Wonolo
If you run a retail operation then you know how important it is to have the right staffing resources to keep a balanced workforce based on changing needs. One specific retail job that reflects this need most is that of the merchandiser, the worker whose tasks include shelf management, placement strategy, location information collection, and more.
The need for merchandisers can depend on the retail season. Retailers are still at their busiest during holiday shopping from Black Friday to December 29th. This is when retailers and manufacturers typically augment their merchandising workforce. Nevertheless, as shopping behaviors change, the need can pop up at any moment.
It’s important companies have the best staffing resources available to adapt to these swings. It may sound like a herculean task, but it’s never been easier to find qualified merchandisers than now.
To help you nab merchandising experts, we put together a list of the best places to find these skilled workers:
- On-Demand Staffing Platforms
- Job Websites
- Referrals
1. On-Demand Staffing Platforms
Although the retail landscape has changed within the past decade, many retailers find themselves following the old system, one that relies solely on holiday peaks and other predictors that dictate their schedules. Though these indicators are often safe, they do not account for unpredictable shopping behaviors — and not being prepared can have a significant business impact.
When you need highly-skilled merchandisers within a matter of days, or sometimes even hours, on-demand staffing platforms like Wonolo are your best bet. On-demand staffing platforms are easy — simply open the app, write a quick job description including details like pay, hours, and the location of the job, and get matched with relevant workers in your area.
Platforms like Wonolo are designed to help match you with experienced workers based on qualifications and ratings from similar jobs. By leveraging on-demand staffing solutions like Wonolo, retailers have the flexibility to find qualified merchandisers in minutes. Even better, on-demand staffing platforms handle the vetting process, saving you valuable time and money.
2. Job Websites
Second on our list represents the aforementioned ‘traditional’ route, job websites. Due to the immense popularity of this option, all of these sites make it possible for retail operations to identify and nab experienced candidates. That said, hiring staff often report getting a little too much of a good thing from these platforms, as it’s not unusual to become inundated with a high volume of applications all at once – many of them not qualified. Even more problematic is the subsequent “sifting” process that is required to find that diamond merchandiser in the rough.
3. Referrals
Did you know that referrals (specifically those coming from employees) have the highest ROI? In fact, companies polled in one survey rated referrals as being 82% more effective than any other candidate sourcing method. If you’ve been working in the industry and haven’t yet turned to your trusty associates for help in bringing new talent to the operation, those numbers prove that you really should.
You can start seeking referrals by reaching out to your most seasoned, skilled merchandisers, the ones who have had long careers and have big networks of other area merchandisers in their contact lists. These team members can act as powerful middlemen between the management and the candidate, thus giving you back valuable time to focus on your own operation.
