Get The Best Employees For Your Store By Following These Golden Rules
One retailer I recently spoke to lamented about how hard it was to find the right candidate to hire. Lots of applicants, nobody with that “spark” they were looking for. Smaller retailers want someone who is mature, intelligent, enthusiastic and with a spirit of service.
The American Retail Industry lost 1.2 million jobs, or 7.5% of its labor force during the recession. So far only about 10% of those lost retail jobs had been replaced. These statistics may discourage many students and young adults looking for work, however many smaller retailers seek summer help but may not even advertise for open positions because of the cost. As usual, a professionally printed “Help Wanted” sign in your display window is usually all it takes to start a stream of applicants into your store without the high price of advertising.You can still hire the best young talent out there if you screen them using this criteria:
-Start with the applicant’s appearance. They should be dressed in business casual attire when applying for a position. Shorts, sandals and a tank top my be fine for customers but not for potential employees.
-Even if you insist on completion of your own application form, all serious candidates should have prepared a resume and offer it to you to review.
-Consider candidates that demonstrate high energy and enthusiasm. retail demands this as tasks and even business circumstances can change day to day.
-Look for candidates with a spirit of service. Ask them how they have demonstrated this quality in their past positions.
-Don’t dismiss a young applicant because of a lack of experience. Look for past demonstrations of their creativity, initiative and enthusiasm. Their resume may indicate these qualities through volunteer work, club affiliations or prior academic accomplishments.
-Complete a thorough check of three references. This can usually be done in the late afternoon and confirmation of employment with the candidate in the evening. They may be able to start the following day for you.
One last consideration is hiring an applicant that is referred by another employee. You should follow the same procedure as you would with any candidate and refrain from any bias or favoritism. As a retailer, hiring employees who know each other outside of work may also expose the store to Loss Prevention issues. Statistically, employees who know one another may collaborate amongst themselves and generate internal losses to the store. You’ll need to satisfy yourself that hiring two or more employees who have personal relationships with one another will not pose a security risk.
Take Action Today:
1) Before you put the Help Wanted sign in the window, make a written list of the qualities you seek in a potential candidate based on the above criteria. This is your basis for conducting one or more employment interviews and does not replace your formal job interview process. It will enhance your decision making methodology.
2) Keep an open mind to hiring an excellent applicant even if you do not have a position open. If your wage budget can accommodate them, consider bring them on part time and evaluating what productivity they can offer your store. A good candidate who produces extra sales will quickly pay for the added wage expense.
3) Build your sales team through evaluation, training and promotion of part time employees who started with you by demonstrating the special qualities in this article.
retail, retailer, leadership, operations, sales, merchandise, global trends, global issues, customers, consumers, merchandise, selection, location, traffic. employees, hiring
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July 22, 2010 at 3:59 am
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