Although the holiday season is still a few weeks away, cash-strapped students may benefit now from local business’ holiday hiring. Many stores in Ames are looking to hire some part-time seasonal help.

Retailers begin considering holiday employment numbers in October, right after the back-to-school season ends.

Among Ames retail stores that have already posted hiring signs in their windows are Target, 320 S. Duff Ave., and Vanity and Younkers at the North Grand Mall, 2801 Grand Ave.

Ames’ Target store is looking to hire about 30 additional employees for the holiday season, said Ames Target representative Linh Kelderman.

Although there is often the opportunity for seasonal staff to stay on even after the holiday rush is over, employees are primarily hired as seasonal help.

Kelderman said Target is looking for everything from overnight help to daytime sales floor workers, adding weekend availability is a must.

At Target and other retail outlets, the holiday season is always a cause for extra hands around the store, but the 2003 season may require more help than normal.

According to the National Retail Federation, the world’s largest trade association, a 5.7 percent growth in holiday sales is expected this year.

Not all stores are gearing up by increasing holiday help, however.

Denny Galles, assistant manager at Wal-Mart, 3015 Grand Ave., said the Ames store will probably hire between 10 and 20 people in the next few weeks, an amount similar to past years. Like Target, seasonal employees may have the chance to keep their jobs even after the holidays.

“It depends on our needs after it’s all over,” Galles said.

Even so, the National Retail Federation expects this season’s sales to be booming.

“Consumers have spent the last several years on an emotional and economic roller coaster. Now, Americans appear to be ready to shop and ready to spend, just in time for the biggest shopping season of the year,” President and CEO Tracy Mullin said in a statement last week.

The federation forecasts overall holiday sales for 2003 to top $217.4 billion.