The number of jobs is increasing in Texas. The state has added more than 40-thousand jobs in the last month. But it may be difficult to land a seasonal job this year.

Zinger is local store in North Austin. And owners say every year they look for seasonal help.  But this year they are not hiring for the season because of the economy.

Katherine Friend owns Zinger Hardware and says, “It's a fun store. We have everything from imported hard wood furniture we have hardware, not toxic paints kitchen ware."

Friend opened Zinger hardware with her Austin seven years ago. They've done well and have grown over the last several years, but this holiday season, they're making some cut backs.

"In previous years we have had seasonal help. This year we are not hiring seasonal help. We have some part-timers that we've increased the hours of, but sales have been down this year so, as a result, we're not hiring any seasonal help," says Friend.

A number of other local businesses are following the same trend increasing the hours of part-timers, versus hiring "new" help for the holidays.

Friend says, "It's certainly been hard and I find what we have really been doing actually is obviously cut costs and do our best with what we can, but we've actually been focusing on the store and dynamics of the store.'

Friend says despite the hit they took during this tough economic year. They have been re-working the store; trying to set themselves apart and getting ready for what they hope will be a successful shopping season.

There are a few businesses we talked to that are hiring for the holidays, like the Alamo Drafthouse and Best Buy.

But many retailers like Best Buy started bringing on people in October and have already done the hiring they're going to do for this season.

The unemployment rate rose slightly in October to 8.3 percent from 8.2 percent in September. But, the state added close to 42,000 jobs.

The unemployment rate in Texas is still well below the national rate of 10.2 percent.