As I wrap up my federal income tax preparation and plan my visit to the post office at 11:55 a.m. on April 15, I stop to think for a moment:
“I wonder how many people, who are unemployed this time of year, consider working a seasonal or temporary job with a tax preparation company?”
Seasonal or temporary jobs are short-term positions designed to fill a temporary need. As per the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which makes collecting income taxes official, we have a need for seasonal work every year from about January 1 to April 15.
In addition, according to a recent informal poll (I asked coworkers at my office), 80% of responders admitted to having a professional do their taxes. So, seasonal or temporary professional tax work is available. For those who are tinkering with the idea of becoming a permanent tax professional or accountant, this type of temporary work would serve as a great springboard into that profession.
According to Monster.com, H&R Block – a nationwide tax preparation company – hires approximately 80,000 tax professionals per year to work from January until the end of April. H&R Block, as well as another large company, Jackson Hewitt, both offer 6-11 week training courses as preparation. Although taking the class will not guarantee a position, a majority of people hired for seasonal tax work come from these classes. A good idea is to begin the training sometime in September.
Another big player on the scene is The Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In fact, the IRS hires for multiple occupations including Data Transcribers, Tax Examiners and Contract Representatives during tax season. The IRS also offers part-time opportunities for Veterans who wish to continue serving their country. The IRS allows flexible schedules and the opportunity to gain new skills. Additional information can be found at the IRS Seasonal Work website.
Another benefit to seasonal work is that it often becomes permanent. In her blog last year, “Turning a Temporary Assignment into a Permanent Job,” JoAnn Kawamoto commented that “many good companies are saving time and money using temporary hire positions as extended job interviews.”
Just as you would during a job interview, put forth effort to shine while working a seasonal or temporary job, and you may just be offered a permanent position.
Although tax time is pretty well wrapped up this year, you might consider tucking this information away for future reference. Many happy tax returns to you!
David Spears is a member of the Workforce Solutions Navigator team for the Texas Gulf Coast Region. Combining training and education to real world examples, David brings personal and professional experience with disabilities to the table in order to help job seekers with disabilities realize their potential. David has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration with over 20 years of experience in the business world.
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