SANTA DELIVERS, IN HIS OWN CAR
Seasonal jobs boom takes off
WITH Christmas less than three months away and social distancing restrictions showing no signs of easing, online shopping is booming as people avoid the High Street.
That means thousands of jobs for drivers, sorters and warehouse staff are becoming available to cope with the festive rush.
And you never know where a temp job might lead. Christian Tshibangu, 28, from Tipton near Birmingham, started as a driver with delivery firm Yodel last October and is still enjoying the job, working his way through lockdown and beyond. Yodel is looking for 2,950 festive staff, so now could be time to follow in his footsteps.
What does your job involve each day?
As a neighbourhood courier I head to the local Yodel Sandwell depot at about 8am where I pick up the parcels I need to deliver for the day using my own car. It has been so busy I have upgraded to a van which means I can transport more packages. I’m glad I’ve done that as we gear up for the busiest Christmas period ever.
After loading up my vehicle I check the best route for my deliveries on my Yodel app and set out for the day. The app is great – it orders my parcels according to the best route and directs me to each location. Once I’ve finished my rounds I return to the depot for a debrief with the team.
I’m usually home in the early afternoon which means I can spend time around my family, helping with chores and the cooking. Occasionally I get to pick my nephews up from school which is a treat.
What do you love about the work?
I find it really rewarding, it’s good to know that I’ve delivered whatever it is people need, especially now that it will probably include someone’s Christmas gift and they’ll be able to receive it on time. I also like the social side of the job, getting to meet hundreds of people every week.
What are the challenges workwise as Christmas looms?
This is the busiest time as everyone starts doing their Christmas shopping. There’s always a bit of extra pressure because I’m playing the role of Santa for a lot of customers.
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Will this year be different?
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I think this Christmas is going to be even busier than previous years because of the effect of the pandemic on people’s shopping habits.
The main change is going to be the way in which we deliver our parcels. We have practices in place to ensure we maintain a safe distance to protect both ourselves and our customers.
I often have to carry out ‘no contact deliveries’, where I leave parcels in a safe place and people aren’t required to sign for them.
What made you do the job in the first place?
I used to work for a different parcel delivery company but when I saw Yodel was recruiting extra staff for the Christmas period I checked it out and the role suited me better. It offered me the chance to manage my own time, allowing me to work round my life.
I decided to apply for the job – I got it right away and the rest is history. Although I started out delivering for the holidays it was a chance for me to get a foot in the door and it worked.
Why do you recommend the job?
It is a great way to earn extra money during the festive season and it is very flexible. The jobs fits around your schedule and you can do it from the convenience of your own vehicle.
FIND A FESTIVE JOB
So far we have found 8,739 Christmas jobs but a lot more are expected to be announced over the coming weeks. For more information on the 2,950 Yodel jobs visit yodelopportunities.co.uk or text ‘Deliver’ to 84433.
Royal Mail ( jobs.royalmailgroup. com/ go/ Christmas- Recruitment/ 4479401/) is looking for sorters, posties and drivers. Driver Hire (driverhire. co. uk) has 642 vacancies and Fish4jobs.co.uk has 818 Christmas jobs up for grabs including warehouse staff in Lichfield (£9.38 to £11.73 an hour) and drivers in Essex (£17.55 to £22.00).
Gumtree. com has 3,213 Christmas jobs ranging from drivers to cleaners and at gov.uk/ find-a-job we spotted a further 1,116 specific Christmas jobs.
It’s rewarding to know I might have delivered someone’s Christmas gift