Retailers are looking for knowledgeable sales help. So where are they going to find people who have some real insights into how it operates and the products it sells? The answer is literally right in front of their faces. It's their customers.
An Associated Press report said retailers such as Best Buy, Target and RadioShack are among those who have begun recruiting future employees from the checkout lines in their stores.
Rick Beal, a human resources consultant for Watson Wyatt Worldwide, said companies are having to "go out and beat the bushes" to bring enough added staff on to deal with the holiday crush.
"We find that so many people who shop with us are enthusiastic and passionate about RadioShack, and they like to be in our stores," said Erin Quillian, a regional human resources manager for RadioShack Corp. "We encourage employees to talk to customers and ask if anyone might be interested in seasonal positions."
One of those hires, Carlos Penate, went into a store to buy a memory card for his cell phone and came out with his purchase and a new job to help him earn money during the holiday season.
In RadioShack's home state of Texas, the chain has taken to printing help wanted ads on its sales receipts.
While the pay isn't always that great for seasonal help, many are attracted by the prospect of being able to buy gifts for themselves and others at employee discounted prices.
"If you can see yourself first as a customer, it's a lot easier to see yourself as an employee on a part-time basis," said Mark Jaffe, president of Wyatt & Jaffe. "When a customer is buying, you somehow have to spin a web or create some magic or some kind of an intimacy with that buyer that makes them feel like this is a cool and not an undignified place to spend a few hours a week."
Discussion Question: What are your thoughts on retailers recruiting customers to work in stores?
We know of a number of Trader Joe's that have recruited shoppers on an informal basis to work in stores.
We were once offered a job when a store captain (manager, in standard retail-speak) working at a checkout heard a conversation we were having about how to use a number of their products in recipes. Before being handed the receipt, we were asked if we'd like to work in the store. At the time, we politely declined but a few months later took the captain up on the offer as we were doing research into the company. The several months we spent on the job at Trader Joe's were one of the best and most informative experiences we've had in all our years working in and around the retailing business.