Seasonal hiring is in full swing and the outlook for job seekers is brighter compared to recent years, according to the experts.

“Hiring is up substantially from last year,” says career coach Donna Sweidan.

While the jobs may be temporary, companies across the board are hiring this holiday season. 

Aon Hewitt, a human capital consulting and outsourcing solutions firm, released its 2010 State of Hiring Survey that shows an increase in seasonal hiring.

Based on responses from 73 participants in retail, hospitality and restaurant industries, Aon Hewitt reported 55% of employers are hiring the same amount of seasonal workers this year compared to last, and 29% are hiring more employees.

According to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, approximately 600,000 temporary jobs will be available this season in numerous sectors including retail, direct sales, security and shipping.

With the unemployment rate still lingering near 10% competition will be fierce this holiday season, here are six tips to help you land a job.

Do What Interests You

Start applying for jobs within industries that interest you, that will make you more eager and knowledgeable than other job candidates.

When a job seeker is passionate about the product or industry it shows, and makes the individual stand out in a sea of candidates. 

Create Your Holiday Resume

Make sure to tailor your full-time job resume for a seasonal job post.

“Good seasonal job resumes should list the seasonal job as the objective and showcase experience in similar jobs, as well as seasonal job-related skills like inventory control and order taking,” says Alexandra, author of New Job, New You: A Guide to Reinventing Yourself in a Bright New Career.

Levit also suggests checking out online job search engines like Monster.com for good examples of seasonal resumes.

According to Sweidan, managers are looking for candidates with strong people skills, multi-taking skills, flexibility, enthusiasm and can work well under pressure.

Go Directly to the Source 

Seasonal hiring has already started so it’s time to be aggressive.

"Apply at stores, restaurants, or resorts in person and look for opportunities online at Web sites like SnagAJob.com and CoolWorks.com,” suggests Levit. “There are jobs to be had as late as early-to-mid December.”

Sweidan recommends using an aggregator like Linkup.com to find companies seeking temporary help, or visit Indeed.com to sign up for e-mail alerts or RSS feeds using search keywords like "seasonal jobs."

Network Your Way to a Holiday Job

Don’t underestimate the power of networking when it comes to landing a holiday job. 

According to Lisa Bordinat, senior vice president with Aon Hewitt, its hiring survey showed most employers rely on employee referrals for hiring.

If you aren’t already on Twitter, it’s time to check it out.

“You don’t have sign up for Twitter, but you can use the Twitter Search engine ,” says Sweidan. You can then follow twitter feeds to be alerted in real time of new opportunities.”

Prepare for the Interview

According to Bordinat, customer service is the No.1 priority for holiday hiring. 

In order to stand out to hiring managers, job seekers need to express how they can relate to customers and the service at hand.

Be prepared to quickly articulate your key skills and be armed with a few compelling stories that underscore your experience, Sweidan advises.

Make a Lasting Impression

Holiday jobs don’t have to have an expiration date.

Levit says a seasonal job provides a great opportunity to get in the door and make as many valuable contributions as possible.

“Don’t just approach your seasonal job as a temporary experience,” Sweidan says.  “Take your seasonal job as seriously as you would any position. Don’t just do what you are asked, go above and beyond.”