Finding Seasonal and Temporary Work During Winter Break
Looking for ways to earn money, gain experience, or build your résumé during winter break? Seasonal and temporary jobs can be a great way to make the most of your time away from classes. Many employers hire additional workers during the holiday season and winter months, while others offer short-term opportunities throughout the year.
Start your search early! Some employers recruit weeks or months before the season begins, so you may find opportunities posted well before winter break. Keep in mind that not every seasonal job is limited to winter break. Always check the expected start date, end date, and schedule before applying.
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Table of Contents:
- Explore Types of Seasonal and Temporary Jobs
- Search Job Boards Using Keywords and Filters
- Look Beyond the Job Boards
- Check the Dates Before Applying
- Your Next Step
Casey Staff / Photographer
1. Explore Types of Seasonal and Temporary Jobs
Not sure what to search for? Consider these examples of roles that may offer seasonal, temporary, or flexible work. Availability depends on the employer and location.
Popular ideas from Indeed’s 21 Jobs for College Students on Winter Break include:
- 🛍️ Retail and customer service: Sales associate, cashier, customer service associate, or gift wrapper
- 📦 Shipping and delivery: Package handler, mailroom associate, or delivery assistant
- 🏨 Hospitality: Hotel front desk assistant, housekeeper, or food service worker
- 🐾 Flexible services: Pet sitter, childcare provider, or tutor
- ❄️ Winter-specific work: Snow removal worker or ski instructor, depending on your location
Vault’s 6 Cool Winter Seasonal Jobs for College Students also offers ideas for exploring seasonal work during the winter months.
For a broader overview of seasonal employment, read Indeed’s What Is a Seasonal Job? (And How to Find One).
2. Search Job Boards Using Keywords and Filters
Start with hireBING by Handshake, LinkedIn, CareerShift, and Industry Job Boards listed on our career cluster pages.
Step 1: Check the available filters.
Before searching, look at the filters offered by each platform. Depending on the platform, you may be able to narrow results by employment type, such as part-time, temporary, or internship, as well as location and date posted.
Not every job board offers a dedicated seasonal filter. If you don’t see one, try adding seasonal and temporary terms directly to your search.
Step 2: Try different keywords.
Use a combination of the following terms to find opportunities that may fit your break:
- winter break
- winter seasonal
- seasonal
- temporary
- holiday
- holiday seasonal
- short-term
- winter internship
- January internship
You can also combine a job title with one of these terms. For example, try retail seasonal, temporary office assistant, or winter customer service.
Step 3: Experiment with Boolean search on LinkedIn.
Boolean search lets you combine keywords to broaden or narrow your results. On LinkedIn, try entering this search in the Jobs search bar:
“temporary” OR “winter” OR “seasonal”
This tells LinkedIn to look for postings containing at least one of those terms. You can also try more targeted combinations, such as:
- “winter break” OR “holiday seasonal”
- “temporary” OR “seasonal” AND retail
- “winter internship” OR “January internship”
Experiment with different combinations to see which return the most relevant results. Search behavior can vary by platform, so check the results and adjust your keywords as needed.
Step 4: Try AI-powered search features when available.
If a job board offers an AI search feature, describe what you’re looking for in plain language. For example:
I’m a college student looking for paid, temporary work during winter break in December and January. I’m interested in opportunities that last approximately three to four weeks and do not require a commitment through the spring semester.
Review the results carefully. AI search can help you discover opportunities, but it does not guarantee that a position fits your dates or is paid.
3. Look Beyond the Job Boards
You don’t have to rely exclusively on job search platforms to find seasonal work.
Use your network. Let friends, family, former supervisors, and other contacts know you’re looking for short-term work. They may know about opportunities that aren’t widely advertised.
Check local employers. Think about where you’ll be spending winter break. Search for nearby retail stores, restaurants, hotels, resorts, community organizations, and other businesses that may need additional help.
Visit employer websites. Look for a Careers, Jobs, or Employment link, often located at the top or bottom of the website. Employers sometimes post seasonal opportunities directly on their own career pages.
Contact employers directly. If you have a particular organization in mind, ask whether they anticipate hiring temporary or seasonal employees for the holiday season or winter break.
4. Check the Dates Before Applying
A job listing that mentions winter, seasonal, or temporary doesn’t necessarily mean the position will fit your winter break schedule.
Before applying, check:
- Start date: Does the position begin when you’re available?
