by Melanie McIntosh

Retailers are caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to hiring. Working in retail is demanding and requires a variety of skills. Customers have high expectations of service people, and the service they receive can make or break your business.

On the other hand, retail positions often pay close to minimum wage. The people applying for these jobs tend to be young and have little experience in the workforce. They may view a retail position as 'just a job' rather than a career choice.

With these realities, how do you find quality staff for your business?

1) Write ads and signs that attract the applicants you are looking for.

Be as specific as you can. "Are you interested in learning new skills? Do you enjoy working in a dynamic, challenging environment? Find out more about our retail careers."

Usually ads like this are used to fill management positions, but should also be used to find prospects for entry level positions.

2) Make a list of the character traits required for the position you are hiring for.

You can always train someone that lacks specific retail experience and is willing to learn, but you can't train character.

Does the applicant have strong interpersonal skills? Do their extra-curricular, school or volunteer activities show motivation, responsibility and independence? Do they have an eye for detail?

3) Take a skills inventory of your workplace.

Besides the basic customer service and sales skills, look for people who compliment your own skills and those of your existing staff.

Do you already have someone that is strong in merchandising? Do you need someone that is good with numbers for cash and inventory? Can you find someone with skills in teaching and training?

By building a strong team from the beginning, you can delegate responsibility and empower your employees.

4) Ask probing questions.

Rather than simply asking the applicants to describe their skills, ask for examples of situations they have been in that demonstrate those abilities. For example, ask them to describe what types of situations are stressful to them, and to give example of stressful situations they handled effectively, or ineffectively.

5) Always, always, always do reference checks!

It can be tempting to rush or skip this step when we need to hire quickly, or when an applicant seems to be the perfect candidate. Don't do it. You can save yourself many future headaches by conducting thorough reference checks. Again, think about the skills required in the position and brainstorm questions that are relevant.

Don't forget that if you are looking for quality employees, you also need to be a quality employer. You need to follow through with adequate training, incentive programs, and career opportunities to create rewarding work environment, or your best employees will soon move on.

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©2001-2008 Inspire Retail Solutions. All Rights Reserved.

Melanie McIntosh is a retail consultant and owner of Inspire Retail Solutions. She helps independent retailers who are struggling to get more customers in the door.
Is your store appearance actually turning customers away?
Find out more here: http://www.inspire.bc.ca

 

Melanie's articles and interviews have appeared in Retail BC's Retail Connections magazine, Western Home Furnishing Association's Western Retailer, Intimate Apparel Business, Arabian Retailer, Teeze magazine, edplay magazine, and LA Apartment, among others.