Retailers have hired more and more employees as shopper traffic increases through the holiday season. Teenagers hired this season to lift merchandise, stock, help at the checkout, or wrap gifts are not employed on the basis of age, but rather their qualifications.

The process of hiring applicants has changed with the harsher economic climate. Business teacher Kevin Kansler said, “When hiring teenage students, retailers know it’s going to be a temporary position anyway. They’re not looking at long term economic benefit as if they were hiring an adult for three months.”

Due to the expense of training new employees during the holidays, retailers are encouraging current part time employees to add hours this season. An Aeropostale sales associate said, “We only hire teenagers or young adults throughout the year, currently we’re not hiring any employees for this season.”

Conversely, Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch, stores known to have younger employees, did hire this season. Senior Tatum Rieger said, “Hollister needed more people during the holiday season and especially for Black Friday, so two of my friends and I went in for an interview. They were hiring for different positions, to record inventory, to fold and stock clothes, and to stand outside and greet customers. Luckily, I got a job.”

When asked how many additional employees worked besides her on Black Friday, Rieger said, “I was the only one working for Black Friday, the rest of the staff are regular employees.”

Kansler explained one reason retailers might prefer teenagers over adults for the holidays, “Teenagers are more likely than an adult to take that paycheck and spend it during the holiday season. Looking at short term benefit it would be better for stores to hire teenagers.”

Charlotte Russe, a women’s clothing store in Old Orcard Mall, is currently hiring for the holiday season, but unlike Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch, prohibits applicants less than 18 years of age.

Like Charlotte Russe, many retailers naturally prefer college students over high school students due to the age factor. Kansler commented, “With a lot of students home early for college looking for jobs or just unemployed adults, stores look at the 20 year old college kid and then the 17 year old teenager and compare the two. Ultimately, the young adult will be preferred over the teenager.”

In a nationwide CareerBuilder survey, 36% of retailers plan to have extra hands on deck around the holidays despite the age factor, a healthy jump from 29% in 2011.

Career Center assistant Molly Ottolini said, “The Career Center encourages students to go directly themselves to merchants. For example, Crate & Barrel and Target hire during the holiday season. But we mostly get calls from local businesses, for babysitting, or from the elderly for snow shoveling. We get calls for a variety of different jobs.”