For busy retail employers who require quality workers but don't have the time available to find them, working with recruiting services for the retail industry will help you find the staff you need to do the job. Some retail recruiting services include search engines that employers can use to find staff, while others offer consultants who will create a plan for your specific business and help you to find the employees who meet your criteria.

Many retail recruiting firms offer seminars and conferences each year so that business owners can learn about their various services and find the right recruiting service to fit your business needs. Here are some additional things to consider about working with recruiting services for the retail industry:

1. Use retail employee search engines provided by retail recruiting firms to find a company that provides the services you want.

2. Hire a retail industry recruiter who will come up with specific strategies for your business to help you find the right people for the job.

3. Network with consultants who are also working with recruiting services for the retail industry at seminars and conferences to learn about the services they offer.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Utilize retail recruiting search engines and directories to learn about services and hire staff

Many retail recruiting companies offer search engines so that from the comfort of your desk you can search through listings of retail employees. Most of these search engines feature online forms where employees detail what they are looking for in retail staff which helps to narrow down the search to more easily find prospects.

I recommend: Search for retail employees based on criteria that you fill yourself at Retail Talent Search and FSR Executive Search, which both feature retail employee search engines. Both sites feature the ability to do searches based on specific requirements so employers can narrow their searches to find employees that fit their needs.

Work with retail industry recruiting consultants to find qualified candidates for your business

For those who are too busy to use search engines or who want a more specific search, there are consultants who specialize in doing recruiting in the retail industry. These consultants will tailor a listing based on your criteria to help find the staff you require. So, if you're looking for retail staff who know how to work with specific items or kinds of stores, you can be assured of finding exactly who you want.

I recommend: Hire a retail recruiter from Praneel Technologies to help you find retail employees who provide various services including merchandising or have experience as buyers. Work with a retail consultant from Cornerstone which creates customized solutions to help you find retail staff.

Get retail recruiting information by attending seminars and conferences

Attend seminars sponsored by a retail recruiting firm to learn about the various services provided as well information about how best to run your store so that you can attract top quality staff. You can also network with other retail store managers and owners, as well as retail recruiters to learn about the services they provide including customized searches and business plans.

I recommend: Go to The Recruiting Conference which offers information and demonstrations about various retail recruiting firms along with the services they provide. Attend the seminar offered by the retail recruit firm The Friedman Group. This seminar features courses for business owners to help maximize their businesses so that they can attract and keep high-level retail staff.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Develop a long-term partnership with a recruitment firm to ensure that you always have access to staff that meets your needs.

If you are a retailer looking for qualified and motivated employees, then you need to be using retail recruiting companies. Retail industry recruiting agencies offer knowledge of the retail industry that will prove invaluable in matching your job to the right candidate.

Recruiting the right person is a challenge for any business. Utilizing a retail recruiting firm means that you can improve the quality of new hires, take less time and money to do it; and allow your business to concentrate on business issues instead of recruitment issues. Whether you are a small company or a large corporation, retail recruiting is a problem that may be solved by hiring retail recruiters.

There are two types of retail recruiting firms: contingency, which focus on low- and mid-level jobs, and retainer, which focus on mid-level and top positions. Employers pay retainer firms in advance and contingency agencies only if they fill the position. Make sure to contact only firms that fit what you need, either contingency or retainer.

Retail recruiting firms should offer

1. To find the best candidates to fit your job opening.
2. A thorough screening process.
3. Personnel who are well-acquainted with the retail industry as well as the challenges of recruiting in the retail industry.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider using an online retail recruiter to locate qualified candidates

If you are interested in recruiting employees on the Internet, choose a service that will expose your listing to the widest range of professionals in the retail industry. An online service that targets retail professionals may be your best bet if this is your goal.

I recommend: Jobster Inc. allows employers to post jobs and offers the latest in online recruiting technology to simplify, streamline and accelerate your recruiting processes. Fashion Career Center specializes in the fashion and retail industry.

Contact a full-service retail recruiter to find the right candidate

Retail recruiting firms should provide a full range of services, from screening to contract negotiation.

I recommend: The Bayside Group, considered to be one of the top retail industry recruiters, has much experience matching employers with experienced, highly qualified candidates. Search Professionals, Inc. deals with the retail and service industries.

For a high-profile, high-powered position, use a retail recruiting headhunter

Headhunters, also known as executive search firms, locate the best candidates for high-level jobs. If you have a job that requires a certain type of individual or skills, and you need a targeted search for candidates, consider a headhunting firm.

I recommend: Results Management, Inc. offers services based upon client needs to recruit unit managers, district managers and upper management for corporate chains and independent operators nationwide. ESC2000 works exclusively with clients in the retail industry.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Interview a few retail recruiting services before choosing one. Look for companies that have access to a deep pool of candidates and understand your business and what it needs. Make sure that you trust them with sensitive information and check their references with past clients.
• •  You may find headhunters specializing in the retail industry at local association meetings and industry trade events. In more casual settings, you can really find out more about the types of services they offer and the potential benefits for your company.

Retail industry recruiters or headhunters take the stress out of screening and hiring staff for busy retail business owners. There are retail industry consultants who specialize in finding and screening candidates for certain jobs so that retail owners can concentrate on running their businesses. Retail industry recruiters offer many services. Familiarize yourself with key terms to make the recruiting process efficient and easy.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Retail industry specialization

Retail industry specialization refers to retail consultants who specialize in finding specific retail positions such as merchandising or supply chain management. These specialists have a vast knowledge of what these positions require so that they can find qualified candidates to fill retail jobs quickly.

I recommend: Read the information about retail industry specialization at Retail Search Group.

Retail recruitment strategies

There are specific retail recruitment strategies that many consultants use to ensure that employers find and keep the staff they want for their job positions. These strategies include offering larger salaries, career advancement opportunities and more job benefits. Retail recruitment consultants who help create strategies like these for employers assist in the recruitment of quality staff members for their businesses.

I recommend: Learn about retail recruitment strategies by reading the article at Career Builder.

Recruitment process outsourcing

Recruitment outsourcing services manage the entire hiring process to meet the specific needs of retail businesses. Everything from searching for retail candidates for store managers and merchandising jobs, job profiling, and hiring are all handled by one company. Retail outsourcing services will also help employers to manage other aspects of their business from reducing business costs to ensuring compliance to governmental standards.

I recommend: Read about recruitment outsourcing services at RPE Solutions.

Executive retail search firm

Executive retail search firms will search for staff to fill specific retail positions coast to coast or globally. These companies have extensive retail search engines and systems available. They will specialize in finding retail personnel in executive level positions for retail stores including department stores, luxury and specialty stores and fashion merchandising.

I recommend: Gather information about executive retail search firms at The Bayside Group.

Retail executive search categories

Retail executive search categories are used by retail consultants to find candidates for specific retail positions. Some retail executive search categories include watch and jewelry retailers, home and furnishing stores as well as retail jobs for Internet or eCommerce jobs.

I recommend: Learn about the retail executive search categories featured at Recruiting Specialists.