Wanted: Execs to Stock Shelves and Run Register
By George Anderson
A weak job market is benefiting retailers as highly qualified professionals laid off from other fields and nearing the end of jobless benefits seek store-level employment.
According to the Associated Press, “nearly 1 million unemployed workers nationwide will start losing jobless benefits three days after Christmas because Congress failed to grant an extension.”
Richard Outcalt of Outcalt & Johnson in Seattle says current job seekers are, “More seasoned, more dedicated, more scared, more anxious to do a good job rather than the blase, couldn’t-care-less, just-give-me-the-paycheck-I’m-going-home attitude of part-time seasonal employees in the retail scene that have been all too prevalent.”
Moderator’s Comment: What’s your assessment of the
current job market and its actual and potential impact on retailers?
Retailers should capitalize on this near-term job market
opportunity to evaluate the skills of seasonal workers for recruiting new talent
into the industry. [George
Anderson – Moderator]