How can retail stores open doors to higher quality applicants?

Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of an article from Convenience Store Decisions magazine. Convenience stores have long struggled with high turnover, but a few simple tips can help hiring. First, stores should always be taking applications, even when they have a full staff. Secondly, even if fully staffed, every manager each week should interview at least two of these applicants. With options at your fingertips, you’ll be able to hire smarter and faster when you lose an employee. With unemployment at record lows, making your jobs easy to apply for has never been more important. When job seekers have their choice of employers, most will take the path of least resistance. If you don’t have all of the “doors” that could gain entrance to your hiring system open, you’re sure to lose applicants to the competition. Here are some questions you should be asking: 

• If you have a real door they can walk through, what hours is the door open and what will happen when a job seeker enters? 
• How easy is it to find the door on your website? Is the online application process simple and quick or complicated and lengthy? 
• Can they walk through the social media doors? 
• Can they open a door with a text message? 
• Can they enter through your phone system?

Whichever door they choose, you’ll want to have a procedure in place to ensure whatever happens next in your hiring process makes applicants feel appreciated and gets each person fully engaged in your hiring process. When it comes to bringing in applicants, employee referrals are a key consideration. Consider giving an incentive to employees if they bring in a successful hire. When applicants come in for the interview, in addition to past employer referrals, ask for the phone numbers of three people they have worked with who can provide references on the candidate’s work ethic. This not only gives you good reference information but, more importantly, an opportunity to connect with three more employed people you can ask about your candidate as well as whether they may be interested in exploring employment with your organization.

• Recruiting and Retaining Quality Applicants – Convenience Store Decisions