Holiday hiring on the rise

Data released by the U.S. Department of Labor shows the retail industry added 150,900 jobs in October. That's a 317% gain over the 47,600 jobs added in 2009.

The year before that, only 38,600 jobs were added — the country's worst holiday-hiring season in 22 years, according to Challenger Gray & Christmas Inc., a Chicago-based research group.

“This is a good sign that retailers feel more optimistic this year,” said John Challenger, the research firm's CEO. “Even if November and December hiring remains flat from a year ago, seasonal job growth will top 600,000 for the first time since 2007.”

Macy's, UPS, and Toys R Us are among those companies having the largest impact on this year's seasonal hiring surge.