If you’d like to be one of them this holiday season, a good place to start is to visit or talk to your local Spherion^® office. Temporary agencies have a database full of clients who are in need of extra help during the holiday rush. Agency staff can connect you with a position that fits your schedule, desired location and environment. And, applying for a temporary job is relatively quick and simple. Either apply online by submitting a resume and/or search available jobs.

Sometimes earning extra cash isn’t the primary benefit to temping during the festive season. Holiday time can be particularly difficult for workers who have been recently laid off or have been unemployed for a long period of time. Choosing to take a temporary job over the holiday season offers the opportunity to earn much-needed cash, but also an added boost to your morale. Even if a seasonal or temporary job isn’t closely aligned to your career path, the very act of working can improve your mindset.

Lastly, temping through the holidays may even result in an unexpected gift this season in the form of a new job or newly-developed skills. According to the American Staffing Association, more than 90% of staffing companies provide training to their temporary workers and 70% of workers say they gained new skills during their assignment. Many workers find that temporary positions can help identify leads for other job openings within the organization. Regardless of whether the job ends in a permanent one, use the temporary work to learn some new skills, build your network of contacts or to simply maintain your work ethic.

For more tips on how to turn a temporary job into a permanent position, read this month's Ask Seymour.