Golden Quest: Russians' interest in working part-time during the holidays has doubled

Over the past January holidays, Russians' interest in part-time work more than doubled compared to last year. The responses from applicants for the positions of merchandiser, promoter, janitor, sales manager, and sales representative were especially frequent. But taxi drivers and couriers were the most wanted to hire during these holidays. About which areas are most beneficial for holiday part—time jobs and how such employment affects the emotional state, see the Izvestia article.

They started looking for part-time jobs more often

During these January holidays, Russians began to respond to part—time job offers much more often than in the same period a year earlier, by 115%, the Avito Part-time job service told Izvestia. The most noticeable responses to offers of part-time employment were in Tatarstan (an increase in the number of responses by 157%), the Belgorod Region (+154%) and the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (+146%). The top ten regions where interest grew the fastest also included Kurgan, Kaluga, Tomsk, Kemerovo, Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan and Omsk regions.

"Many people consider holidays as an opportunity to earn extra money, during this period increased employment rates are often offered in order to cover operational tasks and cope with the increased workload," said Sergey Yaskin, director of the service.

During the January holidays, applicants' interest in the merchandiser's position increased most noticeably: the number of responses increased by more than 2.3 times (by 138%). They also responded more often to the promoter's position — by 131%. Temporary janitor vacancies have become more in demand by 82%, sales manager — by 52%, sales representative — by 39%, cleaner — by 40%.

The recruitment service Superjob also confirmed the trend. At the request of Izvestia, the company assessed the dynamics of the number of resumes created for part—time jobs and temporary employment - in the first two weeks of 2026, this figure increased by 14% compared to the same period in 2025. They noticed that such activity of applicants grew throughout 2025 and this dynamic continued in 2026.

"In addition, this year's holidays are significantly longer than last year. Consequently, those working in a five—day week with weekends on Saturday and Sunday had more days off from their main work," the service's press service noted. "Platform employment is actively spreading, and there are no serious entry requirements for such types of work."

SuperJob clarified that Russians were most often looking for part-time jobs in accounting and finance, sales, and remote customer support during these vacations. Vacancies for order pickers, couriers and car couriers were also in demand. Doctors, nurses, and laboratory technicians were looking for part-time jobs. Resumes were also created in the field of catering — these are waiters, bartenders and baristas. In addition, designers, promoters, marketplace managers, SMM, content and PR managers were looking for part-time employment.

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The number of vacancies for temporary workers also increased, especially in the Ural Federal District (+91%), the Southern Federal District (+81%), the Northwestern Federal District (+79%), the North Caucasus Federal District (+72%) and the Volga Federal District (+59%).

In general, during the holiday period, businesses posted job offers noticeably more actively than a year earlier: the growth was +62%, Avito Part-time noted.

The taxi and passenger transportation sector became the leader in terms of the level of payment offered for going to work during the holidays — performers could count on 132,953 rubles per month for part-time employment.

"This level of rewards is largely due to the increased demand for trips during the holidays and winter conditions such as snowfall and ice, which complicate travel and increase the cost of travel," the company said.

In second place is the sphere of delivery, cargo transportation and logistics: the average remuneration offered was about 123,022 rubles/month. Marketing, advertising and PR came in third, with an average of 73,642 rubles/month offered here. for a side job.

Anna Alikova, an independent HR expert, explained the growing number of people who want to earn extra money during the holidays with the desire, for example, to close the "New Year's budget."

"It's most profitable to carry passengers and deliver parcels during the holidays: orders pour in one after another, and tips are generous," she said.

The expert recalled that already on January 1, social networks were full of orders: someone bought more gifts, someone sent presents, delivery services could barely cope.

— Taxi drivers have also become popular. Instead of standing in traffic jams or looking for parking at shopping malls, families called taxis. And young people go to parties and meetings with friends," she reminded. — The promoters were also relevant. Flyers were distributed in shopping malls, perfume tests and cosmetics samples were offered — customers willingly participated in promotions.

Why are they looking for a part-time job for the holidays

Interest in part—time work increases when the main job is not enough or there is a need for additional income, for example, to save for large purchases: a vacation, a car, or a down payment on an apartment, said Viktor Lyashok, a leading researcher at the Center for Psychological and Economic Research at the Presidential Academy (RANEPA).

— New Year's holidays traditionally remain a popular time for additional earnings. This is especially true in 2026, when the weekend lasted a record long time," he said.

In addition, during the New Year period, some of the migrant workers leave home, which is why the demand for workers is growing and, consequently, the wages offered.

— The norms of labor legislation obliging employers to pay an increased rate for work on official holidays and weekends become an additional incentive, — the expert noted.

The long January weekend this year demonstrated the hidden side of inflation, says Ekaterina Kashtanova, associate professor at the Department of Personnel Management at the State University of Management (GUU).

— While some were eating the expensive olivier, others turned the holidays into a season of active financial hunting, — said the expert. — The twofold increase in interest in part—time work is not at all a symptom of fatigue from idleness, but a tough adaptation to reality, where the cost of living outstrips the growth rate of income. In conditions of "barrier" loan rates, accumulated debt over the year and active spending in preparation for the New Year, a ten-day downtime has become an unacceptable luxury for many.

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Thus, people began to convert their free time into "quick liquidity" in order to compensate for holiday expenses and enter working February without cash gaps in the family budget.

— The paradox of the moment lies in the perfect storm in the labor market: businesses are suffocating from a shortage of personnel in logistics and retail, and job seekers are ready to temporarily lower their requirements and take up unskilled work for immediate earnings, — says Ekaterina Kashtanova. — Short-term part-time jobs today make it possible to avoid microloans and maintain psychological stability in an era of economic uncertainty.

The winter holidays have dragged on, salaries have been spent, prices have increased, and it is necessary to feed yourself and your family, said Olga Zhiltsova, associate professor of the Department of Logistics at the Financial University.

— Due to the increase in taxes, tariffs, fines and the like, there has been a reduction in small business outlets, from where the ears of a similar trend are "growing" with the search for a temporary part—time job: temporarily working as a sales manager or promoter, you can simultaneously look for a more decent job or employment by profession, - said the expert.

She explained the increased demand for taxi drivers and couriers by the weather conditions in the capital — due to record snowfalls, many drivers stopped driving until the roads were completely cleared.

— There is also a shortage of low-skilled personnel in the field of logistics. Courier work before the New Year holidays was turned into 24/7, of course, people want to relax after such hard physical labor," Olga Zhiltsova said.

The growing interest in part—time work during the January holidays is not just an economic reaction, but an indicator of how people today cope with feelings of instability and internal tension, says family and child psychologist Maria Todorova.

"Part—time work more often acts not as a patch, but as a way to regain lost ground and regain a sense of control over life," she said. — The festive period traditionally exacerbates internal contradictions. On the one hand, relaxation and joy are expected from a person, on the other, it is at this time that financial stress, responsibility for family, children, and obligations that cannot be paused become especially noticeable.

For the psyche, she says, it is a state of uncertainty and vulnerability. In such conditions, the basic need for a sense of stability is activated: to be useful, necessary, and able to cope. If emotional support or a sense of security are unavailable for some reason, the psyche is looking for a replacement - through action. Part-time work becomes such a functional pillar: it provides clear rules and quick results.