SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The return of pumpkin patches brings more than just rows of pumpkins — it means the start of seasonal job hiring. But experts say this year, there may not be as many opportunities compared to previous years.
Mike Osborne, who owns Pumpkin Station and Pinery Christmas Trees, said it takes a lot of people to bring the seasons to life.
"We have probably about 225 to 250 temporary employees that work during the pumpkin season," Osborne said.
Each station needs people to work everything from their petting area and sunflower field to the rides and, of course, helping people pick out their perfect pumpkin.
"If you're qualified and we need assistance and we need help, there's always room," Osborne said.
It's a similar case for retail giants, as many have already announced plans to bring in extra holiday help.
Target says they want to bring on more than 1,000 seasonal workers at San Diego stores. Kohl's announced they are also hiring seasonal associates to help with the holiday rush, adding they're offering medical care coverage to their seasonal team members.
Amazon says they are hiring 250,000 people this holiday season at locations all over the country. Their seasonal employees can earn an average of nearly $20 an hour.
While many big-box stores have released their hiring numbers, recent data by Challenger, Gray, and Christmas, an executive outplacement company, expects seasonal retail hiring will be down this year, falling to its lowest point since 2009.
Data suggests retailers will add just under 500,000 positions in the last three months of 2025, making it the smallest seasonal gain in 16 years. They point towards tariff impacts and inflation concerns as contributing factors for the drop.
For those who do snag a seasonal job and want to turn it into a permanent one, experts like Matt Yepez, the senior director of the Career Development Center at USD, say you need to make yourself stand out and make an impression.
"Always thinking from a solutions oriented mindset of a problem you're able to solve, value you're able to add to the organization. And getting into the art of networking and building these connections and you really never know. It could potentially turn into something that could be an opportunity down the road or even having building your resume," Yepez said.
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