- End date: Can you finish when winter break ends?
- Schedule: Are the expected hours compatible with your availability?
- Compensation: Is the position paid, and is the pay rate listed?
- Location: Will you be able to get to work while you’re away from campus?
Some internships begin in January but continue through the spring semester. If you’re interested in gaining career-related experience, these can still be worthwhile opportunities, but make sure the commitment matches your plans.
If the dates aren’t listed, contact the employer to ask whether a short-term arrangement is possible.
5. Your Next Step:
Start searching now, experiment with different keywords, and explore employers in the area where you’ll spend winter break. Even if a listing doesn’t explicitly say winter break, it may be worth investigating if the employer offers seasonal or temporary work that fits your availability.
If you’re unsure about a position’s start or end dates, check whether the employer is open to messaging on Handshake. You can also proactively reach out to employers you’re interested in to ask whether they anticipate hiring seasonal or temporary workers over winter break, even if they haven’t posted a relevant position yet. For instructions, see Handshake’s guide to Messaging Employers in Handshake.
Need help identifying employers, refining your search, or figuring out what to say in a message? Our career center staff are happy to help you explore your options and develop an outreach strategy.
Career Support & Sources:
As you explore this resource, we encourage you to take advantage of everything available to support your career journey. Below, you’ll find the sources and contributors that made this guide possible, multiple ways to connect with our office for personalized career support, and some important reminders to keep in mind as you plan your strategy. Be sure to check them out, and remember, our team is always here to help you move forward with confidence and clarity.
| Reminder | What This Means for You |
|---|---|
| Use Multiple Sources | Information about careers and education can vary depending on where you look. Try checking several websites and resources when researching anything related to your career development (for example: job outlooks, salaries, industry trends, graduate programs, or fellowships, etc.). This will help you get a fuller, more accurate picture of what employers or admissions committees are looking for. |
| Make Sure to Network | Talking directly with people associated with your career goals or the programs/companies you’re interested in can give you the clearest and most useful insights. Reach out to professionals, recruiters, alumni, or current students to learn what really matters in your field (for example: company expectations, hiring timelines, résumé preferences, graduate program requirements, etc.). Even within the same industry or graduate program type, different organizations and admissions committees may value things differently. Listening carefully to their guidance can help you put your best foot forward. |
| Use AI Ethically in Career Development | AI tools can be a great resource for brainstorming, polishing materials, or practicing interview questions (for example: outlining position description details to guide your documents, generating practice questions, etc.). But it works best when you use it thoughtfully and make sure the final work reflects your own skills and voice. Some employers and graduate programs may not allow AI, so always check instructions carefully. Think of AI as a helper, not a replacement, and remember, Career Consultants are happy to guide you on how to use it effectively! |
| Be Aware of Employment Scams | When searching for jobs or internships, it’s important to stay alert for potential scams, especially when exploring positions outside of Binghamton’s Handshake. Common warning signs include requests for personal or financial information upfront, job offers without interviews, or anything that seems “too good to be true.” To learn more about what to watch for, see real examples, and find out how to protect yourself or respond if you encounter a scam, check out Employment Scam Information – Binghamton University. Staying informed helps you pursue opportunities safely and confidently. |
Drop-ins: When classes are in session, Monday-Friday, from 12-4 p.m., you can visit our office to schedule a 20-minute drop-in with our staff.
Appointments: You can schedule your 30-minute career session on Handshake. These are offered all year and can be done virtually and in person.
Online Resources: Visit uConnect, our virtual career center that is always accessible to support your career needs.
Picture Source: ChatGPT Image Generator and Flickr – Casey Staff / Photographer
Website Sources: Special thanks to the organizations, industry experts, and thought leaders who share valuable career resources, research, and articles with the public. Your work provides important insights that support students’ career development.
- Indeed Editorial Team. “What Is a Seasonal Job? (And How to Find One).” Indeed, updated 16 June 2026.
- Porter, Rob. “6 Cool Winter Seasonal Jobs for College Students.” Vault, 11 December 2023.
- Indeed Editorial Team. “21 Jobs for College Students on Winter Break.” Indeed, updated 15 June 2026.
AI Assistance: Portions of this resource may have been developed with support from AI tools (such as ChatGPT by OpenAI or Gemini), used to help synthesize research, generate summaries, and refine formatting. All final content has been reviewed and customized for Binghamton University students.
