Spirit Halloween is a seasonal retailer, based in the United States. They have become well known for their pop-up stores that spring up in time for Halloween, selling anything from costumes to decorations to props. With popularity growing, there are more than 1300 retailers across the US and Canada now, and as a result, it has become a great place to get seasonal, temporary Halloween-related work.
Spirit Halloween are known for their fun approach to work. Working in a store leading up to Halloween means dress-up, spooky activities and lots of entertainment. Behind the scenes, so much goes into producing the spookiest costumes and displays. If this sounds like your ideal seasonal job, read on to find out about what jobs are available and when they go live, how to apply and what to expect from the interview process.
When does Spirit Halloween start hiring?
Spirit Halloween stores typically open in early August and close in early November, so the hiring period varies according to the job, with some roles including preparation for store opening, others needed only during the opening period and some following closure of the stores for a shutdown. The hiring process typically starts several months before stores are due to open, depending on the level of the role.
Other roles are more permanent and can be accessed all year round, although it is the seasonal roles that Spirit Halloween is most known for.
What kind of jobs does Spirit Halloween hire for?
Spirit Halloween are known for their seasonal sales associate roles. These are temporary positions, requiring minimal experience, often sought after by young people looking for part-time work and a fun job role over the Halloween holiday season. However, these are not the only roles available. Other roles include:
Store and assistant store manager: A store manager is in charge of the running of an allocated store, including day-to-day logistics and managing staff. An assistant store manager supports the manager in these responsibilities.
Sales supervisor: A sales supervisor reports to the store manager and supports the roles of sales associates, helping with pricing, and encouraging maximum sales and productivity.
Site manager: The site manager is in charge of the preparation of stores, including storage requirements, site logistics and ensuring the store is ready for opening and removing stock following Halloween.
Assistant buyer: This role is not a seasonal one. It’s ongoing and involves sourcing and negotiating the best deals on new lines and trends. An assistant buyer will work closely with the product development team to recommend and work together on new ideas and themes.
3D illustrator: This is a full-time role and is not seasonal. A 3D illustrator is needed to illustrate product models and create the technical specifications for products and company merchandise. This position requires a degree in graphic design or industrial design, as it is highly skilled.
Protection manager: A protection manager is in charge of health and safety of the stores and equipment, including filing reports for damage and loss of equipment, and ensuring each store is safe during and after business hours.
What are the application requirements?
For store assistants, or sales associates, the requirements are minimal. The only essential criteria is that you are over 16 years of age and can evidence that you can offer good customer service, demonstrate products and assist with the upkeep of the store.
Requirements for roles with more responsibilities, such as store manager roles, come with some further requirements, including management experience, and a high school diploma. For all applications, it’s essential that you demonstrate your love of Halloween and experience or enthusiasm for putting together Halloween costumes and doing Halloween make-up, as well as creating innovative displays.
Why should you work for Spirit Halloween?
Spirit Halloween have a 4-star rating out of 5 according to Glassdoor, and employee reviews reveal that it is a fun place to work, with a casual dress code, a great team atmosphere, a flexible schedule, and lots to learn for someone who has never worked in retail before.
Spirit Halloween pride themselves on providing a fun working environment and employees are expected to interact with customers to help them find costumes, help them with make-up and contribute to setting up exciting and interactive Halloween displays.
On top of this, employees are offered a competitive salary, receive a 30% discount on merchandise, paid holiday, bonus opportunities, and a 401K. Many Spirit Halloween employees come back year after year, although you should expect to reapply for a position each season.
How and where can you apply for a job?
Jobs are released directly through the Spirit Halloween website and the company starts their hiring drive in July/August depending on the role, so you need to be thinking about applying for a job early, long before Halloween has come to mind. Some roles run for longer than others. Typical sales assistant roles tend to be released from May/June, but some of the more senior positions run for longer.
For example, a site manager position lasts for 7 months, because it involves setting up the store and so vacancies are released earlier. Other roles are not seasonal and so there is no set time to apply. You can check the website or search for these roles at any time.
What’s the interview process like?
Spirit Halloween pride themselves on being a fun employer, so expect the interview to be professional, but quite casual. Interviews for store assistants generally start with an in-store interview answering some common interview questions, as you’d expect for the majority of retail roles. Questions are likely to include things like “Why do you want to work for Spirit Halloween?”, “Tell us about a time you experienced conflict in the workplace”, and “Tell us about a time you’ve gone above and beyond to help out a customer”.
Following questions, some employees report being taken to the shop floor and set a challenge for putting together a costume with a specific theme, however, this doesn’t seem to be everyone’s experience, and overall, the interviews are quick, light and you usually find out within a few days if you have been given the job.
Management roles will be a little more serious in approach, in-line with the level of the job, but still following the ethos of a fun employer and a fun-filled place to work. Questions are behaviour-based and successful candidates will be expected to pass drugs and background checks, as well as reference checks.
Whatever level you are applying for, make sure you do your preparation and practice. The interviews may be casual, but you still need to prove that you have what it takes and are a serious contender.
Key takeaways
Spirit Halloween is a popular seasonal employer and with good reason. If you get a job at Spirit Halloween, you can expect:
- Competitive salary
- A fun working environment
- Great experience for a first job
- A casual interview process
- Fast recruitment process
- Seasonal work with a short commitment
For sales associates, it is a great first job, giving you retail experience to add to your résumé, along with a taster of what it is like to work for a large retailer. The fun, fast-paced environment adds an additional element to the experience, making it an exciting place to work.
Don’t be discouraged if seasonal work isn’t what you’re looking for in your job search, though, because you can also find permanent positions in more skilled and senior roles. These all come with competitive salaries and benefits, and the company culture of a fun, exciting place to work. There is excellent career progression available, as well as discounts and additional benefits, including subsidised lunches and a focus on wellbeing.
Would you enjoy working for Spirit Halloween? Have you applied? Let us know in the comments!