Retailer’s Guide to Holiday Hiring

Retailer's Guide to Holiday Hiring

There is no doubt that the holiday season is the busiest time of year for retailers. According to the National Retail Federation, retail sales in the U.S. during the months of November and December are expected to increase 3.6 percent $655.8 billion dollars and online sales are expected to increase between 7 and 10 percent from 2015. The holidays are right around the corner, and retailers are going to need all of the extra help. Follow these tips to amp up your holiday hiring strategy. 

Have Detailed Job Descriptions

It is important that job seekers understand the position(s) for which you're hiring. Include a high level of detail in your job description including hours expected, pay, and perks like employee discounts. Job seekers, especially seasonal job seekers, want to be equipped with as much of information about a position before they take the time to apply.

Get Social

In addition to posting your position on your careers page, promote the open positions you are recruiting for on social media. Your social channels are great opportunities to raise awareness among job seekers that you're hiring for the holiday season. You can get creative by using Snapchat to showcase the culture of your organization or what the day-to-day life of the position would entail. Take advantage of all of your social channels and post the link to the application on Twitter, Facebook, or you can even include it in your Instagram bio. Get creative and get social!

Revamp Your Careers Page

Before posting your positions, take a look at your careers page and ask yourself if it speaks to the target demographic which you are trying to attract. If it does not, take the time and effort to revamp your careers page by adding photos, videos, and more engaging descriptions about your company, culture, and open positions.

Update Your Glassdoor Profile

Candidates will often do their research when applying to jobs so be sure to update your Glassdoor profile. Upload photos and videos so that job seekers can gain a better understanding of what it is like to work for your organization. Take advantage of the Why Work for Us  section. You can also include relevant articles under company updates. Similarly to your careers page, it's important that your Glassdoor profile appeals to the demographic of job seekers you are trying to attract.

Rethink Your Interview Process

Time is of the essence when hiring seasonal employees for the holiday season. To optimize your recruiting process and hire candidates quickly, conduct group interviews instead of individual interviews. It is never too late to rethink your interview process, especially if it may help you to close quality candidates quicker.

The National Retail Federation expects retailers to hire between 640,000 and 690,000 seasonal workers this holiday season. The holiday season is fast approaching so get ahead and post your jobs today!