Canadian Retailer - The Human Resources Issue - 24

TALENT ACQUISITION

Meanwhile, sites like Glassdoor allow job seekers to get the inside scoop
on what it's like to work anywhere. "Candidates are reading every employment review out there, and finding out what current and past employees are
saying about a company," says Stollar.
At Town Shoes, one of the HR team always re- "PEOPLE WANT TO WORK
FOR BRANDS BECAUSE
sponds to comments posted about the retailer on
THEY LIKE THE PRODUCTS.
Glassdoor. Such sites can be useful for potential
BUT THEY STAY BECAUSE
hires, says Davis. "We say to our employees 'If
OF PEOPLE AND CULTURE.
there's good news, share it'." ("And if there's bad
THE HUMAN ELEMENT
news," she continues, "tell us so we have an opporIN HIRING CANNOT BE
tunity to address the issue.")
UNDERESTIMATED WHEN
Sites like LinkedIn and Facebook, and other
IT COMES TO ATTRACTING
digital presences, can also give employers clues
AND RETAINING THE
into candidates' lives. "Your online personal brand
RIGHT PEOPLE."
is often the key factor that can differentiate you,"
- JACKIE ROSS
says Jackie Ross, founder of JRoss Retail RecruitJRoss Recruiters
ers in Vancouver.
"While a resumé is often a marketing document for a job
seeker, it can contain material falsehoods," says Ross. "A candidate's profile online is likely more accurate because it is public and can be scrutinized and verified. For most recruiters and
hiring managers, your online profile is considered the most accurate representation of your work history."
Making better hires

Data gleaned through technology can help ensure the best
possible employer-employee fit. Three years ago, Town Shoes
introduced a predictive index survey. Applicants who Town
Shoes is already interested in will complete the survey online.
The answers generate analytics on four core behaviours: assertiveness, people orientation, pace and detail orientation. The
goal is to identify high performers.
RESOURCES FOR
For every position, Town Shoes defines what it wants from the RECRUITERS
ideal candidate around the four behaviours, to a greater or lesser To follow talent acquisition
extent. The survey includes about 30 questions, and takes five and retail trends, here
are three go-to sites that
minutes to complete. The results are compiled into a graph.
recruiters recommend:
"The tool is automated, and we can feed in our top candidates,"
* www.eremedia.com
says Davis. Before Town Shoes started using the survey, the
* www.recruitingdaily.com
* www.retail-insider.com
store manager turnover rate was 45 per cent, well above average
for retail. Now, turnover has been more than halved to 20 per
cent, below the industry average. "A large part of that is the tool," Davis says.
Ross agrees that technology in the digital age is aiding retailers' recruiting efforts. However, on the flip side, she says, it can make for a less personalized process. "People want to work for brands because they like the
products. But they stay because of people and culture. The human element
in hiring cannot be underestimated when it comes to attracting and retaining the right people."
Recruitment itself should be seamless, adds Ross. "Build a candidate experience that's easy and enjoyable, and this will help increase applications
and encourage applicants to share their experience with others."
Davis concurs that it's essential to ensure a satisfying experience throughout the process with every candidate, regardless of the results. In other
words, don't tick off your market. "Anybody who applies, even if they don't
get a job, is either a customer or can be a customer," says Davis. "So we want
to treat everybody in a positive way."

24 |

CANADIAN RETAILER

| THE HUMAN RESOURCES ISSUE

http://www.eremedia.com http://www.recruitingdaily.com http://www.retail-insider.com

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