Headlines

Not-So-Much-Help Wanted in Retail and Transport?

Openings and hires down for both sectors heading into holiday season, study finds.

Published

12 months ago

October 17, 2023

INSTORE Staff

Not-So-Much-Help Wanted in Retail and Transport?

PHOTOGRAPHY: Tongpool Piasupun/iStock.com

Hirings and job openings in retail and its related transportation industries are down, despite such employers preparing for what is historically their busiest season of the year, a new study has found. The new data, compiled by talent-acquisition technology provider iCIMS, found that hires and openings in retail have decreased by 12 percent and 25 percent, respectively, from this time last year, while the transportation sector saw declines of 22 percent and 2 percent.

“In two years, we’ve seen a shift in these industries from hiring teams looking for warm bodies to fill roles to an influx in applicants,” said Rhea Moss, iCIMS’s Global Head of Workforce and Customer Insights. “There’s a lot less pressure now to hire just anyone and teams have the chance to be a little more tactical in their hiring as they approach their busy season.”

The report notes that job seekers pay attention to headlines. From negative coverage on the rise of retail theft across the country to the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike, candidates are reconsidering where and when they apply.

Overall, employers “have a stocking full of applicants,” the report notes. While hiring and openings are down across retail and transportation, application volume remains robust at a 13% increase for the transportation sector and 46% increase for retail from September 2022.

Click here for more from the iCIMS study.

You Wouldn’t Cut Your Own Hair. Why Run Your Own Retirement Sale?

After being in business for over a quarter of a century, Wayne Reid, owner of Wayne Jewelers in Wayne, Pennsylvania, decided it was time for a little “me time.” He says, “I’ve reached a point in my life where it’s time to slow down, enjoy a lot of things outside of the jewelry industry. It just seemed to be the right time.” He chose Wilkerson to handle his retirement sale because of their reputation and results. With financial goals exceeded, Reid says he made the right choice selecting Wilkerson to handle the sale. “They made every effort to push our jewelry to the forefront of the showcases,” he says, lauding Wilkerson for their finesse and expertise. Would he recommend them to other jewelers who want to make room for new merchandise, expand their business or like him, decide to call it a day? Absolutely he says, equating trying to do this kind of sale with cutting your own hair. “The results are going to happen but not as well as if you have a professional like Wilkerson do the job for you.”