By KIMBERLEY McGEE

It's been a rough year for many Americans, but the retail industry is slowly coming back and in need of some extra hands for what it hopes will be a successful and rich holiday season.

Seasonal employees are vital to companies during the holiday crush, and the employee's attitude at the interview is particularly of interest to hiring managers. Customer service is key to most companies that experience higher business turnout during the holiday months, and a temporary employee who handles the stress well, learns quickly and carries that positive attitude consistently is more likely to be hired, area managers agree.

The Commerce Department reported that retail sales grew for the first time in three months by .4 percent in July, up from a lowly .3 percent fall in June. Much of this was thought to be due to a summer swell in auto sales. But the country's department store sales fell by 1 percent and clothing stores struggled under a .7 percent decline.

But there is hope for the near future as consumer spending is trending up. Many area managers want to be prepared for a hopeful holiday selling season and are looking to hire temporary help. Aside from the usual application-in-person process, many managers are hiring online.

There are a few online resources as well, including SeasonalJobs.com, where temporary positions are broken down by title, company, location and job type with detailed descriptions of each job with featured jobs from the Web posted on the front page.

Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan reported that consumers' thoughts on the economy rose positively by more than 2 percent from July to August after a serious slip to its lowest point since last November. The Labor Department reports that overall inflation rose .1 percent.

Macy's has done well with a healthy second quarter reported net income of $147 million, exceeding expectations of gloomy economists. This bodes well for locals looking for seasonal jobs or a foot in the door of a major retail company.

"We're still early in the holiday hiring season, so we do not have a lot of news at this point," said Helene Langer, district vice president, Las Vegas Macy's.

However they do intend to hire as usual for the holidays, considering that Macy's is one of the country's best seasonal employers and is often looked at by economists to judge the consumers' sentiment for the season.

"With six stores in Las Vegas, we hope to hire more than 150 associates for our seasonal business," Langer said. "These would be both sales and support positions, full and part time."

While it is a bit too soon, Macy's has started the hiring process by posting support holiday jobs on its website www.macysjobs.com. These include positions in receiving, price change and merchandise recovery, mainly floor and back-of-store or warehouse positions. Sales jobs will be posted in late September on the company's website, including positions for cosmetics beauty advisers, Langer said.

While a retail background is not required, it is helpful to secure a sales position among other key job slots. Macy's is always on the lookout for serious employees who fit well with the developed teams in the local stores.

"For all positions, we prefer candidates with previous retail experience, and a strong understanding of customer service," Langer said.

Customer service is key during the holiday season, not only for the employee to possibly secure a full-time position, but for the hiring company to ensure it meets its quota during the most important sales months of the year.

"Seasonal sales jobs provide outstanding customer service on the selling floor," Langer said. "Support jobs include positions receiving merchandise, stocking the selling floor, ensuring our signage is correct and helping ensure our sales floors are kept up to our standards by assisting with dressing rooms."

Another desirable trait in seasonal help is flexibility as companies extend their business hours for both front and back of store.

"All seasonal positions require that associates be available to work during key shopping times, including nights and weekends," Langer said.

It may be a temporary fix for some and simply add some needed income to their shrinking bottom line, but for many locals, the seasonal job is the only one they will have this year.

With Nevada's unemployment rate hovering around 13 percent, many locals are hoping to show their temporary bosses that they should look a little closer. Scott Rilane has been unemployed since last November. He is hoping to get a few seasonal jobs, and turn what he considers a temporary budget Band-Aid into a permanent fix.

"If I could just get an in somewhere, I know I could, or at least I would do my best, to show that I am a good employee and worth keeping on, at least part time," Rilane, a former hotel employee, said. "At this point, I'll do anything just to work again. I understand the importance of customer service and I'm hoping that will make me shine among the other (seasonal employees)."

Recent college graduate Melody Ploucher has rewritten her resume to include and spotlight her previous retail experience from high school through her junior year.

"I was holding out for a job in my field," she said. "But I want to move out of my parent's house so I'll go back to retail, with a big smile on my face. At least it's something I can show I did, and maybe I can turn it into something since jobs are so scarce in the (graphic design) field."

The positive attitude is exactly what Langer said will raise temporary employees to the few available full-time positions that will remain open after the holidays.

"Our seasonal positions are for the holiday season, but every year we offer continued employment to some outstanding seasonal associates," she said.

And Ploucher may be on to something, particularly if she maintains that attitude of keeping her options open while working retail.

"As America's department store, experience at Macy's is always valid in the marketplace," Langer said. "We have many seasonal employees that return to us year after year, and some seasonal employees continue with Macy's, building careers in retail."

Another strong local hiring company is Egencia, formerly Expedia Corporate Travel. Egencia is one of the largest travel companies that provide a network of travel agents, online account managers to its clients and "partners with companies around the world to maximize travel program investment and savings."

Locally, it plans to hire quite a few people to help it accommodate its clients during one of the busiest traveling seasons of the year. The company intends to hire as it continues to grow locally, said Sandy Mack, director, global customer service at Egencia.

"Egencia has already hired about 70 people, and we have plans to hire another 35 at this time, with the potential to hire more as our business needs grow," Mack said.

Many of its employees have a background in travel before beginning with the company; however it is not vital for employment.

"Previous experience using a travel GDS (global distribution system) is helpful, as is prior experience in the travel/hospitality industry or corporate travel," Mack said. "The biggest thing is really a passion for travel and a strong customer service ethic."

And Egencia is thinking long-term.

"These are actually not seasonal positions," Mack said. "We are looking for people interested in joining our team and having a career with us in corporate travel."

Egencia is also looking for flexibility in its future employees.

"All of the positions are full time, and we have a wide array of schedules we are hiring for based on the needs of our customers," Mack said.

The hiring process will continue through the end of the year and well into 2011.

"We encourage people interested in a career in travel to visit our website and apply (http://www.expediajobs.com/)," she said.

The travel company offers opportunity for growth within the company as well as provides a strong spring board for those looking for serious training in the travel field.

"Egencia is quickly becoming a strong player in the corporate travel arena, and our travel consultants are the best in the industry," Mack said. "While we hope people will choose to stay with us for a long time, the skills and technologies people learn working for us will help them be successful in any corporate travel position, but will also allow them to truly hone their customer service skills. This position allows for a true sense of accomplishment -- there is nothing like helping people get where they want to be."