OCCUPATION: SANTA’S HELPER

Name: Ngoc Truong

Company: Noerr Programs, a production company that is contracting with Westminster Mall.

Thumbs up: “I found out from my drama teacher that this job would be a very enthusiastic one--and it is. The utmost part about this job is the happiness that you see in the children, and the parents smiling when they see their kids meeting Santa for the first time. It makes me feel really happy that everyone feels interrelated--parents, Santa, the elves and the kids. It’s kind of like a family here. The job is so simple to convey the feelings of happiness, hope, excitement and giving.”

Thumbs down: “The hardest part of this job is when kids start crying when they see Santa. That makes it hard to try to get a photo. Santa will try to persuade the kids by giving them candy, though, and it usually gets them to stop.”

Next step: “It could be that I’ll come back as an Easter Bunny helper in the spring.”

Advice: “If you love kids, love Santa, and love the Christmas spirit, then you’ve got to work as a Santa’s helper. You get to be that character, the elf. So that means you’ve got to exaggerate with the kids so you get their imaginations going. If you talk to the kids directly they’ll smile at you. And, if you’re really interactive, they think that Christmas is all the more special.”

Salary range: In Orange County, $6 to $9 per hour.

Educational and training requirements: A happy, cheerful attitude and the ability to make kids smile. People who love children and aspire to become teachers or child-care providers and people with theatrical experience have an advantage over other applicants.

Size of work force: Small and seasonal.

Job description: Pose children on Santa’s lap and help make them laugh. Greet customers and explain photo services being offered. Assistants cut photos and help monitor lines of waiting guests. Photographic and money-handling experience may also be required.

Major employment industries: Santa’s villages are located in malls throughout the county, at theme parks and the North Pole.

Advancement: Santa’s helpers begin as line monitors and advance to cashier, photographer’s assistant and photographer.

For more information: Call the local malls or Santa’s villages, many are listed in the phone book.