As brands double down on delivering exceptional customer experiences, the demand for specialized retail skills has never been greater.
Customer-facing employees require advanced interpersonal skills to handle emotional interactions, troubleshoot conflict, and provide a superior shopping experience to elevate your brand.
Plus, with the rise of omnichannel strategies like e-commerce, social selling, and advanced digital tools, retailers need tech-savvy candidates with digital fluency to navigate these complex ecosystems.
These candidates can be difficult to attract and identify. It’s a highly competitive job market and nuanced skill sets aren’t always evident on traditional resumes (particularly when hiring at scale). To secure the best talent, retailers must rethink their hiring practices.
Here are 3 steps to effectively hire for these niche skills.
1. Start with a Strong Foundation: Crafting Better Job Descriptions
The job description is your first opportunity to capture the attention of high-quality candidates and accurately lay out exactly what you’re looking for.
To craft an effective job description:
- Be clear and concise: Avoid overwhelming candidates with lengthy lists of required skills. Instead, focus on essential qualifications and highlight the unique benefits you offer.
- Showcase your brand: Communicate your mission, values, and the perks of working for your organization to attract a strong candidate pool. Mention initiatives like sustainability efforts to set your company apart.
- Use inclusive and positive language: Ensure your messaging resonates with diverse audiences and reflects the brand’s personality.
A well-written job description not only attracts the right candidates but also sets the tone for a positive candidate experience.
Find more tips for writing the perfect job description in our blog.
2. Leverage Automation for Hiring Efficiency
Traditional hiring processes often rely on retail managers to manually review applications—a method fraught with inconsistency and potential bias. These busy managers (many without HR training) often let qualified candidates fall through the cracks.
Automated hiring systems can improve this process by:
- Streamlining initial evaluations: Digital tools ensure every application receives equal consideration, eliminating the risk of bias and inconsistencies across locations.
- Speeding up the funnel: Automation can instantly place candidates into the hiring pipeline, allowing applicants to be prioritized for high-need stores.
- Broadening opportunities: Candidates can apply once and be considered for multiple roles across nearby locations, increasing your chances of making the right hire.
With automation, retailers can save time and reduce manual effort in the search for highly skilled candidates.
Find more ways to leverage recruiting automation in our blog.
3. Use Assessments to Identify Key Skills
For roles requiring special skills, traditional resumes fall short in assessing a candidate’s true potential. Predictive assessments, tailored to retail’s unique demands, maximize candidate pools and offer a science-backed alternative to evaluate key competencies.
Here are some of the most effective assessments for retail hiring:
- Realistic Job Previews: These simulations allow retailers to evaluate multiple skill sets at once, while providing candidates with a glimpse of their day-to-day responsibilities. They assess competency in multitasking, organizational skills, and practical abilities. Job simulations have also been shown to reduce attrition by up to 63%.
Learn more: Realistic Job Previews - Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs): Presenting candidates with SJTs can identify soft skills that would be difficult to assess otherwise. Examples include decision-making, emotional intelligence, stress management, and initiative. These tests are essential for customer-facing roles where problem-solving and interpersonal skills are key.
Learn more: Situational Judgment Tests - Behavioral Assessments: These tools, sometimes called Personality assessments, gauge how candidates approach their work. They’re used to match a candidate’s disposition to the desired characteristics and qualities that would make them a fit for the role and organization. Behavioral assessments are used to measure characteristics like communication, teamwork, and customer-focus, while also enabling post-hire mobility.
Learn more: Behavioral Assessments - Cognitive Assessments: Ideal for roles requiring technical expertise, these tests highlight quick learners who can adapt to new tasks (even without prior experience).
Learn more: Cognitive Assessments
Predictive assessments enhance hiring consistency, reduce attrition, and improve overall candidate and employer satisfaction.
Want a deeper dive? Check out our blog on retail pre-employment assessments.
The Future of Retail Hiring
In an industry as dynamic as retail, hiring the right talent is imperative to delivering elevated customer experiences and distinguishing your brand. By crafting compelling job descriptions, leveraging automation, and implementing predictive assessments, retailers can meet the demand for niche skill sets and position themselves for success in an increasingly competitive market.
Ready to transform your retail hiring process? Learn more about Harver’s retail solutions or schedule a demo today.
