5 Seasonal Side Gigs in High Demand in 2025, According to Experts
Written by
Jake Safane
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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As 2025 starts to wrap up and the winter holidays kick into high gear, it can be a great time to pick up some extra work with a seasonal side gig.
While many side gigs can be lucrative any time of the year, the rush of consumer spending that often comes around Thanksgiving and Christmas can make November and December more appealing for part-time work at companies that you might not necessarily associate with side hustles. But it can also be a good time to pick up extra work through more traditional side gig platforms, like ride-share apps.
In other words, follow the money. Wherever there’s an influx of holiday spending, that could mean there’s more demand for seasonal side gigs. More specifically, consider the following types of roles.
1. Retail Associate
Lots of retail stores, such as big-box stores, as well as grocery stores, toy stores and many other types of retail businesses, need extra help during the holiday season.
“Retail holiday hiring is continuing to stay strong because stores need bodies on the floor during peak holiday season — Black Friday through New Year’s. Our job posting data shows positions that pay $18 to $22/hour in the retail space, plus employee discounts, are significantly better than most remote seasonal work. The hours may be tough, but you get fast, guaranteed income when you need it,” said Lacey Kaelani, CEO of Metaintro, a job search engine.
2. Restaurant/Event/Catering Staff
The broad category of restaurant/event/catering gigs is likely to be in demand and worth considering, according to Anne Ryan, career coach and resume writer at Anne Ryan Consulting LLC.
Many restaurants and event spaces need extra hands to host holiday parties, and some wintery tourist destinations might need help serving an influx of traffic. Getting these gigs might require a bit more door-knocking than some other online side hustles, but there are platforms that can connect you with these types of roles, such as Instawork.
3. Delivery Driver
Another good side gig could be working as a delivery driver, per Ryan.
This could be connected to seasonal retail roles or food-related roles, as plenty of local and national businesses need drivers to get products from Point A to Point B. Or you might find more gigs available through delivery platforms like Amazon Flex, where you can deliver Amazon packages using your own vehicle.
4. Customer Support Associate
Customer support gigs could also be in demand in 2025, according to Ryan. While physical retail stores often need in-person help, many e-commerce businesses need people to chat with customers online or on the phone to handle issues like returns or get updates on deliveries.
These types of seasonal gigs, along with ones in related areas like retail and food service, are worth considering if you’re trying to boost your resume for a broad range of jobs, as they can build soft skills — a crucial part of your career success, according to Ryan.
They help build “critical skills like communication, problem solving, negotiation, teamwork, time management, active listening, conflict resolution and delegation,” Ryan said. “Be sure to track your hours per week and any metrics — such as customers helped per day, sales per week, percent improvement after you updated a process, etc. — for your resume and LinkedIn profile.”
5. Accountant/Tax Preparer
More specialized accounting or related tax preparation skills could also be put to work for seasonal side hustles, according to Kaelani.
Businesses might need help getting their books in order as the calendar year comes to an end, and tax preparers might try to drum up business by meeting with clients now, rather than during the rush of tax season during the first few months of the year.
Even if you’re not an accountant, you might be able to find a side gig by helping accounting or tax businesses in related areas, such as providing administrative support.
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