Seasonal Work Available, but Harder to Find

TYLER—With well over a million jobs slashed this year by employers, the unemployment rate sits at a 14-year high.

There's one source of work that most people count on every year that unfortunately isn't going to be quite as dependable this year. Most smaller family businesses say they're going to rely on family and friends to fill in on the holidays.

But larger retailers say they are hiring seasonal employees. However, this year, they aren't hiring as many as they have in years past.

This isn't a good thing for job seekers since retailers in Tyler say they've had a lot of people apply for not just seasonal positions but permanent ones, too. But many business representatives say they're unsure just how lucrative this holiday season will be, so they are hiring more conservatively.

"Spending habits are so unpredictable right now that most retailers like Circuit City just filed for bankruptcy, so Target's being pretty conservative right now, along with a lot of retailers," Laura Eubanks from Target says.