Winter holiday work has often come with perks, from cheap software to clothing discounts. This year, with the economy tough, many employers are playing it coy about their perks and not advertising them in their job listings, says Sara Sutton Fell, CEO of the temp-job portal FlexJobs.

"I think employers are getting so many applicants for any job posting, they're not playing up their benefits as much as they typically would," she says.

But perks are still out there. Smart job-hunters will have to tease out information about perks in their job interviews to find out what extra goodies an employer may offer aside from a quick seasonal paycheck.

When the Mayans devised their calendar ending in 2012 more than 5,000 years ago, I bet they had no idea how much end-of-world fodder they were providing for centuries of civilizations to come.

With the date creeping closer and a big Hollywood blockbuster imagining exactly how it would all go down, it's only fair to help plan for the worst - by pondering which jobs would be essential should a small group of us survive the apocalypse.

Keep in mind - this is by no way scientific - I have no research, experience or knowledge to back up these claims. Just a hunch. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments.

In the past few weeks, we've talked a lot about seasonal hiring and we got a huge response to the blog where we posted 10 companies hiring for the holidays. Based on all of your comments, it sounds like a few of you are looking for some more options.

Ask and you shall receive, my friends.

Here are six more companies that are hiring seasonal workers.

If you're in the market for a new job, why not go the creative route?

There are plenty of jobs where creativity and fresh ideas can make you stand out - and many of them are still in demand despite the recession. The following list provides a mix of in-demand gigs and (hopefully) soon-to-bounce back options for you.

Here's a look at some of the best-paying jobs that require a creative mind:

Most job-hunting aficionados can effortlessly recite their greatest strengths and weaknesses, succinctly describe their future career goals and present a compelling case when asked why they should be hired. Yet these types of sound bites, while helpful, may fall short when it comes to nailing down a job offer. Today's employers recognize that traditional interview questions such as, "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" tend to yield rehearsed responses, so they're branching out into new territory. For candidates, this means preparing to answer new queries.

Following are three types of questions you might encounter and how best to respond to them:

Working mother -- Isn't that redundant? Even today's most savvy mom can feel confused about the benefits and trade-offs that come with working part-time. If you're considering cutting back to a more "flexible" schedule, here's the inside scoop.

1. Be ready not only for a pay cut -- but a "benefits cut." Often this amounts to losing the equivalent of 25 percent of your pay. The result: Day care expenses might exceed your earnings!

While millions of people dream about making money without leaving the comfort of home, it's also important to note how to avoid losing it too. While there are many legitimate ways to make money at home, there are some simple steps you can take to steer clear of the scams so your money and time aren't wasted.

Unfortunately, meetings are not an expendable part of corporate America. They are, however -- or at least they can seem like -- a colossal waste of time. (Unless, of course, food is served.)

Mind-numbing as they may be, meetings are necessary. If conducted efficiently, they're useful and can help you stand out in the workplace.

Though you might be making all the right meeting moves, there are always folks who struggle with the concept of "good meeting behavior." There are always those who talk out of turn, snap their gum loudly or spin in their chairs while others are speaking.

Whether you're the meeting leader or just a participant, prevent yourself from being "that guy" and never make these meeting mistakes:

We've all been embarrassed at work. In fact, just this morning, a woman stopped by to tell my cubemate that a picture of her and her friends was in the printer by her office, in case she was looking for it. At first my associate was confused, but then she realized that the woman was referring to a picture that my co-worker printed (clearly to the wrong printer) to hang in her cube. Oops.

When it comes to embarrassing situations at work, people handle them in different ways, depending on what the embarrassment is and who it's happening to.

Cities across America struggling with high unemployment rates will welcome just about any influx of jobs - even if that means hosting alleged killers.

Several U.S. towns are begging federal officials for a chance to become home to Guantanamo detainees currently being held in Cuba. The clock is ticking - President Obama set a January 22, 2010 date as the deadline to shift prisoners out of current facility and close it down.

The web is teeming with tips from career coaches and pundits on how to land a job in this crummy economic climate. But much of this advice comes from folks who haven't been in the hiring seat for five, 10, even 15 years

Instead, we thought it would be helpful to compile the best suggestions of managers and recruiters at companies that are hiring right now. Here's what they had to say about writing a resume that catches an employer's eye, nailing an interview, and otherwise standing out from the crowd.

Between the clever quips, the incessant cleavage, and the convenient storeroom sex, this year's fall TV lineup makes a day at the office look nothing short of a college frat party. But anyone who's worked as a nurse, publishing assistant, or criminal investigator will tell you that the TV version of their job is far racier than the reality.

To set the record straight, we asked workers in the trenches what TV's hottest prime time shows get wrong about their jobs. We also dug up what these positions actually pay (hint: often less than their fictional counterparts) and how stiff the competition is, especially in today's tricky job market.

Everyone's heard about the recent layoffs and downsizing in the financial industry due to the mortgage crisis and the fire sale of Bear Stearns. Some of the retrenchment is now flowing over into other sectors, as expected.

Are you worrying about how to stay valuable to your current employer and how to avoid the unemployment line?

This quiz will help you find out if you're doing everything you can to recession-proof your career.

Answer true or false to the following questions. With each true answer you become more indispensable to your company.

Take our Quiz >>

Most residents like Sally Delk love the clean power and high paying jobs of nuclear power. But some fear the potential dangers are being ignored.

By Steve Hargreaves

BAY CITY, Texas (CNNMoney.com) -- Minimum wage to $20 an hour.

That's what 28-year old mother-of-three Sally Delk hopes to do with a job at the local nuclear power plant.

