Microsoft Job Postings Reveal New Holiday Stores, Impending Xbox 720 Launch

Need a job for the holidays? You might be in luck. Microsoft plans to open at least a dozen so-called 'pop-up' retail stores across the U.S. and Canada, from Massachusetts to California, this coming holiday season. These "Microsoft Holiday Store" locations are undoubtedly an effort to kickstart Windows 8 and aggressively push the company's upcoming Surface tablet and handset devices.

The locations appear in a series of job postings on Microsoft's website and currently include Vancouver, BC; San Francisco, CA; North Miami, FL; Miami, FL; Downtown Chicago, IL; Braintree, MA; Natick, MA; St. Louis, MO; Manhattan, NY; Cleveland, OH; Portland, OR; and San Antonio, TX.

Microsoft didn't tip exactly when the stores will open their doors or when they'll close shop, but they are looking to hire for various levels of employment, from sales reps to store managers and assistant managers.

Xbox 720 Concept by 3DEricDesign - deviantart

In related news, another job posting (that's been pulled, incidentally), seems to strongly suggest Microsoft's next generation Xbox console will launch by the end of 2013. The ad stated that "over the next 18 months, Microsoft will release new versions of Windows (Client, Server, Phone, and Azure), Office, and Xbox, along with completely new offerings like Microsoft Surface."