As the holiday season approaches, hiring for retail is booming and pay is increasing along with it. According to Glassdoor’s October Local Pay Reports, pay growth continues for jobs in retail. There are more than 698,000 open jobs in the retail industry on Glassdoor. Wages for traditional retail roles like store managers (up 4.0 percent to $48,616) and cashiers (up 3.7 percent to $27,549) are on the rise in advance of the holiday season.
Wages are also increasing for roles that handle back-end retail operations that support online shopping, including warehouse associates (up 4.3 percent to $42,893) and truck drivers (up 4.1 percent to $52,629). Of the increased demand for these roles, Andrew Chamberlain, Ph.D, Chief Economist at Glassdoor said, “We anticipate this will continue to grow over the coming months, fueled by the upcoming holiday season and as Amazon and Walmart expand their online retail presence.”
Several retail companies are among our 2017 Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award winners. We had a chance to talk to a few of them for our recent eBooks Secrets of Best Places to Interview and Actionable Advice from Top Company Leaders. The unique challenge of hiring quickly at scale requires a special approach that these companies have mastered.
Look for passion beyond the product
It seems almost everyone has at least one item of clothing from at least of one of Gap Inc’s 3000+ stores across its Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta brands. Recruiters at Best Places to Interview winners Banana Republic (#17) and Old Navy (#43) look for that extra special bit of knowledge and passion that goes beyond just clothes. Recruiters at Gap told us what a candidate can do to stand out:
“All five Gap Inc. brands sell fantastic apparel … but we do so much more than that! Research our company so you can have a smart conversation about things like the conscientious ways we get products to market, or our commitment to the community. Anytime a candidate can talk about the company beyond ‘I like your clothes! I’ve been buying them since I was a kid,’ I’m super impressed.” - Recruiters at Gap, Inc
Research shows that candidates who are more informed about your company make recruiting easier and result in better hires. For more tips and interview questions on how to identify informed candidates in your screening process, download our Candidate Screening Checklist.
Look for human values
People with a passion for fitness, sports and the outdoors are a special breed. When hiring for headquarters and across more than 230 stores, recruiters at Academy Sports + Outdoors (2017 Best Places to Interview #52) look for candidates who show their authenticity. Recruiters told us a great candidate is “someone that is vulnerable in the interview, not just giving canned answers but someone who is honest and leads with humility and is relatable." Some unique interview questions the company uses to uncover the real person inside are:
- “What is the one thing that you want me to remember about you?”
- “What is the biggest misperception people have about you?”
This human approach shows up in Glassdoor interview reviews like this cashier interview: “Interview with a super awesome manager. He was really laid back and welcoming. Made me feel comfortable and my nerves blew right out the window!”
Use Glassdoor feedback to improve your interview process
Sephora CEO Calvin McDonald (#45 Highest Rated CEO 2017) is the epitome of an engaged leader. He spends time every day on social media to connect with employees, and regularly checks in on Glassdoor. To top it off, he’s embraced the process of receiving and acting on feedback:
“I think feedback is a gift and it's wonderful opportunity just to sort of hear what people are saying: the good, the bad and the ugly. How we look at both our interviewing process and our onboarding was sparked by me reviewing the comments and realizing that we have a real opportunity to do a better job in how we take potential candidates through the process. We actually actioned quite a few changes as a result of feedback that I read on the site.” - Calvin McDonald, CEO, Sephora
The effects of this effort can show up quickly at a company with more than 430 North American retail locations and 2,300 stores worldwide, as seen in this Glassdoor interview review:
“The manager was very kind and professional and made me feel comfortable through the whole thing. She took the nerves right out.” Color Consultant Interview Review
Whether you’re hiring for front-end or back-end retail positions, acting on feedback is paramount. If you need a boost, read Templates for Hiring Pros: How to Respond to Reviews to make sure your presence on Glassdoor helps you get the best out of the holiday hiring rush.
