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UPS Looking For 3,000 Seasonal Employees In Phoenix

A new survey finds many major U.S. retailers plan to hire more seasonal employees than last year. And, it’s not just in stores. 

Consulting firm Korn Ferry surveyed nearly 20 retailers representing about one million employees and $1.2 billion in sales in September. It found 55 percent want to add employees at distributions centers.

Those centers often focus on fulfilling online orders. That’s one reason shipping giant UPS held a hiring blitz last Friday with 170 job fairs across the country, including its hub in Phoenix.

“Some of them will be package handlers, some of them will be delivery drivers in the brown package cars, others will drive the tractor trailers we have,” said Stefond Harris, vice president of human resources at UPS for U.S. operations. “And the biggest group will be the delivery helpers.”

He said wages for seasonal Phoenix employees will start at $14 per hour and could top $30 per hour, depending on the position.

“Clearly, this year’s holiday retail season will have an omni-channel focus, where both in-store and online buyers will be critical to sales success,” Craig Rowley, senior partner at Korn Ferry said in a prepared statement.

Other Korn Ferry retailer findings:
• 67 percent say recent minimum wage hikes and market increases in the industry have made seasonal hiring more difficult.
• 17 percent say they will see 5 to 10 percent fewer applicants this year.
• 15 percent are looking for employees who better align with brand culture.
• 21 percent say they’re putting greater emphases on employees who can create strong in-store experiences for customers.

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As a senior field correspondent, Christina Estes focuses on stories that impact our economy, your wallet and public policy.