Delk is currently enrolled in night classes at the community college here in town. In two years, she hopes to get a degree in nuclear technology, and turn a $7.25-an-hour job flipping burgers into a position at the plant making $15 to $20 an hour.

"I have three kids I have to support, and it's a very good job," Delk said, lingering after class on a recent evening. "I don't really know all the different jobs at the plant, but I know you can work your way up."

It takes more than a good résumé to land a job in this market. You have to be savvy and a step ahead of other applicants. Cosmopolitan recently teamed up with the Society for Human Resource Management for a survey on what it takes to be a winner in these highly competitive times. Turns out the smart use of technology often tops the list.

Let's start with those social networking sites you're on when you're not scanning job sites. While you might share every detail of your life on Facebook or MySpace, it's a good idea to make sure hiring managers don't have access to your profile. A majority - 86% - said unprofessional behavior makes you less desirable as a candidate. Yes, this includes party pics and off-color comments. Not that recruiters are always looking - 70% of the organizations surveyed said they do not Google you or check out social networking sites while making a decision. Still, better safe than sorry.

Many job hunters will be happy to put 2009 to rest, and welcome 2010 with an eagerness that the job market will pick up. Staffing firm Robert Half recently put together a list of what it believes to be 10 Promising Jobs for 2010. The company has identified opportunities in accounting and finance, information technology and administrative fields.

In accounting and finance, salaries are actually expected to increase by an average of .5 percent in 2010. Companies want financial pros who can crunch numbers, communicate clearly with various departments and help manage costs.

Job titles to look for include:

By Prashant Gopal

The recession might be technically over, but unemployment is rising month after month even in most of the nation's strongest job markets.

A full-fledged job recovery seems to be a long way away. But some metros are poised for significant job growth by the first quarter of next year. BusinessWeek.com teamed up with Moody's Economy.com to identify America's 25 next recovering job markets. These metros were ranked based on Economy.com's projected job growth in the first three months of 2010.

If you're looking for a job, the best way to improve your odds is to go where the jobs are.

Texas is the place to go, according to the 2009 Best Performing Cities Index complied by the Milken Institute. The index ranks U.S. metropolitan areas by how well they are creating and sustaining jobs and economic growth. The components include job, wage and salary and technology growth.

Four of the top five and nine of the top 20 metro areas listed are in Texas.

In the current state of our economy, there are more than 15 million unemployed people. That's 15 million people who are all looking for a little help, whether it's in the job search, writing a resume, interview advice, networking or even help finding a new career path.

Many times, people who need job-search help enlist a professional. Career coaches and counselors are usually certified professionals who focus on career exploration or choice, changing career paths or even helping you beef up your resume and perfect your interview skills.

More.com ran a list of 10 great jobs for midlife women. It's a short list of jobs meant to feed your passion, and I think they could work just as well for a man as a woman.

They're jobs in growing sectors that don't rely on youth but on experience, and offer flexible hours and the ability to work remotely. And they pay well.

These jobs may make you want to change your life, according to More.com. And if they don't, they should at least give you some ideas on how to find your passion and turn it into a job.

Each November, the idea of giving thanks takes center stage in many people's minds. But in the business world, knowing how -- and when -- to give thanks is always valuable, regardless of the season. Properly thanking a colleague, mentor, reference or interviewer shows that you have a certain amount of class and professionalism.

If you've made a thanks-giving faux pas in your career, don't worry. It's not always easy to figure out when to send flowers versus delivering a simple thank-you letter. To help clear up the confusion, Jodi R.R. Smith, president and founder of Mannersmith, an etiquette consulting firm, offers the following guidelines:

As a career coach, I have noticed over the last year that many of my clients found a silver lining in the down economy. They used it as an opportunity to change their career. The slowdown allowed for introspection on their overall happiness level at work and they made useful discoveries.

For most people, the roadblock to happiness at work is lacking clarity about what job they'd rather be doing. Sometimes, all a person knows is that they don't like their current job. I believe that the way around this roadblock is a study of the heart's desire. While logical analysis can play a role, it's only part of the solution to the problem.

Winter brings an avalanche of year-end celebrations. Party season is at an all-time high, and, whether you're schmoozing with co-workers or mingling at a friend's holiday celebration, you become a pro at small talk.

"Can you believe it's almost New Year's already?"

"Is it just me or has it been colder than usual?"

"What do you do for a living?"

And then you're stuck listening to some workplace story that will make you wish the eggnog were stronger.

In an ideal world, all hiring managers would be highly skilled at conducting an effective job interview. They would ask intelligent questions about your work-related competencies and experience, while providing you with a solid understanding of the company and open position.

Unfortunately, not all prospective employers are master interviewers. If you haven?t yet encountered a bad interviewer, you likely will at some point in your career. They come in many shapes and sizes. Some are unorganized or aloof; others are focused and informed but intent on "testing" you.

Regardless of the type of interviewer you meet, there are ways to maintain your composure and leave a positive impression. Following are some common types of bad interviewers and tips for dealing with their idiosyncrasies.

Ex-convicts are 'at the back of the line' in their struggle to find work during the recession. It's a burden Gregory Headley feels all too well.

By Aaron Smith

If you think it's tough getting a job during a recession, imagine what it's like for an ex-convict.

Gregory Headley, 29, knows exactly what it's like. The Harlem resident was released from prison in July after serving two years and eight months for the criminal sale of a firearm. Now that he's out, he said, the conviction is dogging his attempts to land a full-time job.

"There's no nice way of saying, 'I sold a gun,' " Headley said recently as he headed to his part-time job cleaning sidewalks.