Where you may be able to find a seasonal job during the COVID-19 pandemic

If you're hoping to tap into seasonal work for a little extra cash this year, you'll be happy to know that the pay for some jobs is higher during the pandemic.

But that same pandemic has limited many of the usually plentiful jobs at retail brick and mortar stores.

A Raleigh man who was laid off during the pandemic, Da'rrell Belton, managed to find seasonal work in an unusual place.

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Belton reached out to Manpower -- a temporary employment service -- to see if they could find him some work over the holidays.

They did. In their own office in Morrisville.

And guess where they put him to work?

"I'm quite thrilled and very grateful for this opportunity at Manpower that they were willing and willing to, to allow myself to be a part of their recruiting, their administrative team," Belton said while sitting at desk in the Manpower office.

More traditional holiday jobs, like working for a shipping company, are still plentiful this year as online shopping continues to surge.

But in this pandemic year the other traditional job hotspot, holiday retail, has a new landscape.

"Retail is seeing some increase for holiday needs, but it's different. This year it's more people to help with curbside online orders, more so than actually assisting the clients in the stores," said Manpower's Katherine Myer.

Myer says Manpower's Employment Outlook Survey, which asked more than 8,000 employers to predict hiring for the third quarter of 2020, revealed a 10-year low.

But employer confidence started coming back in the forecast for the fourth quarter, according to Myer, who said, "It was good to see that the numbers did rebound and increased."

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The bad news, however, is that there just aren't likely to be quite as many seasonable jobs this year.

But, Myer said, there also aren't as many applicants, so you're chances of getting one are still good.

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And because of that, if you do land one, there's more good news.

"We have seen pay increases across the board this year which is always helpful for job seekers," Myer said.

She also said there are only a limited number of work-from-home jobs available.

But some in-person jobs can guarantee social distancing and other pandemic safety measures.

And for those who were laid off during the pandemic like Da'rrell Belton, there's hope a seasonal part-time job could lead to a permanent position.

"I am working feverishly to get their attention for full time, absolutely," Belton said. "It is really an atmosphere that advocates for those who are seeking employment especially in a time like this. So this is definitely a place that I really want to be a part of."