Looking for retail jobs?

The state of play in the retail sector

Despite the recent slump, the UK retail sector is worth more than a whopping £350 billion to the economy every year, with an estimated 2.9 million people employed by the industry in this country alone.

As large chain shopping centres continue to expand, not only is there a need for expert recruitment services to hand pick high volumes of staff, there’s also the constant challenge of high employee turnover and fierce competition to deal with. Retail brands don’t just want people. They want career-driven talent that will grow with them, and they’ll be well rewarded for it in terms of progression and perks.

The high street, once the top spot for fast fashion and must-have media, began a tough battle against high rents and online competition. We are now seeing those sky high rents becoming much more affordable for small businesses, exciting opportunities emerge for independent or own brand retailers, meaning retail operations careers will begin to flourish.

What are the biggest things impacting recruitment in the retail sector at the moment?

Retail takes one of the top spots for high employee turnover. We’ve seen many reasons for this whilst working with retail brands to replace the talent that has taken a new path. Often, we find that candidates just aren’t the right fit, experientially or culturally. This is why we take the time to fully immerse ourselves in the culture of a business before we even put pen to paper on that job ad. Poorly fitting candidates not only make a large hole in recruitment budgets; they also can affect productivity and team morale. A great recruitment consultant will ensure a new recruit fits the business perfectly and plan a retention strategy to keep everyone happy.

Being predominantly customer-facing, retail jobs need great customer service skills. No brainer. Yet, many businesses find that whilst a candidate ticks all the boxes on paper, when it comes to customer excellence, they suddenly lose their bottle. Retail leaders come from a diverse selection of backgrounds though they have one thing in common. The customer service awesomeness. Which is why we meet every candidate in person, and even include role play in our interview prep, to ensure they cut the mustard in front of the customer.

As the world of retail joins the technological revolution, brands need tech savvy minds and skilled multi channel marketers to keep them ahead of the game. It’s no longer just about customer care. It’s about moving with the times, keeping up to speed with technological advances and continually developing skill sets to ensure retailers stay on the map. We’re seeing many more specialist skills come to light, with retail jobseekers completing advanced online learning in their own time, to cut above the candidate competition.

Seasonality affects retail businesses who haven’t thought far enough ahead to plan for busy purchasing periods. Christmas happens every year, on the same date, yet it’s surprising how many brands wait until the very last minute to recruit the teams they need to cover the mad rush. Having a recruitment partner that is always ready to jump onto a high-volume recruitment drive is key to ensuring a store is never left understaffed.

What skills are in demand?

With many years of experience working in this sector, we know the skill sets that organisations need to crank their operations up a notch.

There are certain characteristics that we look for in the candidates who have what it takes to succeed:

• A customer obsessed ethos
• A product orientated approach
• An understanding of Multi-Channel marketing
• Meticulous attention to detail
• HR principles, proven leadership and change management
• Slick business awareness
• An air of flexibility and a ‘can do’ attitude
• A collaborative approach to teamwork
• First class communication

From postgraduates, to those already in the industry and looking for something new, rest assured that whatever your skill set, there is a retail role with your name on it!

The E-commerce boom

So, let’s move on to the elephant in the room: the ‘digital revolution’. We’ve seen some of the biggest shifts in the retail landscape since the e-commerce boom, many of which will continue to change the face of retail for the next generation.

The ongoing digital retail revolution is a game changer and will certainly put several retail jobs at risk. However, we believe the changes will provide the retail sector with an opportunity to reshape and refine a lot of the traditional retail roles. These exciting new roles will focus on skills you can’t learn in the classroom. Creativity, flair, fresh thinking and adaptability to name a few.

The vision is to make the retail sector more connected with a more motivated workforce and multichannel offering. To get there, brands will look for less traditional skill sets and more ‘people’ focussed, head-smart recruits.

How is recruitment for the retail sector likely to change in the future?

The recruitment arena is continually evolving, as businesses grow and require a more finely tuned skillset from the team that drives them forwards.

The retail sector is up there amongst the most rapidly advancing industries, thanks to the emergence of new technology, more selective customer preferences and globalisation.

Employers are now seeking those with the specialist skills needed to move with the times.

What advice would you give to those looking for a role in these sectors?

Contact the People Pod today and speak with one of our retail consultants. We’d love to talk to you!