According to Reuters, the current worker shortage may define the 2025 economy. Retail has been hit especially hard, facing staffing shortages that disrupt daily operations, strain managers, and negatively impact customer experiences.
To address these mounting challenges, retailers must start by reexamining their hiring processes. Today’s job seekers expect a fast, transparent, and technology-driven application experience. Companies that fail to prioritize candidate experience will struggle to attract talent—losing out to competitors that do.
Why Candidate Experience Is the Key to Retail Hiring Success
Candidate experience—the way job seekers perceive and interact with an employer during the hiring process—is one of the biggest drivers of hiring success.
- 52% of job seekers have declined a job offer due to a poor hiring experience.
- 75% of candidates say a positive experience influences their decision to accept an offer.
- Candidates are 20% more likely to refer others to companies with a strong candidate experience.
First impressions matter in retail hiring. A smooth, engaging candidate experience signals that a company values its employees. And as more baby boomers retire, retailers must modernize their hiring strategies to attract younger generations.
For more, download our white paper: “How to Build a Candidate-centric Recruitment Process.”
Attracting Younger Workers Requires a Rethink
Retailers are increasingly turning to Gen Z and Gen Alpha workers to combat labor shortages, but these younger generations come with different expectations than their predecessors. Growing up in a digital-first world, they expect fast, intuitive, and mobile-friendly hiring processes that feel as seamless as their experiences with their favorite consumer brands.
To attract and retain this new generation of workers, retailers need to:
- Streamline the application process to reduce unnecessary friction.
- Leverage AI and automation to match candidates to roles faster.
- Offer a hiring experience that is interactive, engaging, and reflective of their brand.
Younger workers won’t waste time on outdated, complex applications. They want candidate experiences that are efficient, modern, and respect their time.
4 Ways Retailers Can Improve Candidate Experience
1. Reduce Friction in the Application Process
A complicated or outdated hiring process is one of the biggest barriers to hiring success. Every extra step increases the likelihood of drop-off. In fact, 60% of Gen Z applicants will walk away from overly complex hiring processes, while 71% of ALL job seekers abandon applications that take longer than 15 minutes.
- Make applications mobile-friendly. Mobile-friendly access reduces logistical issues and increases flexibility.
- Minimize unnecessary fields. Eliminating redundant information requests to streamline the process. .
- Limit the number of applications. Allow candidates to apply once and be considered for multiple relevant roles across multiple locations.
A seamless, efficient process keeps applicants engaged and ensures more qualified candidates make it through the hiring funnel.
Learn about other bottlenecks that could be stalling your hiring efforts.
2. Automate The Candidate Journey to Improve Hiring Speed
Retailers lose top candidates to competitors when their hiring process is too slow. AI-driven hiring solutions like Harver’s Smart Job Navigator are critical for accelerating the process from start to finish.
- Reduce manual screening. By filtering out unqualified applicants early in the process, you save recruiters’ and applicants’ time.
- Match candidates to best-fit roles automatically. Even if they didn’t apply for the right position, smart matching ensures no top talent falls through the cracks.
- Prioritize hard-to-fill roles. Ensuring high-need positions don’t go unfilled across locations.
AI can’t replace humans for many retail roles, but it can help get more hires in the door. The key is using technology to eliminate inefficiencies and offer a single, streamlined path to employment.
3. Implement Predictive Assessments to Drive Engagement
Retailers don’t just need fast hires—they need quality hires. Traditional resumes often fail to capture the skills necessary for success in customer-facing roles. Predictive assessments offer a better alternative, allowing retailers to evaluate key competencies while keeping candidates engaged.
- Leverage gamified assessments. Interactive skill-based evaluations increase engagement and provide a bias-free way to measure capabilities. Harver’s gamified assessments have a 98% completion rate—a testament to their effectiveness.
- Provide Realistic Job Previews. Giving candidates a look at job expectations helps align their expectations with reality, reducing turnover while showcasing the brand’s values.
- Replace resumes. 62% of Gen Z workers believe resumes will be obsolete by 2028—assessments provide a more effective, skills-based alternative.
Leveraging science-backed, predictive assessments helps retailers hire based on skills and potential rather than past experience, while creating a more interactive experience for the candidates.
4. Strengthen Your Employer Brand
Candidates want to work for organizations that prioritize their experience and communicate a clear, compelling vision of what it means to be part of the team. A strong employer brand doesn’t just set companies apart—it builds trust, enhances engagement, and increases offer acceptance.
- Create a compelling brand story. Showcase company values, culture, and employee success stories through videos, infographics, and branded content to make the hiring process more engaging.
- Communicate with transparency. Provide clear expectations on job roles, pay, and schedules upfront, while keeping candidates informed at every stage of the hiring process. You can even supplement with AI tools like Harver CHAT to tackle basic questions and make candidates feel heard.
- Showcase commitment to employee growth. Highlight career development opportunities, training programs, and workplace culture to attract candidates who see long-term potential with your brand.
By integrating employer branding into every touchpoint of the hiring process, retailers can attract the right candidates and strengthen their workforce for long-term success.
The Future of Retail Hiring
Retail’s labor shortage may be here to stay, but businesses that prioritize candidate experience can turn hiring challenges into opportunities. By eliminating friction, automating hiring workflows, leveraging predictive assessments, and strengthening their brand, retailers can attract, engage, and retain top talent in a highly competitive labor market.
Investing in candidate experience isn’t just about making hiring easier—it’s about building a workforce that is more effective, scalable, and resilient.
The future of retail hiring belongs to companies that can adapt and create an experience for today’s job seekers.
Learn more about how Harver’s retail hiring solutions can improve your candidate experience.
