Regardless of the industry you work in recruitment can be a challenge. There are always people looking for work, so there are always plenty of applicants. The problem is that an awful lot of the applications that cross your desk will be from people who are not suitable. This has always been a problem, but these days’ things have gotten a bit out of control.
The Reason for the Problem
In their desperation to find work, many people now apply for jobs they are not really qualified for. They do so in the hope that not many people will apply and they will be offered a chance. Of course, this rarely, if ever, works, but you can understand why some people think that it might.
The fact that people simply have to send in their CV is also encouraging this behaviour. If they do it over the web applying for a role need only take a few minutes, and there is no postage to pay. As a result, the temptation to apply for dozens of jobs every day is perhaps understandable. However, this behaviour means that it is not uncommon for a retailer to receive dozens of applications.
This causes a real problem for many retail recruiters. They frequently find themselves spending more time reading unsuitable applications than they do looking at suitable ones. Even skim reading an application takes time. Just opening 20 unsuitable applications and dealing with them can easily swallow up the better part of an hour.
Getting Around the Problem
No matter what you do you will not completely eliminate unsuitable applications. However, if you are clever about where you advertise your retail roles, you can reduce the level of unsuitable applications.
The key is where you advertise your jobs. If you want applicants with experience of working in retail, it is best to advertise where they go to look for work. These days, that is the websites of recruitment agents who specialise in retail. Anyone who has previously worked in retail knows that they can quickly find a job using one of these recruitment agencies, so this is where you will find the most suitable candidates.
Retail Choice makesretail recruitment more efficient for agencies as well as companies. Every week they help fill hundreds of retail posts.
