Holiday hiring up this year | Business

DENVER -- It may be yet another sign the economy is ready to rebound. 

Seasonal hiring for the holidays is expected to be stronger than last year.  Between 550,000 and 650,000 workers will be put on payrolls during the shopping season, according to a Chicago outplacement firm, Challenger, Gray and Christmas Inc.

 "It's great around the holidays," Kent Moore said.  He has been hired for the season at Best Buy.   Moore and his wife moved to Denver from Wisconsin a short time ago. Moore's job in financial services hit hard times and his pay was cut 50 percent.

"Now I can at least keep my head above water," Moore said about his part-time Best Buy gig.

Dan McMillan is a former marine, but these days he's selling appliances at Ultimate Electronics. 

"I think I have an impressive resume, but no one was hiring" McMillan said.  The 22-year-old hopes he can stay on with Ultimate Electronics.  "Business has been good.  I'm loving it here".

But the seasonal hiring is still not at the levels of 2007, before the economy crashed.  In that year, 720,000 seasonal workers were on payrolls around the country. 

Right now, Kent Moore is happy with what he has.  "I have a roof over my head, food in my belly, the electricity is on.  It's a great situation," he said.