Macy's To Hire 1K Workers In Metro Detroit For The Holidays

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) Here come Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down ... Wait! Is it that time already?

Apparently it is. Department store Macy's announced it will be hiring about 83,000 workers, starting right now, to handle the holiday rush. About 1,070 of those workers will be in metro Detroit.

Workers will fill jobs at stores, call centers, distribution centers and online fulfillment centers nationwide for the 2013 holiday season. This hiring is an increase of 3.8 percent over last year.

"Our goal is to be well-staffed to welcome and serve customers throughout the busy holiday season, whether they are shopping or buying in stores, online or via mobile devices,"  said Terry J. Lundgren, Macy's, Inc. chairman, president and chief executive officer, in a press release. 

"These seasonal positions represent much-needed jobs for America, and they fill an important niche in the employment spectrum. Especially at the holidays, we employ students working during break to help pay tuition, retirees seeking to remain active and individuals from many walks of life wanting to supplement their income. We are proud to offer them this opportunity to work in a fun, fast-paced and respectful environment."

In particular, the seasonal workforce has grown in recent years in the company's network of  online fulfillment centers in support of increased sales generated by the company's Omnichannel business strategy. In 2013, approximately 6,600 of the 83,000 total seasonal positions will be based in the four online fulfillment centers. In addition, approximately 1,200 seasonal positions will be assigned to work in the fulfillment areas of the 500 Macy's stores that are equipped to fill and ship orders directly to customers.

Most seasonal positions are part-time, often with flexibility to fit the availability of the individuals hired. Many positions require the applicant to work evenings, weekends or overnight. In some cases, temporary seasonal associates are offered open year-round positions based on their skills and performance over the holiday season.

Applications for seasonal positions at Macy's and Bloomingdale's are being accepted at www.macysJOBS.com and www.bloomingdalesJOBS.com. Candidates who submit applications online will receive a response via email. Hiring for store sales positions will begin in mid-October. The company has already begun hiring for sales support positions, such as in distribution centers, call centers and store receiving.

"We have many examples of associates who started with us in temporary seasonal positions and stayed to enjoy a long and fulfilling career with our company. Seasonal employment is often an opportunity to get to know potential future employees and to identify talent that we can recruit as needs arise," Lundgren said.

Macy's, Inc. employs about 175,700 associates on a year-round basis.