A job in retail could be just the therapy needed to get jobseekers into the Christmas spirit. Merry Hill Jobcentre will have up to 800 jobs on offer at a Christmas Jobsfair being held on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th September.

Over 20 major retailers based at the Merry Hill Centre will be joining Jobcentre Plus for the two-day recruitment event at Brierley Hill Civic Hall, Bank Street, Brierley Hill. Doors open at 10am and the event finishes at 4.00pm on Friday 9th and 3.00pm on Saturday 10th. Marks & Spencer, River Island, Argos, Virgin, Next and TK Maxx are just some of the big employers that will be attending the event.

Chris Smith, Merry Hill Jobcentre manager, said:

“This is the tenth anniversary of our annual Christmas Jobsfair and, during the last decade, we have helped thousands of people into work. We moved the event to the Civic Hall two years ago because it had got so big and, due to popular demand, we shall be there again this year. The manager of H Samuel Jewellers was so impressed with last year’s Jobsfair, after recruiting 38 temporary staff, that she asked me in January if we had the dates for this year’s Jobsfair!”

Almost all of the Merry Hill stores are taking on extra staff to cope with the Christmas rush with hundreds of part time temporary vacancies on offer. The majority of vacancies are in retail but there are also vacancies in catering, warehouse, cleaning and associated occupations. Some of the posts are likely to lead to permanent offers of employment.

Chris Smith added:

“Many of the big Merry Hill employers will be attending the event so jobseekers will be able to discuss the opportunities face-to-face with them. There will also be Jobcentre Plus advisers on hand who can offer further assistance in applying for the vacancies, such as help with completing a CV, as well as advice about in work benefits and training. So come and see us at the Jobsfair.”

People interested in the Merry Hill vacancies who cannot attend the recruitment event should call the jobs hotline, Jobseeker Direct, on 0845 60 60 234.