8 Jobs To Find or Create Yourself

Macy's, Toys"R"s and Target will employ thousands of temporary workers between now and the end of the year. But retailers aren't the only ones hiring this holiday season.

If you need the cash and don't mind working while others make merry, there are jobs to be had, and plenty of time to find them. According to a recent seasonal hiring report from job board CareerBuilder, 33 percent of companies that bring on seasonal workers still recruit this month, and 11 percent will continue to do so in December.

If you're the entrepreneurial sort, the holidays also provide ample opportunity to offer specialized services to people and businesses willing to pay for the convenience.

Here are eight jobs that companies are hiring for now or you could do yourself:

1. Delivery: FedEx will hire 20,000 temporary workers this holiday season, 18 percent more than last year, and United Parcel Service expects to hit peak seasonal hiring this month, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. Overall, transportation industry job openings were up 53 percent in October from a year ago, according to Indeed.com. The job board lists openings for drivers, driver assistants, material handlers and dispatchers. If you're job hunting, don't overlook local delivery companies, including local or regional grocery chains that offer online ordering and home delivery.

2. Warehouse packaging and shipping: At companies in all industries that are hiring for the holidays, 15 percent are adding positions in shipping, according to the CareerBuilder report. WarehouseJobs.com lists warehouse puller, machine operator, supervisor, receiving clerk and other positions in locations across the country at companies such as Home Depot, Men's Warehouse, Dollar Tree, Target and Ashley Furniture HomeStores.

3. Caterer and event planner: Holiday parties are back on the calendar at many companies this year, keeping event planners and caterers busy. According to the CareerBuilder report, one in 10 hospitality companies will add staff this year, on par with 2010. If you have restaurant or food service training, contact caterers in your area and offer your services. Or assemble your own crew, contact small businesses or groups in your professional network and offer to plan their holiday bash.

4. Barista: Apparently, nothing says "Happy Holidays" like a peppermint mocha or gingerbread latte. Starbucks has openings for hundreds of store managers, assistant managers and other positions. Search jobs in a careers database on the company's website to find specific openings in your area. Job board SimplyHired currently lists more than 10,000 barista jobs at coffee shops, universities, department stores, hospitals, casinos and government offices.

5. Christmas light installer: If you've got a car and a ladder -- and aren't afraid of heights, you may have what it takes to start a holiday lighting business. Some seasonal lighting business owners start off small, putting up Christmas lights for friends and family before approaching local businesses, according to a report in the Northwest Florida Daily News. They also offer free consultation, purchase all necessary materials and return after the holidays to remove decorations.

6. Personal concierge: A personal concierge decorates, sends cards, shops for gifts and plans trips for people who are too busy to perform their own holiday-time chores. Personal errand runners work for themselves or through a hotel or agency and charge by the hour or half hour, often offering discounts when customers sign up for larger blocks of time. Premier Concierge, which helps clients in New York City and Tampa, charges $65 per hour on weekdays, $95 per hour on weekends and holidays. Rates at Red Butler, an 8-year-old agency with multiple locations around the country, start at $36.95 a month for small businesses, according to Entrepreneur.com.

7. Pet sitter: During the holidays, kennels overflow with dogs and cats left behind when families spend the holidays with relatives or vacation someplace pets can't go. Pet sitters can pick up the slack. Americans will spend $3.65 billion on pet services this year, including pet sitting, according to a survey from the American Pet Products Association. A separate Pet Sitters International (PSI) survey found that members of the professional group earned an average of $48,635 in 2010. Would-be pet sitters can get training through PSI, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters and other groups.

8. Holiday boutique artist or artisan: Sell your artwork, handcrafted items or homemade food at a holiday bazaar or craft market. Some seasonal fairs may already be full, but it's not too late to get yourself on a waiting list. Some markets have stringent signup policies. Portland, Ore.'s 37-year-old Saturday Market, for example, requires that new vendors provide samples of their work and a business license or other proof they're a legitimate business. Others ask for little more than a credit card or check to reserve booth space. Or team up with other artists, crafters and bakers and stage a holiday boutique in your home, garage or at a local community center.